exFAT support in *ANY* base image?

Is there a base image that already has exFAT support?

I have tried several ways to add exFAT to a debian image, but with no luck. Here is one attempt:

FROM balenalib/%%BALENA_MACHINE_NAME%%-python:3.11.2-bookworm-build

RUN apt-get update -q -y
RUN install_packages software-properties-common
RUN add-apt-repository "deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy universe" # 22.04
RUN apt-get update -q -y

RUN install_packages exfat-fuse exfat-utils

I keep getting the error:

[vnc-app]  E: Package 'exfat-utils' has no installation candidate

Any help would be much appreciated!

Hello @craftonix_aa

let’s go trough your Dockerfile and see what you’re doing:

You are getting Python 3.11.2 built on Debian 12/Bookworm

FROM balenalib/%%BALENA_MACHINE_NAME%%-python:3.11.2-bookworm-build

Then you add an Ubuntu repositorys to your Debian Bookworm installation. You should never do this, especially with file system drivers or similar kernel-near things.

RUN apt-get update -q -y
RUN install_packages software-properties-common
RUN add-apt-repository "deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy universe" # 22.04
RUN apt-get update -q -y

Finally you want to install exfat-fuse and exfat-utils.

RUN install_packages exfat-fuse exfat-utils

The error that comes back is basically showing you the correct way:

[vnc-app]  E: Package 'exfat-utils' has no installation candidate

This means there is no package for exfat-utils available for Debian Bookworm, so you cannot install it.

If you have a look at the Debian Repo:

https://packages.debian.org/search?suite=default&section=all&arch=any&searchon=names&keywords=exfat-

You will find that extfat-fuse is available for Debian Bookworm, but exfat-utils not.
You can also see that the older stable version, Debian Bullseye has both versions available…

So if you need to use both packages, try to find a Python version build on Bullseye and just use that and install both packages (without adding Ubuntu Repos) and then it should work.

Cheers