>I want install Redhat 5.2 on a friends computer (an old 486) that does not
>have a CD-ROM. He wants to get a parallel port backpak CD-ROM. The hardware
>page states the device must use the version 2 protocol but none of the web
>pages seem to go into this kind of detail.
>Does anybody have experience with one that works?
The folks at RedHat have got themselves a little bit confused about
support for the backpack. The real problem is that the driver on their
boot disk is old, obsolete and buggy (no, I'm not slagging them, I wrote
it). Unfortunately they don't have space on the disk to install the newer
"PARIDE" drivers.
However, if you go to the Linux parport web page:
http://www.torque.net/parport/
you'll find a link to a page with a replacement boot disk for RedHat 5.2.
That boot disk supports several brands of parallel port CD-ROMs (many of
which can obtained for significantly less than the MicroSolutions products).
The most economical solution might be to get an empty case from H45 (they're
sold by Tiger Direct in the US) and put in an old ATAPI CD-ROM from your
spares collection ;-)
There's nothing wrong with the MSI backpacks, by the way - they are
good value, and well built. The irony is that one of them will set your
friend back more than the value of his 486 !
Anyway ... if you find a brand of PP CD-ROM and you aren't sure if the
alternate boot disk supports it, please feel free to contact me.
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