How to Run Linux Executables from a FAT32 Flash Drive in Thunar

Learn how to configure Thunar file manager to mount a FAT32 flash drive with the exec option enabled, so you can run Linux executables from it.

Problem

Some users may encounter a problem when they try to run Linux executables from a FAT32 flash drive using Thunar. By default, Thunar mounts FAT32 drives with the noexec option, which prevents the execution of any files on the drive. This is done for security reasons, but it can be inconvenient if you want to run portable Linux applications from a flash drive.

In this article, we will show you how to make Thunar mount a FAT32 flash drive with the exec option enabled, so you can run Linux executables from it. We will also explain the difference between mount, unmount, and eject, and how to use them in Thunar.

What is the exec option and why is it needed?

The exec option is a mount option that allows the execution of files on a mounted device. Mount options are parameters that affect the behavior of the file system when it is mounted. Some common mount options are:

• ro: mount the device as read-only
• rw: mount the device as read-write
• sync: write changes to the device immediately
• async: write changes to the device asynchronously
• noatime: do not update the access time of files on the device
• noexec: do not allow the execution of files on the device

The noexec option is often used for security reasons, to prevent malicious or accidental execution of files on a removable device. However, this also means that you cannot run any Linux executables from the device, even if they are legitimate and harmless. For example, if you have a Linux executable placed on a FAT32 flash drive, and you try to run it by double-clicking on it in Thunar, it will not start. Instead, Thunar will open the “Open With” dialog, asking you to choose an application to open the file with. This is because Thunar mounts the FAT32 drive with the noexec option by default.

To run the executable, you need to mount the drive with the exec option instead. This will allow the execution of files on the drive, but it will also expose you to potential security risks. Therefore, you should only use the exec option if you trust the source and content of the files on the drive, and if you are aware of the consequences.

How to mount a FAT32 flash drive with the exec option in Thunar?

There are two ways to mount a FAT32 flash drive with the exec option in Thunar: manually and automatically.

Method 1: Manually mounting a FAT32 flash drive with the exec option

To manually mount a FAT32 flash drive with the exec option, you need to use the command line. First, you need to find out the device name of the flash drive. You can do this by running the command lsblk in a terminal, and looking for the device that matches the size and label of your flash drive. For example, if your flash drive is 16 GB and has the label “FLASH”, you may see something like this:

NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda      8:0    0 465.8G  0 disk 
├─sda1   8:1    0   512M  0 part /boot/efi
├─sda2   8:2    0    32G  0 part /
└─sda3   8:3    0 433.3G  0 part /home
sdb      8:16   1  14.9G  0 disk 
└─sdb1   8:17   1  14.9G  0 part /run/media/user/FLASH

In this case, the device name of the flash drive is sdb, and the partition name is sdb1. Note that the device name may vary depending on the number and order of your drives, so make sure you identify the correct one.

Next, you need to create a mount point for the flash drive. A mount point is a directory where the files on the device will be accessible. You can create a mount point anywhere you want, but a common practice is to use the /mnt or /media directories. For example, you can create a mount point called /mnt/flash by running the command sudo mkdir /mnt/flash in a terminal. You may need to enter your password to run this command.

Finally, you need to mount the flash drive with the exec option. To do this, you need to run the command sudo mount -o exec /dev/sdb1 /mnt/flash in a terminal. This will mount the partition sdb1 on the mount point /mnt/flash with the exec option enabled. You may need to enter your password to run this command.

After mounting the flash drive with the exec option, you should be able to run Linux executables from it by double-clicking on them in Thunar. However, you need to remember to unmount the flash drive before removing it, to avoid data loss or corruption. To unmount the flash drive, you need to run the command sudo umount /mnt/flash in a terminal. You may need to enter your password to run this command.

Method 2: Automatically mounting a FAT32 flash drive with the exec option

To automatically mount a FAT32 flash drive with the exec option, you need to edit the /etc/fstab file. The /etc/fstab file is a configuration file that specifies how and where devices should be mounted at boot time or when plugged in. You can edit this file with any text editor, but you need root privileges to do so. For example, you can use the command sudo nano /etc/fstab in a terminal to edit the file with the nano editor. You may need to enter your password to run this command.

To add an entry for the flash drive, you need to know its UUID or LABEL. The UUID is a unique identifier for the device, and the LABEL is a name that you can assign to the device. You can find out the UUID or LABEL of the flash drive by running the command sudo blkid /dev/sdb1 in a terminal, where sdb1 is the partition name of the flash drive. You may need to enter your password to run this command. For example, you may see something like this:

/dev/sdb1: LABEL="FLASH" UUID="1234-5678" TYPE="vfat" PARTUUID="abcd-efgh"

In this case, the LABEL of the flash drive is “FLASH” and the UUID is “1234-5678”. You can use either of them to identify the flash drive in the /etc/fstab file, but using the UUID is more reliable, as the LABEL may change or be duplicated.

