To All:

I'm trying to figure out a way to get around this problem.

For background, I have dual-boot Xandros 1.0/M$ Window 2000
on this Dell 933l desktop (5 years old). [For those whom
need to know, Xandros is Debian-based and many of the
system files are the same as Debian (the version from a few
years ago).]

Basically, I cannot read/write CDs/floppies on the Xandros
1.0 side, but I have no I/O problem on the Window side.

So I tried several things.

1.
See if I can fix the problem. One guy from Xandros forum
recommended trying

/sbin/etcdev2fstab
mount -a

No luck.


2.
Try to update Xandros to version 2.0. The problem here:
I need to boot with the installation CD, but Xandros 1.0
can't read it, so it ignore the CD and does a normal boot
into Xandros 1.0 already on the machine. A floppy
installation disk does no better (remember I have I/O
problem for both CDs and floppies on the Xandros side). I
can't install from the Window side - it keeps wanting to
reboot, and then, it goes into Xandros 1.0 side (which
ignore the installation CD).

-----

First choice, does anybody have a way to fix the I/O
problem in Xandros 1.0?

Second choice: is there a way to "force install" Xandros 2.0
to overwrite Xandros 1.0? I'm not worry about backup, I did
that all this morning. Maybe one trick is to wipe out
Xandros 1.0 completely so it is a M$ window machine (including
deleting the boot loader - don't know which one I have). And
then, install Xandros 2.0 from the window side.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for any.

Sheng-Chieh

shengcieh; just read this ; if os does not read cd dr or disks it may be either
disk are not recoqnized by bios nor os, or drive old not recoqnizing disks.
try (if possible) an other drive or machine. if those work then it indicates your drive or bios are old need upgrading.

I have no problem reading CDs or floppies on my laptop (a different machine).
I'm extremely doubtful it is the drive. Probability of both CD and floppy drives
suddenly not working at the same time is quite low. Plus the CD drive was
recently (a few months ago but long before this current I/O problem) replaced
by a R-CD/R-DVD so that I could burn backups.

How do I get into my bios? And what do I do with it? What do you means by
upgrading the bios?

Thanks in advanced for your help.

Sheng-Chieh

shengchieh; u have mis understood either drive or disk may be old on other machine not laptop. which ever is oldest may not read cddisk or drive.
the bios is firmware on machine which starts boot & machine. at startup first screen show which bios is onboard. it may not have to be upgraded if current.

Thank you for replying again.

I don't recall touching the bios if ever. Possibly the last time it was
affected when I installed Xandros 1.0 a few years ago or never
touched it.

How do I access my bios? And what do I do to upgrade it.? Is
there any good docs on bios I can read up? Is bios machine-dependent?
OS-dependent?

Sheng-Chieh

shengchieh; yes it is machine/os dependant. it is the very first screen that show up on startup. it will either print AMI or Award bios or similar. depending on bios mfg several ways to have machine show the setup srceen varies. ami bios opens with delete key then with mouse or arrow keyes move to next setup for machine choices. will caution you to be careful any thing done will affect machine and OS. before doing that work on system problem first. bios is last resort! linux is very sturdy os it may be
some thing not properly working: ie hardware, kernel module, permission,or
configuration. check all of these first. step by step, easy does it,slowly, methodically untill problem is solved. great confidence in you that you can do it!

To All:

It looks like I have a catch-22 problem.

[Again I have dual-boot M$ Window 2000 and Xandros 1.0.
I have I/O problem on the Xandros side, but not the Window
side.]

I downloaded the bios update and added it to the floppy
disk. The problem, I can't boot the disk, because Xandros
1.0 doesn't recognize it. The same is true if I try to
upgrade install Xandros 2.0. I can't force the window
side to read it - it always want to reboot.

What I think I need is to wipe out Xandros 1.0 including
the bootloader so that it boots up as a normal Window-only
machine. i.e., make the machine just as it came from the
store (Window-installed PC) - so that I'm using the window
booter.

Anyway to force the machine to read the floppy OR to force
the machine to read Xandros 2.0 installation CD OR to wipe
out Xandros 1.0? Or any other idea?

Sheng-Chieh

The problem you're facing is that the PC refuses
to boot media, be it floppies or CD-ROMS (or at
least this is what I gather from your posts).

To change that you need to get into the machines
BIOS, the most common keys are DEL, F1, F2 and
F10 ... have a try, reboot the machine and see whether
you can convince the box to boot of something
other than the hard-disk.


Cheers,
Tink

I went into the bios and am looking at the "boot" section.
In particular, I'm looking at the Boot Devices. The
options are:

Floppy
ARMD-FDD
ARMD-HDD
IDE-HDD
ATAPI CDROM
Disabled

What does these mean? In specific, ARMD, IDE, and ATAPI?

Right now, my settings are:

1st Boot Device [Floppy]
2nd Boot Device [ARMD-FDD]
3rd Boot Device [IDE-HDD]
4th Boot Device [ATAPI CDROM]
5th Boot Device [Disabled]

Do you recommend anything different?

Also I have

Quiet Boot [Enabled]
Quick Boot [Enabled]

What are these? Is it worth trying to "Disabled" them?

Finally in the "Advanced" section, there is subsection
"Boot Configuration". Here I have

Plug & Ply OS [No]
Reset Config Data [No]
Numlock [On]

I don't need to do anything here, correct?

Bottom Line:
I'm need to force this desktop PC to boot from floppy and/or
CD.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Sheng-Chieh

You've just answered your own question :}

That aside, I have NO idea what the ARMD-FDD
may be ....


Cheers,
Tink

shengchieh & tinkster; according to:"Computer Desktop Encyclopedia" my library, ARM=reference to risc based chips in microprocessors & microcontrollers ; mfg by ARM Inc. for high speed cpu,s small devices = fdd in this case. shengchieh advice do a bit more research on what you would like to accomplish so that things may not seem so daunting and confusing.

Yep ... but this is ARMD, not ARM.


Cheers,
Tink

Tinkster; corrected, thank you. but did not find armd in encyclopedia it was my only reference. ok close but not close enough that is ok by me. no offence taken and thank you for correction taken gracefully.

Thanks everybody for the helps. I switched to

3rd Boot Device [ATAPI CDROM]
4th Boot Device [IDE-HDD]

and forced the PC to read the Xandros 2.0 installation disk.
Now, no more problem reading CDs/Floppies for the
Xandros side.

shengchieh; Good Job, excellent! but had all the confidence that you could! ok, now enjoy Xandors & press foward to new heights in linux.