# Linux question **URL:** \ **Category:** PittSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [November 24, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-question/170591 "2004-11-24T06:14:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jeff95TA](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jeff95ta/32/5935_2.png) [@Jeff95TA](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jeff95TA)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-question/170591/1 "2004-11-24T06:14:56Z")
Do regular external USB drives work on Linux like they do on Windows? A guy at work needs ot back up some stuff and when he plugs the drive in, it doesn’t show up. Any ideas what to do? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Pewter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pewter/32/5936_2.png) [@Pewter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Pewter)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 6:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-question/170591/2 "2004-11-24T06:43:16Z")
no,hit F13 😃 ---
**Author:** ![whitey](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/whitey/32/5911_2.png) [@whitey](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/whitey)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 6:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-question/170591/3 "2004-11-24T06:49:00Z")
well it could be a few things, i am no linux buff but i know a lil bit. 2 things that i think of to check, is to make sure the device is getting recognized and also that the format of the drive is able to be viewed by the OS ---
**Author:** ![8Grand](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/8grand/32/5940_2.png) [@8Grand](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/8Grand)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-question/170591/4 "2004-11-24T16:14:44Z")
your supposed to be able to mount it like a normal hdd… as long as the OS sees the device. When we have to troubleshoot them at work(tech support for a company that sells alot of USB HDDs), we usualy go to our IT guy or one other agent because their linux freaks. I dont remember the commands for mounting it nor have I done it. I dont know if theres a version of LInix that mounts it like Mac OS’s do or not.