This follows on from Kenneth Auerbach's question Sep 12, 2012: Galaxy error running NCBI BLAST: blastx
http://dev.list.galaxyproject.org/Galaxy-error-running-NCBI-BLAST-blastx-td4656210.html

I wish to use a local copy of the genbank database for searches. The genbank db files are sitting in a folder on an external drive, and I have altered the blastdb_p.loc to point to them.

I can see and select this database within galaxy, but when I try using blast+ blastp tool, I get the error ""BLAST Database error: No alias or index file found for protein database [/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr] in search path [/var/lib/galaxy-server/database/job_working_directory]

As suggested previously by Peter Cock, I can list all the files with: ls /media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr*
which gives me the list:
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.00.phd
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.00.phi
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.00.phr
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.00.pin
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.00.pnd
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.00.pni
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.00.pog
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.00.ppd
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.00.ppi
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.00.psd
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.00.psi
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.00.psq
...
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.10.phd
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.10.phi
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.10.phr
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.10.pin
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.10.pnd
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.10.pni
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.10.pog
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.10.ppd
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.10.ppi
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.10.psd
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.10.psi
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.10.psq
/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr/nr.pal

The alias file, nr.pal is the last one in the list above, so is present.

I changed the default directory for the blast database: BLASTDB=/media/sf_mikeds_bioinf/GenbankDB_Files/nr
  - this made no difference to the error.

I am running biolinux 7 (latest) in ubuntu within VirtualBox, on a macbook pro. The external drive is a shared folder, and I can see all the files within galaxy (e.g. I can import data data files).

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards, Mike DS