Mount error: "unknown filesystem type 'exfat'"

Question

When trying to mount an exfat filesystem, I get the following error:

Error mounting /dev/sda6 at /media/gkp/Backup: Command-line 
`mount -t "exfat" -o "uhelper=udisks2,nodev,nosuid" "/dev/sda6" "/media/gkp/Backup"' 
exited with non-zero exit status 32: mount: unknown filesystem type 'exfat'

Exfat is used on some USB sticks and camera sd cards. What can I do to mount this type of filesystem?

Please provide the version of Ubuntu you are using. As you can see there is more than 1 answer for Ubuntu. — Rinzwind, Oct 23 '13 at 10:26
see also http://askubuntu.com/a/85459/20972 (esp. for 13.10) — rogerdpack, Dec 14 '13 at 16:30
In my case, I had to also add the universe repository: `sudo add-apt-repository universe` `sudo apt-get update` — Ben Creasy, Apr 17 '18 at 03:19
Possible duplicate of [How to get a drive formatted with exfat working?](https://askubuntu.com/questions/370398/how-to-get-a-drive-formatted-with-exfat-working) — Melebius, May 29 '19 at 07:09
Ran into this today on Debian (bookworm/sid, 5.15.5-1) and noted suspicious error in /var/log/mesages: `Jan 4 15:36:57 fractal kernel: [18438.261624] failed to validate module [exfat] BTF: -22` — jacobq, Jan 04 '22 at 21:40

score 660 · Answer 1 · edited Jan 04 '22 at 05:44

660

You get this error because the exfat filesystem is not installed in Ubuntu by default. exFAT is proprietary and patented by Microsoft.

Ubuntu 13.10 or higher

Since Ubuntu 13.10, this package is in the main repository. Just install exfat-fuse and exfat-utils:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install exfat-fuse exfat-utils

Ubuntu 12.04

For ubuntu 13.04 and lower, you'll need a ppa to install the exfat support. Installation procedure:

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:relan/exfat
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install fuse-exfat

If you see the error gpg: "tag:launchpad.net:2008:redacted" not a key ID: skipping during the apt-add-repository step, then you'll need to manually install the signing key and run the apt-get update and apt-get install steps after that:

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 4DF9B28CA252A784

edited Jan 04 '22 at 05:44

cocomac

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answered Oct 23 '13 at 10:21

Blanca Higgins

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looks like for 13.10 you don't even need the ppa it's just `sudo apt-get install exfat-fuse` ref: http://askubuntu.com/a/85459/20972 – rogerdpack Jan 06 '14 at 14:48
I followed same, after doing all steps at last it saying "FUSE exfat 1.0.1 ERROR: failed to open `/dev/sdd1'." any suggestion? – CoDe Apr 03 '14 at 10:44
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:) and after then sudo ntfsfix /dev/sdb1 help me to get mount. wait for few second it could time to mount. – CoDe Apr 03 '14 at 10:51
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+1. On Ubuntu 14.04, no PPA is needed. I was able to `sudo apt-get install exfat-fuse` and, after installation, my 64GB SD CARD mounted as soon as I plugged it in. – Drew Noakes Jun 11 '14 at 18:38
@DrewNoakes - Yeah this command also works with 15.10 thankx. – Chinmaya B Aug 14 '15 at 10:44
This worked in linux mint. thanls! – Mariano L Jan 09 '16 at 06:34
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It works in Ubuntu 15.10 too! – Luis Lobo Borobia Feb 02 '16 at 21:44
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`sudo apt-get install exfat-fuse exfat-utils` Works on 16.04! – Potaito May 25 '16 at 14:22
And just like this it works on ubuntu 14.04 - Thank you! Love this database. You posted this message more than 3 years ago. TNX – SDsolar Jun 27 '17 at 00:39
is there a solution in case the system is not connected to the internet – user1993 Sep 01 '17 at 22:34
Worked for me. Ubuntu 17.10 – sleeper Nov 28 '17 at 15:13
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And now 18.04, still good. Yay! = `sudo apt install exfat-fuse exfat-utils` – Dɑvïd Jun 13 '18 at 09:30
And since we're playing this game, 19.04 also! – dez93_2000 Oct 23 '19 at 17:36
FWIW my camera SD card reader in 18.04 only required `exfat-fuse` and not `exfat-utils` – Addison Klinke Jul 10 '20 at 03:08
DO NOT advise people to update their operating system to install some tools. Only if the tools fail to install should they do an update. This can break so much stuff... – Owl Jul 15 '21 at 15:14

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 26 '19 at 01:51

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As of November 25, 2019, this does not work yet in Ubuntu 19.10 Eoan, probably because apt just cannot grab exfat-fuse. I fixed this problem by downloading exfat-fuse deb directly. This is after installing a dependency.

answered Nov 26 '19 at 01:51

kana

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This worked, thankyou! – JMK Dec 02 '19 at 18:04
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As of Dec 11, it does seem to fetch `exfat-fuse` properly. – pspahn Dec 11 '19 at 23:49
Ubuntu 20.04 installing `exfat-fuse` and `exfat-utils` works. Yet I have this error `FUSE exfat 1.3.0 ERROR: failed to read boot sector.` – Pierre ALBARÈDE Nov 02 '20 at 22:40
This is either because your device wasn't set up correctly, or could also be because your exfat device is somehow 'not good' e.g. corrupt, full, or physically malfunctioning. Try with another device you've worked with before and if that works then try remake the failed device – kana Nov 03 '20 at 00:51
Upgraded to 20.10, installed `exfatprogs`. Mounting works randomly. Moreover, if the card is inserted directly (is SD slot of Macbookpro), it is always read-only. If it is connected through a card reader, write is possible. – Pierre ALBARÈDE Nov 05 '20 at 21:00
I would bet on this being a firmware related issue unrelated to the question, it sounds like your device is supported partially on different platforms – kana Nov 05 '20 at 22:24
I'm seeing something like it in Debian Bullseye although it worked in Buster. Somebody's screwing around with something again and breaking things. I have exfat-fuse and exfatprogs. Taking my card to a different box to read it. – Alan Corey Feb 16 '21 at 17:08
On a Raspberry Pi with Buster the same card and reader worked fine. It's the card from my better Nikon, I use it fairly often. – Alan Corey Feb 16 '21 at 17:40

Mount error: "unknown filesystem type 'exfat'"

2 Answers2

Ubuntu 13.10 or higher

Ubuntu 12.04

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