How do you get Suse linux 9.0 to recognize a USB ZIP Drive
 

I'm using the 2.4.21-215-smp4G kernel in Suse linux 9.0. I can't get the OS to recognize the USB 250MB Iomega Zip drive as a device. I did /sbin/lsusb and got the output Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000 and Bus 001 Device 001: ID 000:000. I have no idea how to use the dmesg command to do anything with this information as was suggested in your post to prospective posters. I would think Suse 9 would have the USB modules to support a USB Zip Drive, so where are they. It sets up every other thing in a pretty obvious way, but this is mystifying. I'm drawing complete blanks. There is no clue as to how to get the machine to recognize this drive as a device. I know what to do after that to get it to mount and use it. The drive spins up and seems to function properly. If there is a device, where would I find it, in fstab? And if it is there why isn't it in the media directory. Why would Suse do this? Do I have to go get modules? If so, which ones. I've been using linux for a month and I'm really damn tired of it. I've never learned so much in my life. This is only my second forum post. I've learned everything else from mailing list archives, the web, books, the online help, and guessing. I am very intelligent and linux makes me feel like a chimp. Someone please help me out with this one. I'm burned out. :study::scratch:

More info
 

There is some info in fstab on this drive. It says: proc /proc proc default usbdevfs proc/bus/usbdevfs no auto. When I try to mount usbdevfs it says it's already mounted. When I try umount it says only root can unmount it. When I tried to do "md usbdevfs /" to try to make a root mount point on the disk there was no message, but no effect after reboot, either. I think I just have to make a mount point somehow on the zip disk. :study: Can anyone help me do that?

The following is a quick 'step by step' guide explaining how I managed to get an iomega ZIP 100 USB drive to work with SuSE 9.0 pro, not sure if it'll work with the 250 drive though.

Sign in as root user.

Using Konqueror open up the /etc/ directory. You can do this by typing the following in the Location tool bar

file:/etc/

Then you need to add this line to fstab.

/dev/sda4 /media/zip auto noauto,user 0 0

Do this by right clicking on the file, and open it with a text editor (I used Kate). Press enter at the end of the line. This will create an empty line at the end of the document.

Once you have done this save it.

Now you have to create a new directory in the media file.

Using Konqueror open up the /media/ directory. Right click in the directory, create a directory by right clicking on the window, and call it zip.

Log out then sign back in as NOT AS ROOT USER!!!!

Crate a icon for the drive. Do this by right clicking on the desk top and creating a new Hard disk. Change the icon by right clicking on it, and selecting the zip_unmount. Now select the Device tab and select /dev/sda4 (media/zip), and change the Unmounted icon while your there.

Hope this helps?