Announcement

**penguin.ch** · Mar 06, 2007, 11:14 AM

Re: Iomega zip 100

A few hints for starters:

- make sure that there is a floppy in the drive (unless you're up to "philosophical mounting" ... it's sort of: no floppy, no file system, nothing to mount);

- make sure drive as well as floppy are being recognized, for example by wading through the output resulting from the console command dmesg;

- with this done (and the appropriate mount point given), try to manually mount the file system in question, with all details given (see man mount);

and, if all this is going to fail, let me know and I'll dig out my own Zip 100 parallel drive and try to reconstruct your problem - in order to crack it, of course.

**nilsA** · Mar 07, 2007, 05:08 AM

Re: Iomega zip 100

Originally posted by UnicornRider

A few hints for starters:

- make sure that there is a floppy in the drive (unless you're up to "philosophical mounting" ... it's sort of: no floppy, no file system, nothing to mount);

Tried three disks. (Only one of them with philosophical content):

- make sure drive as well as floppy are being recognized, for example by wading through the output resulting from the console command dmesg;

No Iomega, no zip, no sdb ...

- with this done (and the appropriate mount point given), try to manually mount the file system in question, with all details given (see man mount);

It might be where I get lost in Linux. I tried mount -a and mount -a -F. The only thing that is changed is, no messages at all

And no zip drive. Not even the annoying zip-drive sound.

Then I tried

xxxxxx:~$ sudo mount -t vfat /dev/sdb4 /media/zip
mount: special device /dev/sdb4 does not exist

Then I repeated

Code:

sudo modprobe ppa

The zip drive "wakes up" and the long dmesg list end like this:

Code:

2275.413235] ppa: Version 2.07 (for Linux 2.4.x)
[ 2275.505322] ppa: Found device at ID 6, Attempting to use EPP 32 bit
[ 2275.507614] ppa: Found device at ID 6, Attempting to use PS/2
[ 2275.507909] ppa: Communication established with ID 6 using PS/2
[ 2275.517205] scsi1 : Iomega VPI0 (ppa) interface
[ 2275.646460]  Vendor: IOMEGA  Model: ZIP 100      Rev: D.06
[ 2275.646510]  Type:  Direct-Access           ANSI SCSI revision: 02
[ 2277.753499] SCSI device sdb: 196608 512-byte hdwr sectors (101 MB)
[ 2277.765656] sdb: Write Protect is off
[ 2277.765671] sdb: Mode Sense: 25 00 00 08
[ 2277.785483] sdb: cache data unavailable
[ 2277.785501] sdb: assuming drive cache: write through
[ 2277.821578] SCSI device sdb: 196608 512-byte hdwr sectors (101 MB)
[ 2277.834137] sdb: Write Protect is off
[ 2277.834155] sdb: Mode Sense: 25 00 00 08
[ 2277.853508] sdb: cache data unavailable
[ 2277.853522] sdb: assuming drive cache: write through
[ 2277.853536] sdb: sdb4
[ 2278.249555] sd 1:0:6:0: Attached scsi removable disk sdb
[ 2278.249729] sd 1:0:6:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
[ 2393.059857] end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
[ 2393.083845] end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0

Oh well, at least I get an error message. Bad disk? Bad zip? Bad mounting?

Thanks for the help; sooner or later I may even understand mounting ;-)

Added -

I have found how to load the modules necessary, so now the zip-drive start whining at startup, and I can find it in the dmseg (no output at this time; the Internet is down on that computer). There's also one or two more ways to produce the information that says it is there.

But I cannot see it doing fdisk -l

(when things clears up, I'll put the relevant output from dmseg in here.

**penguin.ch** · Mar 07, 2007, 08:31 AM

Re: Iomega zip 100

We're getting closer, I'd say

but, first of all, let's try to sort a few things out:

- with sudo modprobe ppa you enable the kernel ("core operating system") to handle the parallel port (*);

- the dmesg ("kernel protocol") feedback tells us that the drive and disk have been recognized as /dev/sdb[4];

- with this given, you should be able to mount ("introduce") this so-called device to the system (*):

Code:

sudo mount -v -t vfat -o rw /dev/sdb4 /media/zip

As you should have realized by now, the sequence of steps to be taken is as crucial as to omit none of them ...

--

(*) Of course, it is possible to automate this task - you'll however learn more from doing it by hand, at least for starters.

