Ubuntu just started renaming files while exporting (sending over mail, KDE Connect, Whatsapp web). The folder is my google drive, connected to my google drive. Sometimes it looses its file ending/type as well. The file is called something like: “1Kfhgsji2rjfIS-fi3oo598nf8ajlfoi.pdf”
I guess its a weird bug, it persist even after a restart. Thanks, maybe you have a solution
Do you know how to accomplish a chmod in Linux?
Here’s a breakdown if you need to learn: https://www.howtogeek.com/437958/how-to-use-the-chmod-command-on-linux/
From your description, it looks like there is read write permission for the user, but no group or general permissions. Again, I don’t know if this will work, but it is where I would start.
Open your terminal and type:
sudo chmod 777 /path/to/file.txt
That will allow all users, groups, and guests to read, write, and/or execute the file. Then, if your programs are set to run under their own user or group, this will open the door for them to be able to access the full file.
Other than that, I’m wondering if the original file names have a structure that one of the systems can’t handle (such as slash marks) and so it changes the name to accommodate.
This is going to take some trial and error in troubleshooting. If you aren’t familiar with your terminal yet, this is going to be a great learning opportunity. Just make a backup of your files and system so you can undo any mistakes.
Thanks dor the link. I ran the command with sudo and the fill path to the file, permission still denied. User group and user is me, still only rw permission for the user… It confuses me, that I don’t have executive permission on my own folder. Should I try to disconnect and reconnect to Google drive?
Couldn’t hurt, but I’d be surprised if that fixed it.
Has your account been added to the sudo group before? If not, run the following command in the terminal with your own username:
sudo usermod -aG sudo <username>
That should give your account sudo privileges and let you run the command with sudo properly.
I really wish I could take a look at your system in person. There are several things happening here that are unusual for Ubuntu.
Still permission denied :&
It sounds like you aren’t an admin somehow. Do you know the root login credentials? Maybe adding the user to sudo from root will get you closer.
You could also try running chmod as root as a shortcut, but be very careful making a bunch of changes as root.
When I use “su” and login as root, I can not navigate using ls or cd… it says permission denied again… I’m a little confused to be honest
Honestly, it sounds like you set up some unusual settings when you first set up Ubuntu. Usually, the default Ubuntu options will disable root and give your first account sudo permissions. If it didn’t do that, then it should still have root enabled as a user you can log in as.
I mean no disrespect, but it seems like you need some terminal fundamentals that will be difficult for me to relay to you one at a time. Instead, I’m going to give you the basic game plan that I would run here, and then I suggest you google the individual commands to see how they work.
Step 1: Get Admin Permissions
It is imperative that you get administrator privileges. Try logging out completely and logging in as root. If that doesn’t work, do some googling about Ubuntu root accounts and wrack your brain to remember what you selected when you first set up the OS. When you get access to the root account, you should be able to run that command from earlier to add your user to the sudo group. Running commands with sudo will give your primary account root like permissions without having to risk a fat finger error like you do with root.
Step 2: Try Changing File Permissions
Once you have sudo or root access, use sudo or root to run the chmod 777 command to change a file’s permissions to global access. This will allow any user or program to access that file. There are other chmod restrictions that are more specialized that you may want to learn about, but 777 is a good place to start while testing this because we want to reduce the chance of something going wrong as much as humanly possible.
Step 3: Look For Dependancies
Look up terminal install instructions for google drive. Are there other programs that need to be installed first that may have been missed? If so, install all dependencies.
Step 4: Test Other Distros
Spin up a VM of Debian and try installing google drive there. Does it work on Debian? If so, it may be some setting with Ubuntu that is keeping it from working. I’ve occasionally run across weird incompatibilities with Ubuntu that resolve themselves on Debian.
Step 5: The Nuclear Option
If it works in Debian or another distro, then you may want to consider switching distros, reinstalling Ubuntu, or spending a few hours of googling to figure out what the differences are between the two OS’s to track down your problem. Tracking the solution down may be the hardest option, and though it seems daunting, switching distros isn’t so bad.
Good luck, soldier! The sweet release of solving a problem in Linux is better than any orgasm. I honestly think if you do googling about root accounts, sudo, chmod, and the individual dependencies for your malfunctioning programs, that you will figure this out.
If you get it fixed, I’d love to hear your solution. Also, I’m happy to answer more questions if you make some progress and hit another block, I just figured it was easier to spell out a whole plan instead of giving it to you a step at a time.
Thank you so much for all your time and thought! I’m lot super new to Linux, but it’s my main OS for a few months only. I will look into your steps that you listed. Thanks again!
Stick with it! I was intimidated by Linux at first and barely learned anything the first year because I was afraid to tinker.
Learn how to make a backup and do a restore (timeshift is a good option), and then tinker with abandon. The terminal is your friend. Experience is the best teacher.
I’m excited for you. I wish I could learn it all again to experience the excitement of writing my first script or figuring out docker again. It’s going to be an awesome adventure for you. 🙂