mount cdrom problem: file permissions in RH6 Linux

[Dom Bekarge <dbekarge netzero net>]

mount cdrom problem:  file permissions in RH6 Linux

The default file /etc/fstab has the line:

/dev/cdrom   /mnt/cdrom    iso9660    noauto,ro   0  0

which I changed to:

/dev/cdrom   /mnt/cdrom    iso9660    user,noauto,ro   0  0

A disk is inserted in CD-ROM drive.

Consider two users:  

1.  root (root privileges)
2.  dbekarge (plain user privileges)

who was added with linuxconf.  
/etc/passwd contains the new line:

dbekarge:x:500:100:dbekarge:/home/dbekarge:/bin/bash


root boots the computer and logs in.  In character mode, 
on the command line, root can mount the CD-ROM drive 
successfully by typing:

mount  -t  iso9660  -o  ro   /dev/cdrom   /mnt/cdrom


After shutdown and rebooting, when dbekarge logs in and 
types the same command (in character mode), an error 
message appears:

mount:  only root can do that

If dbekarge types the command:

su root

and provides the root password, the subsequent
mount command is successful.


The same behavior occurs when root and dbekarge 
try to mount the DOS primary partition of the 
hard drive:

mount -t vfat /dev/hdc1 /mnt/drve

(Note that there are 3 IDE hard disks in the computer --
C:, D: and E:  The third disk has a primary DOS partition
and Linux partitions.)



QUESTION:

1.  How does dbekarge (plain user privileges) mount 
    the CDROM drive?

2.  Doesn't the option

    user

    in  /etc/ftab  enable all users (even without root privileges)
    to mount the cdrom drive?

3.  Does the solution involve using the Change Mode command like
     when logged in as User1 (with root privileges):

     # chmod 666 /dev/cdrom


Dom Bekarge
<dbekarge netzero net>

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