**nilsA** · Mar 07, 2007, 09:11 AM

Re: Iomega zip 100

Originally posted by UnicornRider

Code:

sudo mount -v -t vfat -o rw /dev/sdb4 /media/zip

Well, I did th at - and here is the result:

Code:

ntu:~$ sudo mount -v -t vfat -o rw /dev/sdb4 /media/zip
Password:
mount: special device /dev/sdb4 does not exist

So, let me get back to the relevant dmsg part:

Code:

<snip>
[ 115.666488] usbcore: registered new driver hci_usb
[ 116.894569] lp0: using parport0 (interrupt-driven).
[ 116.955705] ppa: Version 2.07 (for Linux 2.4.x)
[ 117.035493] ppa: Found device at ID 6, Attempting to use EPP 32 bit
[ 117.037703] ppa: Found device at ID 6, Attempting to use PS/2
[ 117.037974] ppa: Communication established with ID 6 using PS/2
[ 117.040182] scsi1 : Iomega VPI0 (ppa) interface
[ 117.169222]  Vendor: IOMEGA  Model: ZIP 100      Rev: D.06
[ 117.169271]  Type:  Direct-Access           ANSI SCSI revision: 02
[ 117.273752] Adding 208804k swap on /dev/disk/by-uuid/0ed45fbe-ed24-46d4-b747-7057d8edeeb7. Priority:-1 extents:1 across:208804k
[ 117.421791] EXT3 FS on hda1, internal journal
[ 117.797165] NET: Registered protocol family 17
[ 117.908754] kjournald starting. Commit interval 5 seconds
[ 117.908789] EXT3-fs warning: maximal mount count reached, running e2fsck is recommended
[ 117.920024] EXT3 FS on sda1, internal journal
[ 117.920044] EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.
[ 118.776952] SCSI device sdb: 196608 512-byte hdwr sectors (101 MB)
[ 118.792926] sdb: Write Protect is off
[ 118.792939] sdb: Mode Sense: 25 00 00 08
[ 118.817007] sdb: cache data unavailable
[ 118.817017] sdb: assuming drive cache: write through
[ 118.860997] SCSI device sdb: 196608 512-byte hdwr sectors (101 MB)
[ 118.873058] sdb: Write Protect is off
[ 118.873070] sdb: Mode Sense: 25 00 00 08
[ 118.893031] sdb: cache data unavailable
[ 118.893042] sdb: assuming drive cache: write through
[ 118.893056] sdb: sdb4
[ 119.297057] sd 1:0:6:0: Attached scsi removable disk sdb
[ 119.297233] sd 1:0:6:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
[ 120.989622] NET: Registered protocol family 10
[ 120.989939] lo: Disabled Privacy Extensions
<snip>

I'm still confused ... but did find the way to auto introduce the ppa module.

**penguin.ch** · Mar 07, 2007, 09:21 AM

Re: Iomega zip 100

Don't panic - not yet, at least

More often than not, file systems (pre-)formated by or for a Windoze system may be get defaulted by the Penguin, so to speak ... let's do some checks:

- from the console: sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdb
- as an alternative: [Alt][F2]kdesu gparted

These tools (to be handled with great care) are there to assist you with the (re-) construction of a "penguin-friendly" file system on the disk(s) in question.

Postscript: in the process, I do assume the existence of the mount point /media/zip (just to mention that as well).

**nilsA** · Mar 07, 2007, 10:18 AM

Re: Iomega zip 100

Originally posted by UnicornRider

- from the console: sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdb
- as an alternative: [Alt][F2]kdesu gparted

console - nothing happens
gparted - there is my hda and sda fixed disks. No sdb.

Postscript: in the process, I do assume the existence of the mount point /media/zip (just to mention that as well).

Eh, well, maybe. There is in the /media/ directory a directory called /zip.

I did make it with kdesu konqueror.

When I do cd /media and ls - I get a line where CD and floppy is in green text, while CD, floppy0 and zip is in blue.

(Note, the colours may look different to you; I have a subtle blue/yellow colour "blindness".)

**penguin.ch** · Mar 07, 2007, 10:28 AM

Re: Iomega zip 100

Originally posted by nilsA

from the console: sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdb [...] nothing happens
- as an alternative: [Alt][F2]kdesu gparted [...] no sdb

WTH

When (and only when) dmesg tells you that the disk is "there" you should be able to access is, at least as described above ...

