/dev/hdc atapi zip

how can one create a debian installation on an ide-zip using a 250mb disk?
no problems mounting it in debian, just want a very small x-free (no X) installation with a few tools. My debian installer (woody) wont allow it i think...

please help

I know that this doesn't help, but I am having trouble getting my ATAPI zip to even work. It is seen during boot, but I can't access it. Do you load some special driver? I have gotten a flavor during review of forums and news articles that this may just be plain broken in the 2.6.x kernels - an old driver called ide-floppy.o is no longer supported or some such? Could you share your fstab entry and any special boot options you use with me on this one? Thanks!

Make sure your kernel-config looks like this (for 2.6.9 pristine)

Support is definitely not broken.

To mount such a device, you must first settle on the disks format. If it will be vfat (fat32) then to mount would be something like this
hdc1 is my zip drive. For ext2 or ext3, just replace vfat with those.

If kde is your thing, apt-get install mtools. It will allow kde to mount zip disks like in dos, though they must be vfat formated.

/mnt/zip can be replaced by whatever directory you choose. Additionally, make sure the permissions on that created directory allow entrance by ordinary privaledged users. An /etc/fstab entry might look like this

Noauto means not to automatically mount the device at startup or when mount -a is given. Users allows non-privaledged users (everyone other than root or the root group) to mount devices. If one needs to change discs, then use umount /dev/hdc1 or umount /mnt/zip. Either works. Remember in linux, if not using mtools/vfat combination, vfat or ext2/3 will require that the disc remain in the drive until unmounted.

Oh yes, as root, will give you the drive and its partition info. dmesg | more should allow you to find it that way also.

Hope that clears up some questions. Take care.

Thanks for the very detailed response!

One "dumb ass" question - well, maybe two actually.

First, I have checked my system using find, and I don't have a file called kernel-config. I do have my kernel source loaded, and so this seems surprising. Not being advanced enough to mess with rebuilding kernels yet (scares the heck outta me - mess it up and your system is dead, as I understand), I don't really understand the source structure for kernel files. Where should I expect to find the file kernel-config? I am using kernel 2.6.8.1-7. Once I find this file, would I have to rebuild the kernel if changes are needed (he says with a shudder...) ?

Secondly, a similar filename search revealed the file ide-floppy.c in my kernel source tree, under IDE drviers, but no corresponding ide-floppy.ko. ide-floppy is the module my SuSE install loads to deal with my Zip disk. Is there a generally accepted "recipe" for building kernel modules? It looks like I have the source for the driver of interest, but not the module created from it. Could you point me at a working recipe for building a kernel module in 2.6.x? I would be happy to try to blunder my way through it...

Thanks again!

The configure file will be in two places.

If the kernel-image is installed, it will be located in /boot. It is named like this config-2.6.8-1. Whatever the kernel's source or image is named, just prepend config to it and look for it in /boot. So, for my kernel-image named kernel-image-2.6.9-pristine+abdk that was created from kernel-source-2.6.9, its config file would reside as /boot/config-2.6.9-pristine+adk. If I had not added -pristine+adk then it would have simply been /boot/config-2.6.9.

It will also be /usr/src/kernel-source-2.6.8/.config. If the source was not downloaded, do not despair. Just apt-get install the kernel-source-2.6.8. Since the kernel-configuration already works for you, then simply:

apt-get install kernel-source-2.6.8.
cd /usr/src/
tar -jxf kernel-source-2.6.8-2.6.8-10.all.deb # something like that, you will know; this creates that src directory
ln -s kernel-source-2.6.8 linux # creates symbolic link from linux to the source

cd linux
make menuconfig #this will load your existing configuration as best will fit...same kernel so that config will be perfect

LOOK AROUND, if u make mistake or check and forget, just keep hitting escape and dont save:::::if done and you like save and exit

NOW to build!!!!!!!!!!

make-kpkg kernel-image --initrd ##### or ###### make-kpkg kernel-image --initrd --append-to-version=whateveryourheartsdesiresolongaslowercase+or- you will probably want to --append-to-version=-custom maybe : ) or something like -trial

SIT BACK AND WAIT, if no errors

cd ..
TO INSTALL (the reason we added --append-to-version=-custom, to differentiate kernels)

dpkg -i kernel-image-2.6.8-custom

answer yes.

**If you get initrd warnings about making the package, its just that. Those are options are controlled in /etc/kernel-pkg.conf and /etc/kernel-img.conf. If you get them when installing, same thing.

--initrd has to be used as debian images and subsequent .config s are heavily dynamic (most stuff selected modules)

ide, video, ... and other essentials need an initrd (initial ram disk) to solve the chicken/egg deal. If they were monolithic or built into the kernel no prob.


If you get confused, just continue, ill be glad to offer a lil help. They have been so kind on this site. Also do a search here. For the newb, some of the manuals and stuff may be a little daunting.

Good luck.

Hi, thanks VERY much. You were right - I found the config file with help from your latest post and there was an explicit comment that said CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEFLOPPY is not set. So, I just need to set it and attempt the rebuild. Should be fun



Thanks again, I will post once I have it done and let you know how it worked out!

Outabux, thanks very much! Thanks to your posts, I am now happily accessing my Zip disk. Couldn't have done it without you! There was an option in menuconfig to turn on ATAPI IDE Floppy. Once enabled, all was well. Thanks again!

Kool!