Very Computer

Hi Linux friends,

I have a IDE ZIPdrive and want to use it under Linux
Currently I have Redhat 4.1 installed.

During start-up it finds my IDE zip at /dev/hdc (/dev/hdb
is my IDE cdrom), however any attempt to mount a disk or to access with
mtools failed. Mtools gives me a read error, with obscure messages like
hdc: packect command error: status=0x51 error=0x50.... (sigh)

Do I have to upgrade to Redhat 5.0. I read somewhere that it might work.
Does anybody has more experience with this matter and hence could
anybody give me some valuable advice, before I run to the store and buy
redhat 5.0 or get myself a scsi ZIP drive.

Thanx guys,

Hans Kramer

Quote:> mtools failed. Mtools gives me a read error, with obscure messages like
> hdc: packect command error: status=0x51 error=0x50.... (sigh)

I suppose you know that the factory DOS-partition on
a ZIP medium is in partition 4?! So you have to mount
/dev/hd?4. You can also fdisk the medium to change the
partition and reformat the disk. I have original ones
here and some I changed to /dev/hd?1 with ext2fs.
Both types work fine.

The BIOS of my machine is set to autodetect all drives.
I use Kernel 2.0.30, but since the EIDE version acts like
any other EIDE harddisk, the kernel version should not
matter. (Mount/umount works fine here.)

Hope it helps.

Wolfgang

 > I have a IDE ZIPdrive and want to use it under Linux
 > Currently I have Redhat 4.1 installed.

 > During start-up it finds my IDE zip at /dev/hdc (/dev/hdb
 > is my IDE cdrom), however any attempt to mount a disk or to access
with
 > mtools failed. Mtools gives me a read error, with obscure messages
like
 > hdc: packect command error: status=0x51 error=0x50.... (sigh)

The IDE Zip drive needs ATAPI floppy device support, which isn't
available in RedHat 4.1's 2.0.27 kernel. You either should upgrade to
RedHat 5.0, or upgrade your kernel to 2.0.32. Right now it is being
recognized as an ATAPI CDROM.

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: interesting, how do you explain;
: hdc: IOMEGA ZIP 100, 96MB w/16kB Cache, LBA, CHS=512/12/32
: with 4.2 (2.0.30) and but also worked with 4.1 on my system.
: A dell dimension if it matters, appears to me its treated as
: a hard drive.

There are two kinds of ZIP drives: ATAPI and IDE.  The IDE show up as a
hard drive while the ATAPI shows up as a CD-ROM.  The IDE works just like
any other HD in Linux while the ATAPI requires a newer kernel with ATAPI
floppy support.  The IDE ZIP drives have an eject button with an amber LED
next to it.  Apparently, the ATAPI ZIP drives have a green LED and eject
button combined(?).  I have seen HP Vectras that came with internal IDE
ZIP drives.  I think some Dells also use the IDE.  Iomega seems to be only
making the ATAPI models now.

-Rob

: There are two kinds of ZIP drives: ATAPI and IDE.  The IDE show up as a
: hard drive while the ATAPI shows up as a CD-ROM.  The IDE works just like
: any other HD in Linux while the ATAPI requires a newer kernel with ATAPI
: floppy support.  The IDE ZIP drives have an eject button with an amber LED
: next to it.  Apparently, the ATAPI ZIP drives have a green LED and eject
: button combined(?).

Rob's right -- the ATAPI ZIP has a single green activity light that
doubles as the eject button.  

- David

 > > The IDE Zip drive needs ATAPI floppy device support, which isn't
 > > available in RedHat 4.1's 2.0.27 kernel. You either should upgrade
to
 > > RedHat 5.0, or upgrade your kernel to 2.0.32. Right now it is being
 > > recognized as an ATAPI CDROM.

 > interesting, how do you explain;
 > hdc: IOMEGA ZIP 100, 96MB w/16kB Cache, LBA, CHS=512/12/32
 > with 4.2 (2.0.30) and but also worked with 4.1 on my system.
 > A dell dimension if it matters, appears to me its treated as
 > a hard drive.

Some Iomega Zip drives are ATAPI, and some are EIDE. The EIDE versions
were only available to OEMers like Dell. The ATAPI version is the one
you can buy off the shelf.