Bug 155559

Can you try "floppy -p"?

You have to add /dev/hdd to /etc/floppy. The command "floppy" doens't work
without configuration. It's feature.

man floppy:
   A configuration file, /etc/floppy must be created before floppy can format
   floppy disks.

floppy --createrc >/etc/floppy

... doens't work ... It's feature.
I'll have to remember that one. ;-)

Why isn't the /etc/floppy creation done at package install ?
Besides, if it can figure out the drives on it's own, why is a config file
needed at all ?

Does it work if you create config file?

More or less :

I created the /etc/floppy file (it detects /dev/fd0 and /dev/hdd)
Then :

[root@localhost ~]# floppy --eject /dev/hdd
floppy 0.12 Copyright 2001, Double Precision, Inc.

ide-floppy: hdd: I/O error, pc = 1b, key =  5, asc = 24, ascq =  0

( the floppy was not ejected. Ejecting works with KNOPPIX v3.7)

[root@localhost ~]# floppy  -f A:
floppy 0.12 Copyright 2001, Double Precision, Inc.

/dev/fd0H1440: No such file or directory
No formattable capacities for /dev/fd0

[root@localhost ~]# floppy  -f /dev/fd0
floppy 0.12 Copyright 2001, Double Precision, Inc.

/dev/fd0H1440: No such file or directory
No formattable capacities for /dev/fd0

--

formatting in /dev/hdd (B:) works, it seems
but gives this error at the end :
hdd: irq timeout: status=0xc0 { Busy }
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdd: ATAPI reset complete

but the floppy seems to be formatted OK


Should I open new bugs for those problems ?

I seems like kernel error reports. I could be HW problem. Do you have this
problem with all floppy medias?

Both drives work just fine under Windows and linux.

Note: the ejecting problem is probably a kernel bug. See bug #158548

Thanks.

What you fixed it ?
(formatting fails etc)

are you sure you're using the right tool  ? The man page for floppy sounds scary..

       NOTE: Use caution in formatting anything other than standard 3.5" 1.4MB
floppy  disks  in  ATAPI  IDE
       floppy  drives. Most LS-120 drives, for example, accept a request to
format 120MB high density disks,
       but most 120MB disks are not designed to be formatted. Low-level
formatting  will  ruin  them  permanently.


Do you really want to do this ? You should be able to just mkfs them to get them
usable.

I used a standard 1.4MB floppy disk, so that warning does not apply.

Mass update to all FC4 bugs:

An update has been released (2.6.13-1.1526_FC4) which rebases to a new upstream
kernel (2.6.13.2). As there were ~3500 changes upstream between this and the
previous kernel, it's possible your bug has been fixed already.

Please retest with this update, and update this bug if necessary.

Thanks.

This is not kernel related.

David, send a patch, please. It seems that you good know where is a problem.

Are you being sarcastic ?

"fdformat /dev/fd0" works
"floppy  -f /dev/fd0" fails

Looks like a problem in the "floppy" utility to me.

(does "floppy  -f /dev/fd0" work on your system ?)

It works if you create device by floppy size. The floppy util is not enough
clever to use generic floppy device (e.g. /dev/fd0). I will try to fix it. Sorry.

# MAKEDEV fd0H1440
# floppy  -f /dev/fd0
floppy 0.12 Copyright 2001, Double Precision, Inc.

Formatting 1.40 Mb... 100%

Fixed. Update to util-linux-2.12p-9.12.