Dear friends:
I am resending this message because apparently many of you failed to
receive it due to my inadvertent failure to switch from "read" receipt
in Netscape to "delivery" receipt. I know I personally sometimes refuse
to acknowledge receipt of a letter from a stranger. Obviously, this is
really Netscape's "fault" in the same that this, like formatting in
HTML, is set as default by Netscape and must be changed (if one wishes
to) in Edit, Preferences.
I think that Zip configuration is such a difficult issue for all of us
newbies that it hopefully won't offend anyone who might have already
seen this letter before to see it again.
Please remember that this is only one way of configuring the Zip drive
in Linux. But I do hope it will help many of you.
-----------------------
There are different ways of configuring your zip drive. It can be a pain
in the neck. This is my way and it works every time without exception.
It worked in RH 5.2, 6.0 and now in Mandrake 6.1
[Using Mandrake 6.1]
Configuring your standard 100 Iomega zip drive:
1) create a zip directory in your /mnt directory under root:
{root/mnt]mkdir zip
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /mnt]# ls
cdrom disk floppy zip
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /mnt]#
2) in /etc/fstab add the two /dev/sda entries. I have also changed the
auto to the specific file system (ext2 for linux and msdos)
[sher@adsl-77-232-172 sher]$ cat /etc/fstab
/dev/hda1 / ext2 defaults
1 1
/dev/hdb1 /bs/ ext2 defaults
1 2
/dev/hda5 swap swap defaults
0 0
/dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy ext2 sync,user,noauto,nosuid,nodev,unhide
0 0
/dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy msdos sync,user,noauto,nosuid,nodev,unhide
0 0
/dev/hdc /mnt/cdrom iso9660 userH,noauto,noHsuid,exec,noHdev,ro
0 0
/dev/sda /mnt/zip ext2 noauto
0 0
/dev/sda /mnt/zip msdos noauto
0 0
none /proc proc defaults
0 0
none /dev/pts devpts mode=0622
0 0
[sher@adsl-77-232-172 sher]$
SAVE AND REBOOT
a) Some people advise naming the zip device sda4. I have found that sda4
will not work but sda will.
Now, put a zip cartridge in your zip drive and do the following:
Note, you must first use modprobe ppa to find your zip module
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# modprobe ppa
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# mount -t ext2 /dev/sda /mnt/zip
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# mount
/dev/hda1 on / type ext2 (rw)
none on /proc type proc (rw)
/dev/hdb1 on /bs type ext2 (rw)
none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,mode=0622)
adsl-77-232-172:(pid420) on /net type nfs
(intr,rw,port=1023,timeo=8,retrans=110,indirect,map=/etc/amd.conf,dev=00000003)
/dev/sda on /mnt/zip type ext2 (rw)
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]#
Notes:
a) Always begin with "modprobe ppa". It find your ppa (zip) module with
all its dependencies. Much easier and more reliable than using insmod.
In fact, 100% reliable.
b) then mount the zip cartridge (which should already be in your zip
drive (or else modprobe ppa will not find it) with an "empty" root, that
is, with [root@ /] and NOT with [root@root]. This is a key point in this
procedure.
c) Always check by typing "mount" at root to make sure your zip (or
floppy or any peripheral) is in fact mounted. Check above.
To unmount, do the following:
(note the "umount", that is, NOT "unmount" but "umount" (Umount not
UNmount in lower case, of course)
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# umount /mnt/zip
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# mount
/dev/hda1 on / type ext2 (rw)
none on /proc type proc (rw)
/dev/hdb1 on /bs type ext2 (rw)
none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,mode=0622)
adsl-77-232-172:(pid420) on /net type nfs
(intr,rw,port=1023,timeo=8,retrans=110,indirect,map=/etc/amd.conf,dev=00000003)
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]#
Note:
Look above and you'll see the zip drive gone.
While the floppy needs a full argument to be mounted, the zip drive can
be mounted in a simpler way (I am referring ONLY to the last stage of
mounting itself. You still need to do the modprobe ppa first) as
follows:
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# mount /mnt/zip
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# mount
/dev/hda1 on / type ext2 (rw)
none on /proc type proc (rw)
/dev/hdb1 on /bs type ext2 (rw)
none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,mode=0622)
adsl-77-232-172:(pid420) on /net type nfs
(intr,rw,port=1023,timeo=8,retrans=110,indirect,map=/etc/amd.conf,dev=00000003)
/dev/sda on /mnt/zip type ext2 (rw)
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]#
Finally, to make sure you don't accidently copy files to your /mnt/zip
or /mnt/floppy ON YOUR HARD DRIVE instead of the real zip or floppy, add
I_AM_NOT_MOUNTED using the "touch" comand to your /mnt/floppy and
/mnt/zip subdirectories on your HARD DRIVE.
