Linux Mint 21 uses Nemo as its default file manager, which handles drive visibility through the left sidebar rather than hidden preference menus. To improve this layout, users can manually drag and drop mountable volumes into the "Devices" section, unmount drives via right-click context menus before formatting in GParted, and ensure the sidebar is enabled through view settings. This approach avoids non-existent options like "Mountable Volumes" and provides a stable, user-friendly method for organizing storage access.
Understanding Nemo’s Sidebar Structure
The primary interface for managing drive visibility in Linux Mint 21 is the left-hand sidebar of the Nemo file manager. Unlike some older or more complex file managers that rely on obscure configuration dialogs to show or hide specific device categories, Nemo organizes these elements into distinct groups such as "Bookmarks," "Network," and "Devices." The "Devices" section is where all mounted partitions, external USB drives, and optical media appear by default. If this section is missing, it is often because the sidebar itself has been collapsed or the view settings have been altered to hide certain panes. Restoring the sidebar is straightforward and ensures that your drives remain accessible without needing to navigate deep into system directories. To restore the sidebar if it has disappeared, pressF9 while Nemo is open. This keyboard shortcut toggles the visibility of the side pane. Once visible, you should see the standard hierarchy. It is important to note that Nemo does not have a preference setting called "Mountable Volumes" or an option to "disable grouping" of devices. These terms are frequently misunderstood or incorrectly reported in forums. The grouping is automatic based on the type of storage device detected by the system's udisks2 service. Users cannot disable this logical grouping through preferences; instead, they must interact with the items directly within the existing structure.
Customizing Drive Order
One of the most powerful features of Nemo is the ability to rearrange the order of drives in the sidebar. By default, drives may appear in the order they were detected or mounted, which can be chaotic if you have multiple internal and external disks. You can customize this order by simply clicking and dragging any drive listed under "Devices" to a new position. For example, you might want your primary internal SSD at the top and a secondary external backup drive below it. This reordering is persistent across sessions, meaning Nemo remembers your preferred layout. This manual organization is the intended way to manage visibility and priority, replacing the need for complex scripting or editing configuration files.Interacting with Unmounted Drives
Visibility in Nemo is closely tied to the mounting state of a filesystem. A drive that is unmounted will not appear in the "Devices" section of the sidebar. Instead, it may only be visible if you navigate to/media or /run/media, but even then, access is restricted. To make an unmounted drive visible and accessible in the main panel, you must mount it. Right-clicking on a drive icon in the sidebar (if it appears grayed out or indicates an error) often presents an option to mount the volume. If the drive is not showing at all, check the system logs or use the terminal to verify that the partition exists using lsblk.
When dealing with drives that are not recognized correctly, such as those formatted with Windows NTFS, ensure that the appropriate drivers are installed. In Linux Mint 21, the ntfs-3g package is included by default, allowing read-write access to Windows partitions. However, do not attempt to format these drives using outdated tools or commands that specify deprecated formats. Modern Linux systems handle NTFS seamlessly through udisks2. If a drive fails to mount automatically, it may be due to a dirty filesystem flag from improper ejection in Windows. Booting into Windows and performing a proper shutdown, or using the ntfsfix command, can resolve these issues without losing data.
Using GParted for Drive Management
For advanced operations such as resizing partitions, changing file systems, or creating new partitions, GParted is the recommended tool in Linux Mint 21. Before making any changes, you must ensure the target drive is unmounted. Attempting to modify a mounted partition can lead to data corruption or system instability. To unmount a drive in Nemo, right-click the drive in the sidebar and select "Unmount." Once unmounted, launch GParted from the application menu. You will need administrative privileges, so enter your password when prompted. Inside GParted, select the correct disk from the dropdown menu in the top right corner. Be extremely careful to select the correct physical disk, as actions here affect the entire device. Once the disk is selected, you can apply pending operations by clicking the green checkmark icon. After applying changes, return to Nemo and refresh the sidebar (pressF5) to see the updated drive status. This workflow ensures that drive modifications are safe and that visibility is restored immediately after changes are committed.
Troubleshooting Visibility Issues
If drives still do not appear after following the above steps, several diagnostic checks can help identify the root cause. First, verify that the USB port or SATA connection is functioning by testing the drive on another machine. Second, check if the drive is being detected by the kernel using the commanddmesg | tail after plugging it in. If the drive appears in the kernel log but not in Nemo, the issue may be related to permissions or mount points. Ensure that the user belongs to the necessary groups for accessing removable media, although modern Linux distributions typically handle this automatically via PolicyKit.
Another common issue arises when using dual-boot setups. If you have both Windows and Linux installed on the same machine, Windows Fast Startup can leave NTFS partitions in a hibernated state, preventing Linux from mounting them. Disabling Fast Startup in Windows resolves this conflict. Additionally, ensure that the Nemo service is running correctly by restarting it with nemo -q followed by launching Nemo again. This clears any cached states that might be preventing new drives from appearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my external hard drive not showing up in Nemo?
Your external drive may be unmounted or disconnected physically. Check if it appears in GParted or via thelsblk command in the terminal. If it is detected by the system but not in Nemo, try right-clicking the device area in the sidebar to see if a mount option is available.
Can I remove the "Network" section from the Nemo sidebar?
No, there is no direct preference to hide the Network section entirely. However, you can minimize clutter by removing unused bookmarks and ensuring that no network shares are currently active. The sidebar sections are fixed by design to maintain consistency across the desktop environment.Is ntfs-3g still required for reading Windows drives in Linux Mint 21?
Yes, thentfs-3g driver is included by default in Linux Mint 21 and is required for full read-write support of NTFS partitions. You do not need to install it manually unless you have performed a minimal installation. Ensure it is present by checking your package manager.