floppy disk - image copy
 

this is probably a stupid newbie question, but i searched and couldn't find anything.

i have my boot floppy and want to make copies of it (an exact image).

tried this:


# cat /dev/fd0 > foo

it did make a 1.4M file called foo, then i inserted another disk

# cat foo > /dev/fd0


but when i tried to boot up on my new 'copy', it didn't work.

this is my config:

Intel motherboard
P4
NEC floppy drive on standard FDC controller
Slackware 9.1


i also have win2k, so any method for doing this either system would be appreciated. thanks.

Welcome to LQ.

dd is better suited to this.
Create the image:
dd if=/dev/fd0 of=/root/floppy.img
Create a floppy:
dd if=/root/floppy.img of=/dev/fd0

if=In file
of=Out file

thanks a lot.

i will try this when i get back on slack.

the dd command didn't work.

also tried playing around with the dd options to change i/o block sizes and number of blocks, but i don't really know what i'm doing.

when i try to boot off the diskettes that i made with dd or with cat, it still has the linux version info at top, so apparently the program itselft gets copied, but its format is wrong.

is there a way to just make another boot disk, say, from X?

i know many distros have commands from the main menu that will make boot disks.

thanks for all your help!

If you have syslinux installed try running
/sbin/makebootdisk

thanks gnashley!

the /sbin/makebootdisk worked. :cool: