[Leaplist] Floppy problem in Lenny - Debian-JimH

[Whit Hansell]

Hey Jim,
Thanks for your input.  I do remember that Linux basically ignores the 
BIOS for the most part.  Or at least that is what I understand.  So it 
does go out and look directly for the floppy using whatever hdwr lines 
it is on ie. old style mobo connector or usb or whatever.  It is 
recognizing the floppy when it starts up and knows it's a 1.44.  and 
that it is at /dev/fd0 and as I remember it states that it is a post 
?1991? drive or whatever..  And that's way before it recognizes the USB 
ports.  So it's seeing it w. my normal linux setup(Lenny) on this box.  
I mentioned that it did not mention it on the live CD's because I 
thought it odd that that was the case.  But then maybe on the live CD's 
they don't mention "every" piece of hdw that it knows is attached.  I 
don't know. 

I don't know but I'm pretty sure I've somehow hosed up the kernel or 
something on this setup.  And I've got no idea how to correct it.


Jim Hartley wrote:
> Let me just throw some brainstorming into this mess, based on (real 
> reliable!) what I think I remember hearing somewhere.
>
> Windoze uses BIOS functions, while Linux (at least for some things) 
> does NOT use BIOS, it talks directly to the hardware. Let us suppose 
> that the floppy is one such case. And let us suppose - sheer blue-sky 
> speculation - that on this particular mobo, the actual physical floppy 
> drive has some weird interface (USB or something?), but the BIOS 
> **translates** this so that it looks like a normal floppy to Windoze. 
> Linux ignores the BIOS and goes looking for a floppy drive connected 
> by the "normal" (i.e., oldstyle mobo) interface, and it can't find 
> anything there - no file system, no data, nothing.

The mobo hookup is the standard floppy connector using the standard 
floppy cable.  The drives are drives that were used on other 
motherboards w. no problems at all.  All of them having been the old 
style floppy controller and cable setup.  On my regular setup it's not 
having problems recognizing the drive.  It recognized the drive.  It's 
not recognizing the format of the floppy.  If it wasn't recognizing the 
drive the drive light wouldn't even light up  The drive light lights up, 
and the drive spins and then the box spits out it's error messages.
>
> I know this sounds pretty far out, but it does fit the symptoms 
> described. OK, guys, throw rocks, shoot holes in this ... but does 
> anybody have a BETTER idea?
Better idea?  Right now I'm not too sure  of much of anything about 
this.  <VBG>
>
> Oh, if you really need a floppy on that box, go blow $30 on one of 
> those USB-connected external floppy drives, might save on the 
> hair-tearing!

Thanks anyway to Jim for the thoughts.  I'll get it straightened out one 
way or the other.  I may have to go back to Etch to do it but I'll get 
it somehow. Again, thanks for your help.  Much appreciated.
Whit
>
> Jim Hartley
>
> Whit Hansell wrote:
>> Well, this is getting to be really fun.  I've downloaded Knoppix 5.1 
>> and it verifies w. the md5 code.  I have 
> <snip>