Next, you need to add a line to the /etc/fstab file with the following format:

UUID=1234-5678 /mnt/flash vfat defaults,exec 0 0

This line tells the system to mount the device with the UUID “1234-5678” on the mount point /mnt/flash with the file system type vfat and the mount options defaults,exec. The last two numbers are the dump and pass options, which are not relevant for this case. You can replace the UUID with the LABEL if you prefer, but you need to use the LABEL= prefix, like this:

LABEL=FLASH /mnt/flash vfat defaults,exec 0 0

After adding the line, you need to save and close the file. The next time you plug in the flash drive, it should be automatically mounted on the mount point /mnt/flash with the exec option enabled. You should be able to run Linux executables from it by double-clicking on them in Thunar. However, you still need to unmount or eject the flash drive before removing it, to avoid data loss or corruption. You can do this by using the right-click menu or the eject icon in Thunar.

What is the difference between mount, unmount, and eject?

Before we conclude, we need to explain the difference between mount, unmount, and eject, and how to use them in Thunar. The Unix file system treats all drives and media as files, albeit a special type of file. In order to access the files on a device, you need to mount it. This means attaching it to the file system as a sub-directory, such as /mnt/flash. When a device is mounted, you can access its files just like any other files and folders in the file system.

However, if you make any changes to the files on the device, you need to make sure that they are written to the device before you remove it. This is done by unmounting or ejecting the device. The difference between the two is as follows:

• Unmount: This means closing the files on the device and detaching it from the file system, but keeping it connected to the computer. The device will still show up in Thunar, but its icon will be greyed out. You can mount it again by clicking on it or using the right-click menu.
• Eject: This means closing the files on the device, detaching it from the file system, and disconnecting it from the computer. The device will not show up in Thunar anymore, and you can safely remove it from the computer. You can eject a device by using the eject icon or the right-click menu in Thunar.

You should always unmount or eject a device before removing it, to avoid data loss or corruption. If you remove a device without unmounting or ejecting it, you may see a warning message in Thunar, telling you that the device was not properly removed. This means that some changes may not have been written to the device, and the file system may be damaged. To prevent this, you should always use the unmount or eject option in Thunar.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question: What is Thunar?

Answer: Thunar is a file manager for Linux desktop environments such as Xfce, LXDE, and MATE. It is fast, lightweight, and easy to use.

Question: What is FAT32?

Answer: FAT32 is a file system format that is commonly used for flash drives and other removable media. It is compatible with most operating systems, but it has some limitations, such as a maximum file size of 4 GB and a maximum partition size of 32 GB.

Question: What is a Linux executable?

Answer: A Linux executable is a file that can be run as a program on a Linux system. It usually has the extension .bin, .run, or .sh, and it may have a special permission called the execute bit, which allows it to be executed.

Question: How can I tell if a file is a Linux executable?

Answer: You can tell if a file is a Linux executable by looking at its properties in Thunar. Right-click on the file and select Properties. In the Basic tab, look at the Type field. If it says “Executable (application/x-executable)”, then it is a Linux executable. You can also look at the Permissions tab, and see if the Execute option is checked for the Owner, Group, or Others.

Question: How can I change the mount options for other file systems, such as NTFS or ext4?

Answer: You can change the mount options for other file systems by using the same methods as for FAT32, but with different file system types and options. For example, to mount an NTFS drive with the exec option, you can use the command sudo mount -o exec /dev/sdb1 /mnt/ntfs in a terminal, where sdb1 is the partition name and ntfs is the file system type. You can also add a line to the /etc/fstab file, such as UUID=1234-5678 /mnt/ntfs ntfs defaults,exec 0 0, where 1234-5678 is the UUID of the device and ntfs is the file system type. You can find out the file system type of a device by running the command sudo blkid /dev/sdb1 in a terminal, where sdb1 is the partition name.

Question: How can I run Linux executables from a flash drive without changing the mount options?

Answer: You can run Linux executables from a flash drive without changing the mount options by using the command line. First, you need to find out the device name and the mount point of the flash drive, as explained above. Then, you need to run the command sudo sh /run/media/user/FLASH/file.bin in a terminal, where user is your username, FLASH is the label of the flash drive, and file.bin is the name of the executable. You may need to enter your password to run this command. This will run the executable using the shell interpreter, bypassing the noexec option.

Summary

In this article, we have learned how to configure Thunar file manager to mount a FAT32 flash drive with the exec option enabled, so you can run Linux executables from it. We have also explained the difference between mount, unmount, and eject, and how to use them in Thunar. We hope this article was helpful and informative for you. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. We are not responsible for any damage or data loss that may occur as a result of following the instructions in this article. You should always backup your data before making any changes to your system. You should also be aware of the potential security risks of using the exec option, and only use it if you trust the source and content of the files on the flash drive. Use the exec option at your own risk.