# Read usb key content **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-linux\ **Created:** [January 22, 2022, 10:01am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/read-usb-key-content/772257 "2022-01-22T10:01:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Thibautbu67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@Thibautbu67](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Thibautbu67)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 10:01am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/read-usb-key-content/772257/1 "2022-01-22T10:01:35Z")
Hello I have plex installed on ubuntu server. I plug in a usb key (empty or with content) but plex does not detect my usb key. What can I do please? ---
**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 10:11am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/read-usb-key-content/772257/2 "2022-01-22T10:11:42Z")
Make sure it’s mounted properly so Plex can see your media on that drive. > [@Linux Tips](https://forums.plex.tv/t/linux-tips/276247/2): > > Using other hard drives (Windows or Linux) with PMS This How-To is written to help with Internal and External drives. It also is written to demonstrate how to cope with NTFS and EXT4 formatted drives. By logical extension, any format supported by Linux can be handled using the technique shown here. In all cases, the goal is to give user plex permission to read your media files which Linux doesn’t allow by default due to its strict security model. We will walk through the steps needed … ---
**Author:** ![Thibautbu67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@Thibautbu67](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Thibautbu67)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 5:03pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/read-usb-key-content/772257/3 "2022-01-23T17:03:50Z")
Thanks but it doesn’t work because my usb key (sda1) is visible on plex but we can’t access it (it is not white) ---
**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 5:04pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/read-usb-key-content/772257/4 "2022-01-23T17:04:40Z")
Not sure what you mean by this. Maybe you can include a screenshot? ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 6:11am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/read-usb-key-content/772257/5 "2022-01-25T06:11:26Z")
If i may add here? On Linux, anything you plug in (thumbdrive) is mounted automatically by Nautilus. As such, It mounts it EXCLUSIVE to your Username (signed in user). Plex will not be able to see it because the automounter OVERRIDES any permissions which might exist on `/media//xxxxxx` The only workaround here is to predefine a mount location, outside of /media, with the appropriate permissions. Treat the thumb just as you would any normal USB HDD you expect to always have mounted in the same place. As Tom pointed out above, the mount is only part of the problem. USB drives change device name (/dev/sdb, sdc, sdd, sde, etc as you cycle them) ---
**Author:** ![Thibautbu67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@Thibautbu67](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Thibautbu67)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 9:31am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/read-usb-key-content/772257/6 "2022-02-06T09:31:13Z")
yes I know but how can I do that please? ---
**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 10:30am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/read-usb-key-content/772257/7 "2022-02-06T10:30:35Z")
There’s a very extensive guide in the “Linux Tips” link I had posted above. ---
**Author:** ![Thibautbu67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@Thibautbu67](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Thibautbu67)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 12:00pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/read-usb-key-content/772257/8 "2022-02-06T12:00:10Z")
yes but it doesn’t work ---
**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 1:19pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/read-usb-key-content/772257/9 "2022-02-06T13:19:20Z")
What exactly have you tried and where does it get stuck? ---
**Author:** ![Thibautbu67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@Thibautbu67](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Thibautbu67)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 7:41pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/read-usb-key-content/772257/10 "2022-02-06T19:41:36Z")
I wish to use via usb port and not by usb key and then I have arch linux (plex is installed as an addon on home assistant) ---
**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 7:44pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/read-usb-key-content/772257/11 "2022-02-06T19:44:11Z")
I think I understand that part. My question was more which part about mounting the USB drive based on the support article hasn’t been working for you? I take it there might be some specialties to arch Linux that might require some adjustments – not sure about that part… though if you’re not comfortable using it to e.g. handle the mounting/permissions etc. – why not use a platform you’re more comfortable with? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2022, 7:44pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/read-usb-key-content/772257/12 "2022-05-07T19:44:20Z")
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