Very Computer

I'm trying to install Linux on a MFM drive.
The Miniscribe drive is attached to a Western Digital controler.

I use the Slackware bootdsks "xt" and root disk "color", the latest I
could find: 2.0.30.

During the xt boot sequence, it recognize the adapter:
I get messages:

xd_geninit: detected a Western Digital WDXT-GEN2 controler (type 5) at
address 000c8000

xd_geninit: detected 1 hard drive (using IRQ5 & DMA3)
xg_geninit: drive 0 geometry - heads = 6, cylinders = 809, sectors = 17
 xda:

My drive's specs are 809,6,26.

It prompts me for the root floppy, loads the ramdisk and gives me the
login prompt.

But then, I can't run fdisk.

If I enter "fdisk", it says:
 "using /dev/sda as default device!"
 "Unable to open /dev/sda".

I tried fdisk with many different HDD names even if I knew they were
reserved for other type of drives (ex: hda, ide drive). I could never
get fdisk to run.

Any Idea?

Thanks in advance,

Jean,

Quote:

> It prompts me for the root floppy, loads the ramdisk and gives me the
> login prompt.

> But then, I can't run fdisk.

> If I enter "fdisk", it says:
>  "using /dev/sda as default device!"
>  "Unable to open /dev/sda".

> I tried fdisk with many different HDD names even if I knew they were
> reserved for other type of drives (ex: hda, ide drive). I could never
> get fdisk to run.

---

I tried "fdisk /dev/xda". I got the result I mentioned above.

I listed the /dev directory. There are no xd* devices on the ramdisk.

Thanks for the reply.

Jean

Quote:

> I listed the /dev directory. There are no xd* devices on the ramdisk.

--
Frank Sweetser rasmusin at wpi.edu fsweetser at blee.net | PGP key available
paramount.res.wpi.edu RedHat Linux 2.0.31pre7 i486       | at public servers
Woody: What's going on, Mr. Peterson?
Norm:  A flashing sign in my gut that says, ``Insert beer here.''
                -- Cheers, Call Me, Irresponsible

 <snip>

Quote:> xd_geninit: detected 1 hard drive (using IRQ5 & DMA3)
> xg_geninit: drive 0 geometry - heads = 6, cylinders = 809, sectors = 17
>  xda:
<snip, again>
> If I enter "fdisk", it says:
>  "using /dev/sda as default device!"
>  "Unable to open /dev/sda".

Some people have told me they don't think a fat penguin really embodies
the grace
of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen a angry penguin
charging at
them in excess of 100mph. They'd be a lot more careful about what they
say if they
had.
      -- Linus Torvalds