I can't mount my parallel port external Iomega 100 zip drive.
mount /dev/sda4 gets the message "/dev/sda4 is not a valid block device"
ditto for /mount /mnt/zip .

I have my parallel port printer connected through the zip drive. I've tried mounting the zip drive with and without the printer connected, always with a disk loaded. I've changed the format from "auto" to "vfat"... makes no difference. As root, as a user... makes no difference.

Here's my /etc/fstab (I basically copied it from my earlier Mandrake 9.1 installation, because it all worked. Nothing in my hardware configuration has changed.):

/dev/hda2 swap swap defaults 0 0
/dev/hda1 / reiserfs defaults 1 1
/dev/hdb1 /home reiserfs defaults 1 2

/dev/scd0 /mnt/cdrom auto noauto,user,exec,iocharset=iso8859-1,codepage=850,suid 0 0

/dev/hdd /mnt/cdrom2 auto noauto,user,iocharset=iso8859-1,codepage=850,suid 0 0

/dev/sda4 /mnt/zip auto noauto,user,iocharset=iso8859-1,codepage=850,suid 0 0

/dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy auto noauto,user,iocharset=iso8859-1,codepage=850,suid 0 0

devpts /dev/pts devpts gid=5,mode=620 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

tigerflag@localhost:~$ lsmod
Module Size Used by Not tainted
ppp_deflate 3288 0 (autoclean)
zlib_deflate 18200 0 (autoclean) [ppp_def
late]
bsd_comp 4312 0 (autoclean)
ppp_async 7552 1 (autoclean)
ppp_generic 15452 3 (autoclean) [ppp_def
late bsd_comp ppp_async]
slhc 5040 1 (autoclean) [ppp_gen
eric]
snd-pcm-oss 37252 0
snd-mixer-oss 11992 0 [snd-pcm-oss]
ipt_state 536 17 (autoclean)
ipt_REJECT 3160 4 (autoclean)
ipt_limit 856 6 (autoclean)
ipt_LOG 3384 6 (autoclean)
ip_conntrack_ftp 3856 0 (unused)
ip_conntrack 18120 2 [ipt_state ip_conntr
ack_ftp]
iptable_filter 1644 1 (autoclean)
ip_tables 12288 5 [ipt_state ipt_REJEC
T ipt_limit ipt_LOG iptable_filter]
snd-cmipci 17760 0
snd-pcm 55904 0 [snd-pcm-oss snd-cmi pci]
snd-page-alloc 6004 0 [snd-pcm]
snd-opl3-lib 5764 0 [snd-cmipci]
snd-hwdep 4672 0 [snd-opl3-lib]
snd-timer 13252 0 [snd-pcm snd-opl3-li b]
snd-mpu401-uart 3136 0 [snd-cmipci]
snd-rawmidi 12512 0 [snd-mpu401-uart]
snd-seq-device 3920 0 [snd-opl3-lib snd-ra wmidi]
snd 27460 0 [snd-pcm-oss snd-mix er-oss snd-cmipci snd-pcm snd-opl3-lib snd-hwdep snd- timer snd-mpu401-uart snd-rawmidi snd-seq-device]
soundcore 3332 7 [snd]
uhci 24496 0 (unused)
usbcore 58400 1 [uhci]
ide-scsi 9424 0
agpgart 39576 0 (unused)

What else can I post that will help?
I searched the forums and the tldp zip how-to and found different suggestions, I always get the same error. Any suggestions are appreciated.

TIA,
Siri Amrit

modprobe imm, or compile into kernel, then try

It worked! Thank you SO much. I did "modprobe imm". Now, can you please explain to me what it means? Will I have to do that every time I want to mount my zip drive? How do I compile it into my kernel, if I need to? I am so excited!

the linux kernel hold all the drivers, in fact the kernel is all that is linux, everything else is a linux distribution, mostly of gnu software. this kernel has a collection of dirvers and system software. lots of these bits of code get compiled into a static kernel image, others can be compiled into modules. in your distro the lpt zip driver (imm.o) was compiled as a module. modprobe loaded it. you can make it load on boot by addign the line "modrpobe imm" to /etc/rc.d/rc.local or a line in /etc/modules.conf that is different (never done it) a good linux experiance would be compiling your own kernel, you can get source at www.kernel.org and tutorials are everywhere. I compile my own, it makes the system faster and more efficient, and tailore to your cpu and other parts.

Thanks again, exodist. I added the line to /etc/rc.d/rc.local. Someday when I'm brave I'll play with the kernel. But in the meantime, you saved my bacon! I have to transfer my website to a new host and everything is on that silly zipdisk. I'm backing it up on a cd-r now.

lol no prob, feel free to add em to any im list you have, its all in my profile, except my msn name, exodist7@hotmail.com