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Neptunno
Asked: 2012-06-21 07:17:10 +0800 CST

How do I run an executable Truecrypt file from a pendrive?

  • 772

I am trying to run Portable Truecrypt from a USB Pendrive. I already extracted the package and all but the only way I can really open Truecrypt portable is if the executable is somewhere in my home folder. It never does when I open the executable from the pendrive. I'm using Ubuntu 12.04.

I have tried to go to permissions and set "allow to run as an application" but anyway when double-clicking, the same alert comes up:

Unable to present media/Kingston/usr/bin/truecrypt, there is no application 
installed for executable files.

However it does open normally from home folder, so I do not understand this output that Ubuntu can't find an application to open executable files, given that it opens them just fine as long as they are present in the home folder.

I've formatted another pendrive as NFTS first and then as ext4 to check if it was related to filesystems, opened it with full administrative rights, extracted Truecrypt files there, but still the same error returns, and while attempting to execute the file from terminal, permission is denied.

executable

4 Answers

  1. You can try this:

    1. Open the Terminal: Alt+Ctrl+T

    2. Go to the directory, which contains the executable file

      cd /media/Kingston/usr/bin

    3. Change the permissions of the file to make sure it is executable (if you get "Permission denied" on this command, use sudo chmod ... instead of chmod ...):

      chmod +x truecrypt

    4. Execute the file like this (again as root)

      ./truecrypt
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  2. Try running it through sh:

    sh /media/Kingston/usr/bin/truecrypt

    As @Lekensteyn said, the issue you are running into is most likely because your flash drive is formatted as FAT, which does not have permissions.

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  3. Best Answer

    If @Stefan Buynov answer does not solve your issue, you likely have a FAT/FAT32/NTFS-formatted pendrive that does not support the "Execute permission".

    For a workaround, see my answer on Can't execute .out files, getting permission denied. If possible, backup your data and format the pendrive to use a filesystem that does support file permissions like Ext4. You can use the Partition Manager (or GParted) for that purpose.

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  4. You might also type mount, and see if execution is being prevented on the device -- ensure that "noexec" is NOT present. noexec is an optional attribute which can be set when the device is mounted. /etc/fstab is one place which has a list of devices and their mount attributes.

    However, since you are getting mounted under media, I assume the desktop is doing the mount for you, so you probably need to find what is setting noexec there to permanently fix the issue.

    For one time fix, try the mount command with the option remount, exec to see if that works (ext4 assumed as a filesystem type, use whatever mount above shows):

    sudo mount -o remount,exec -text4 /dev/sdb1 /media/Kingston

    use your real device instead of sdb1, and the actual filesystem type after the -t

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