Very Computer

I am trying to install RedHat 5.0 on my computer with a MicroSolutions
Backpack parallel port CD-ROM.  When I get to the autodetection part of the
configuration, the program cannot find the CD by autodetection.  What
parameters can I pass to the program to allow it to recognize my drive?

I have the Linux and parallel port IDE devices FAQ, but it doesn't seem to
be too much help here.

Thanks for any info,
Eric

That's odd. . . I was able to install RH 5.0 via a backpack cdrom,
connected to my computer via the parallel port.
In the autodection phase, just make sure that you have selected 'other'
instead of scsi or IDE.

Do you have the backpack DOS drivers installed?  This way, if you are
partitioning your harddrive for use with two operating systems, you can
boot up your machine in DOS mode.  Then, you will be able to get to the
cdrom drive.   You can install linux while booted up in dos by cd'ing to
'dosutils' and running 'autoboot'  This will start the linux
installation program.  It should then be able to find your backpack
cdrom.  This is how I did it, but in my case it was necessary to run
both DOS (well, actually windows, but DOS is part of that) and linux.

If you are only installing linux, I would imagine that you will need to
use the boot disk.  I don't know if this will cause problems in mounting
the backpack cdrom drive.

One odd thing that I did notice is that I can install from the backpack
no problem.  But, after installation, I cannot mount the backpack as a
cdrom device.  In order to do this, it seems, I must compile a
particular driver in the kernel.  This seems strange, as I was able to
install from it.  Perhap this is because, as mentioned above, I ran the
install program when the machine was booted up in DOS mode.  Still seems
stupid that support for the backpack isn't built in to the kernel,
though.