But, be that as it may, now you've got me hooked ... I'll plug in my own "Zippo" and delve into it, so to speak.

**nilsA** · Mar 07, 2007, 02:42 PM

Re: Iomega zip 100

Originally posted by UnicornRider

Originally posted by nilsA

from the console: sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdb [...] nothing happens
- as an alternative: [Alt][F2]kdesu gparted [...] no sdb

WTH

When (and only when) dmesg tells you that the disk is "there" you should be able to access is, at least as described above ...

But, be that as it may, now you've got me hooked ... I'll plug in my own "Zippo" and delve into it, so to speak.

Looking forward to a great learning experience (on my side.)

And I recall the "good old days" with mainframes and minis, administered by mystical people. I was the "if-it-is-possible-to-provoke-a-breakdown-
I-will-be-the-one-who-happens-to-do-it-guy."

**penguin.ch** · Mar 07, 2007, 03:26 PM

Re: Iomega zip 100

Not sure if there is much to be learned ...

Code:

ROOT # dmesg
[17182994.076000] Vendor: IOMEGA  Model: ZIP 250  Rev: K.47
[17182994.136000] SCSI device sdg: 196608 512-byte hdwr sectors (101 MB)
[17182994.208000] sdg: sdg4

ROOT # fdisk -l /dev/sdg
Disk /dev/sdg: 100 MB, 100663296 bytes
Device    Boot  Start  End  Blocks  Id  System
/dev/sdg4  *   1    96  98288  6  FAT16

ROOT # mount -v -t vfat -o rw /dev/sdg4 /media/floppy
/dev/sdg4 on /media/floppy type vfat (rw)

The bad news, however, with an invalid file system, you're gonna hit the wall:

Code:

ROOT # dmesg
[17183648.372000] SCSI device sdg: 489532 512-byte hdwr sectors (251 MB)
[17183648.400000] sdg:<6>sd 4:0:6:0: SCSI error: return code = 0x8000002
[17183648.444000] sdg: Current: sense key: Medium Error
[17183648.444000]   Additional sense: Defect list not found
[17183648.444000] Buffer I/O error on device sdg, logical block 0

ROOT # parted /dev/sdg
Error: Unable to open /dev/sdg - unrecognised disk label.

... and that's it - three different Linux systems, three different partition editors, and still no valid disk label, not to mention a valid file system ... mumble,mumble ... this looks to me as if without Windoze it were virtually impossible to reformat a corrupted Zip disk ... horrible thought.

**nilsA** · Mar 08, 2007, 10:23 AM

Re: Iomega zip 100

Oh, well - the most probable thing, I guess, is that my zip drive is corrupt, so Kubuntu sees it as having no file system?

I'll give it a try on a W2000, though, before I give in.

Thank you for a very good learning experience! I'm pretty close to understanding the mystery of mounting now, including the need for special modules in some cases.

**penguin.ch** · Mar 08, 2007, 10:44 AM

Re: Iomega zip 100

Originally posted by nilsA

I guess, is that my zip drive is corrupt

Not necessarily; I don't think so ... let's try to explain what may seem confusing:

With the parallel port made available to the system, the hard drive itself gets recognized as, in your case, /dev/sdb - just letters, no numbers here ... The floppy disk inside the drive, in turn, also gets recognized, as /dev/sdb4 - including number this time. (*) And that's where trouble starts:

To actually make use of the disk inside the drive, you need to "(re-)install" a file system on it ("(re-)format it" in M$ speech) - you may think of such a file system as a classification system of sorts required by any operating system to know how to store data to the disk as well as retrieve it from there.

And, as I see it by now, those Iomega disks need to be (pre-) formatted by means of original Iomega tools in order to be useable even by systems much more discriminating than Windoze.

--

(*) I know that this is technically incorrect - I'm simplifying in order to (hopefully) get across the fundamental principles.

**nilsA** · Mar 08, 2007, 02:14 PM

Re: Iomega zip 100

Originally posted by UnicornRider

And, as I see it by now, those Iomega disks need to be (pre-) formatted by means of original Iomega tools in order to be useable even by systems much more discriminating than Windoze.

Well, among the disks I did try are some never used - and as such should be IOMEGA pre-formatted. Probably I'll get around trying it in a W2000 computer tomorrow or during the week-end.

Announcement

Iomega zip 100

Iomega zip 100

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment