Very Computer

Hi all,

I need more storage spaces on my computer. After all things considered,
I am about to purchase a parallel version zip drive. Also considering to
get myself an additional parallel card, since I've heard that it is
impossible to use parallel zip and printer simultaneously.

The problem is I don't know how to do it, where to start.... in one word
I have no idear how I can get these things done. Of course, I have
already read the zip mini howto but I could not understand it very well
due to my limited knowledge. Oh, I am using Red Hat Linux 5.1.

Please help me. Thanks in advance.

OK try this.
1) Buy a 2nd parallel card
2) Install said card into your computer
3) hook up zip drive cable and plug it in
4) Insert disk into drive
5) insmod ppa
6) mount -t vfat /dev/sda4 /mnt

If you have any trouble with these steps, please post the question. I
and many other people that read this group every day will be glad to try
and help you out.

Cheers,
Kyle Dansie
--
--------------------------------------------------------
Linux Rules
          ZIP drive Mini-HOWTO
http://njtcom.com/dansie/zip-drive.html
                    or
http://sunsite.unc.edu/mdw/HOWTO/mini/ZIP-Drive.html                                  
--------------------------------------------------------

Quote:>Hi all,

>I need more storage spaces on my computer. After all things considered,
>I am about to purchase a parallel version zip drive. Also considering to
>get myself an additional parallel card, since I've heard that it is
>impossible to use parallel zip and printer simultaneously.

As long as you are willing to buy another interface card for the
ZIP drive, why not get an inexpensive SCSI card (yes, they do
exist; ISA SCSI cards can often be had for US$25-$50) and a SCSI
ZIP drive?  The parallel port ZIP is a real resource hog when
running, and no speed demon.  The SCSI ZIP is much faster, less
resource intensive, and (of course) allows you to utilize other
SCSI devices you may wish to add at some point.

Quote:> Hi all,

> I need more storage spaces on my computer. After all things considered,
> I am about to purchase a parallel version zip drive. Also considering to
> get myself an additional parallel card, since I've heard that it is
> impossible to use parallel zip and printer simultaneously.

Not impossible.

http://www.veryComputer.com/
and
http://www.*elk.demon.co.uk/parport.html

However, I suggest you don't play with port sharing until you have the
zip drive working in simple mode first.  And until you are comfortable
recompiling (and patching) the kernel.

Quote:

> The problem is I don't know how to do it, where to start.... in one word
> I have no idear how I can get these things done. Of course, I have
> already read the zip mini howto but I could not understand it very well
> due to my limited knowledge. Oh, I am using Red Hat Linux 5.1.

I'd start at
http://www.veryComputer.com/

However, parallel port cards are pretty inexpensive unless you want a
really good one (which might not be a bad idea related to using a zip
drive).

If you purchase a cheap parallel port card, use the cheap one for the
printer and the better interface for the ZIP drive.  I've had my zip
drive fail on the cheapest of parallel port cards (failed in Linux and
Windoze both).  But those "bad" cards could print.
--
Hugh McCurdy

Dont go spending a ton of money just so that you can use your zip and
printer at the same time....First of all, you can use one or the other for
a while, of you can use one of the 2.1.xxx kernels that have support for
using both at one time.