Description of problem: Since kernel 2.6.32.12-115.fc12 the module 'floppy' is not loaded automatically. Thus /dev/fd0 does not exist and floppy does not work. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): 2.6.32.12-115.fc12 How reproducible: 100% Steps to Reproduce: 1. boot Actual results: no /dev/fd0 Expected results: /dev/fd0 exists Additional info: A 'modprobe floppy' creates /dev/fd0 and the floppy drive works. Auto-loading the module works with kernel 2.6.32.11-99.fc12. I tried kernel 2.6.32.14-127.fc12 from updates-testing but no /dev/fd0.
kernel 2.6.32.12-115.fc12 was the second update of the kernel since I installed F12. I reinstalled F12, updated to kernel-2.6.32.12-115.fc12 and it worked. Now I updated to kernel-2.6.32.14-127.fc12 and it is broken again. This is the second update of the kernel since a fresh F12 install again. Now it still works with kernel-2.6.32.12-115.fc12. The only thing I changed besides the package updates was another installation of amd/ati catalyst/fglrx 10.4 to get a kernel module for 2.6.32.14-127.fc12.
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This I believe is (sadly) intentional behavior. Due to the relatively few number of users with actual floppy drives (as opposed to the number with floppy controllers that might take several seconds to timeout) it was decided that it might be better not to load the floppy driver by default.
Bug still exists in F14. I tracked the problem down to the removal of /etc/modprobe.d/floppy-pnp.conf in https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=514329 This file consisted of two aliases: alias pnp:dPNP0700 floppy alias acpi:PNP0700: floppy The pnp alias was added to the floppy kernel module. But the acpi one wasn't. My problem is solved if I create a floppy-pnp.conf with the acpi alias. My computer doesn't provide any alias in /sys/bus/pnp/devices/*/modalias but there are several aliases in /sys/bus/acpi/devices/*/modalias including the floppy one. I assume that the proper solution is to include the acpi alias in the floppy kernel module.
Like I said, it was intentionally removed due to problems with floppy disk controllers. We would need to fix the floppy driver (and it's not exactly getting a lot of love) upstream to avoid the problems with auto-loading. Yes, it's sad, but unless you have a better way to determine whether a drive is reliably attached, we need to leave the support disabled by default for the majority of users who are not affected by this problem. Sorry.
Closed. Wasn't my decision originally. I was asked to remove support and it's been removed for some time. You can trivially re-enable this if you need to.