Mounting ISO images or shared folders on Linux is quite easy with Caldera's Mount tool, available in the CalderaDock applications tab starting from version 2.1:
You might be interested in reading:
- How to install CalderaDock on Linux?
- What is a mount point? (Includes how to mount a shared folder on macOS)
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Previously, Caldera's MountTool was an external application that had to be downloaded from WorkSpace. If you still have this application and need help using it, you can visit the specialized section.
Mount ISO
The use of Mount ISO is simple and, in the case of an installer, it is a practical alternative that prevents you from using the Terminal if your computer does not have a Package Manager. Follow the instructions:
1- Click on Mount ISO and Choose the path of the image to mount (in this example, an installer of CalderaRIP):
2- An authentication will be required. If your Linux station was configured by Caldera, both the user and the password will be caldera
3- If the authentication was successful, the ISO will now load. In this case, the loaded ISO was an installer so the installation starts automatically:
Mount shared folder
1- (Optional) If this is the first time you use the MountTool, and/or the Setup Tools that CalderaDock includes for Linux, by clicking on Mount shared folder, the application will ask you to install some additional elements:
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- AutoFS: Program for automatically mounting directories on an as-needed basis.
- Samba: File server enables file sharing across different operating systems over a network.
- NFS (Network File System): Allows a system to share directories and files with others over a network (without authentification protocols).
Click here to access the Linux Ubuntu documentation dedicated to servers.
Once you are ready, click on Setup and the installation will run automatically:
2- The Mount shared folder tool looks like this when no host is mounted yet. To mount the first one, click on the Add icon
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Some versions of Linux Ubuntu also allow you to connect to servers through Nautilus (the Gnome file explorer). Click here to learn more about it.
3- The first and most basic information you will need to enter is the hostname containing the files to be shared and the sharing protocol. In hostname, you can enter:
- The IP address of the station
- The FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name), if there are local zones filled in the DNS server
- Or just a hostname, if there is a wins server configured
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- NFS (Network File System): File-sharing protocol for UNIX-based and Linux operating systems.
- SMB (Server Message Block): File-sharing protocol with authentication that gives access to shared data over the network. Widely used in Windows environments to access files over the local area network (LAN).
- Which protocol to choose? "It is simply a matter of determining which one you require: When connecting two UNIX systems, NFS is the best option. When connecting two Windows machines, SMB is the best option. Even while both protocols enable file sharing, there are variations in how Windows and UNIX-based systems manage file systems and users, so combining the two systems can cause issues" (Codex on Medium, 2021).
4- As you progress through the setup, more options will appear:
If the host you want to access is protected, you will be asked to enter your host credentials.
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Depending on your configuration the Username may not be an email address, as in the screenshot example, but the user account created on the remote station.
The Workgroup field, for specifying or changing the host domain, was introduced in CalderaDock V3.3. More info.
Caution
The More Settings section is optional and should only be used by experienced users.
Here, you can customize the share by separating each option with a comma and/or selecting additional settings (mostly useful for configuring macOS hosts). Click here to learn more about Linux mounts using CIFS (Common Internet File System).
5- Once you are ready, click on Create. The host connection will be done automatically:
6- Once the Host configuration is successful, you will see a related message on the right. Likewise, the new Host will be listed in the application:
Changes to a mounted shared folder
To make changes to the mounted host, just click on the element. On the right you will see again the configuration options you saw at the beginning.
Make all the changes needed and, once you are ready, click Update:
If you place the cursor above the green dot (status of the host), this will change into three dots (further options):
By clicking on it, you will then see two other options:
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Open the folder in the file explorer.
- Please note that when using the Mount Tool in Linux Ubuntu, the shared folder is not automatically placed in the Bookmarks of the file explorer. If you want quick access, you must set the shortcut manually:
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If the location is not available after a reboot, open CalderaDock which will try to automount the host on startup (keep reading for more information).
- Delete.
If you ever have several hosts listed and you need to delete them all, you can click Select All and delete them in bulk.
Reconnect a mounted shared folder
Under the Mount shared folder tab, there is an additional tool that helps you to reconnect a remote share defined in the fstab file in case of reboot or connection loss.
In other words, this tool does not reconnect a remote share mounted using the Mount shared folder tool that uses the AutoFS utility. It will reconnect a remote share manually written to the fstab file, which is normally automatically mounted during the boot process.