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# cd /mnt/zip
[root@adsl-77-232-172 zip]# ls
I_AM_NOT_MOUNTED
[root@adsl-77-232-172 zip]# cd ..
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /mnt]# cd /mnt/floppy
[root@adsl-77-232-172 floppy]# ls
I_AM_NOT_MOUNTED
[root@adsl-77-232-172 floppy]#
You to this as follows:
UNMOUNT YOUR FLOPPY AND ZIP DRIVES:
To be sure they are unmounted use the "mount" command:
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# mount
/dev/hda1 on / type ext2 (rw)
none on /proc type proc (rw)
/dev/hdb1 on /bs type ext2 (rw)
none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,mode=0622)
adsl-77-232-172:(pid420) on /net type nfs
(intr,rw,port=1023,timeo=8,retrans=110,indirect,map=/etc/amd.conf,dev=00000003)
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]#
Now go to your /mnt/ directory on your hard drive and type:
[/mnt/floppy]#touch I_AM_NOT_MOUNTED
That's it.
Same for the zip directory:
[/mnt/zip]#touch I_AM_NOT_MOUNTED
To test it, while UNMOUNTED, switch to your /mnt/floppy and /mnt/zip
directories. In each case, you should see I_AM_NOT_MOUNTED (it's
technically speaking a file) in the respective directory. This tells you
are on your hard drive instead of in your real floppy or zip drive.
Here is the procedure for the zip drive AND the floppy:
Note: the floppy does not use the "modprobe ppa")
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# modprobe ppa
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# mount /mnt/zip
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# mount -t msdos /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# mount
/dev/hda1 on / type ext2 (rw)
none on /proc type proc (rw)
/dev/hdb1 on /bs type ext2 (rw)
none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,mode=0622)
adsl-77-232-172:(pid420) on /net type nfs
(intr,rw,port=1023,timeo=8,retrans=110,indirect,map=/etc/amd.conf,dev=00000003)
/dev/sda on /mnt/zip type ext2 (rw)
/dev/fd0 on /mnt/floppy type msdos (rw)
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]#
Note: the last two lines tell you that the floppy and zip are mounted.
To copy files to and from your zip (or floppy) just switch to the
directory (as root):
[root@adsl-77-232-172 /]# cd /mnt/zip
[root@adsl-77-232-172 zip]# cd /mnt/floppy
[root@adsl-77-232-172 floppy]#
Or in more detail:
[root@adsl-77-232-172 zip]# ls
docs lost+found
[root@adsl-77-232-172 zip]# cd docs
[root@adsl-77-232-172 docs]# ls
anna extra friends ladycat mail others websher
benjamin faina general let-in marshak pdf wentzell
commerce fiction inferno let-out natasha plays yahoo-edu.doc
dostov freeware inv linux old svezho
[root@adsl-77-232-172 docs]#
Instead of ls you could use ls -la to see full details on every
directory and file.
Final Notes:
1) Every time you physically insert or remove a floppy or zip cartridge
you must mount or unmount it or your will damage the file system on it.
2) The actual process of copying files in Linux is the opposite of that
in Dos/Windows. The contents are copies AFTER (I repeat AFTER) you have
given the command. Do NOT remove the floppy or zip from its physical
case until after ALL contents have been copies. Keep your hands to
yourself and watch until you see the green or yellow light come on and
then wait until all contents have been copies (or moved). This is enough
proof that you are really copying to your zip or floppy and not to the
/mnt/floppy or /mnt/zip on your hard drive (the directories under the
basic / directory).
3) Essentially you have three way of testing to make sure that you have
reall copies your files:
a) the "mount" command
b) the I_AM_NOT_MOUNTED file (see above)
c) the actual green or yellow light that indicates that you are copying
the file.
Yours,
Benjamin
--
Benjamin and Anna Sher
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sher's Russian Web
http://www.websher.net
