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  • From: baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • To: baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [BL] linux floppy disk?
  • Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2010 16:50:27 +0000 (UTC)

Can BL and Ubuntu read floppy disks formatted for linux rather than DOS?

I just gave my first BL2 laptop to a music student who had his Mac stolen. Toshiba 100Mhz 24MB. We tested out pico and Abiword for taking notes in class (nice keyboard), mplayer (which won't work on my somewhat newer laptops), timidity, and workbone. Volume dial. ESS sound with sb emulation. Sounds much better than most of my newer laptops, in mono. Relatively small without the external floppy drive and even has a working battery (20 min). A prize. (Just don't try to exit X or it crashes - switch to VT2 to shutdown from).

But the floppy drive is really fussy and won't even format 90% of the known good disks I feed it (bad media or track 0 bad or bad FAT), then won't read them once formatted (with DOS on the same laptop). I will try floppymeter when we meet in town after his concert later this week. fdformat /fd - does this produce linux floppies or do I need a switch?
Would it possibly read linux floppies better than DOS? (DOS has no way I know of to compensate for worn-out floppy drive so it should be linux anyway).

Another option for file transfer is a non-cardbus network card ($7-10 on ebay - the cardbus ones are $1-2, plus $4 shipping). Campus student wireless requires WPA (which requires cardbus which won't fit the slot), but he can plug into the wall in his dorm room. Linksys Etherfast 10/100 is one-piece (no dongle to lose or break wires in). pcnet_cs.

Or a parport iomega zip drive. Or a serial cable made from two serial mice, or a modem cable, but that has a learning curve. Easier to ftp or even mail himself files to get them onto his Ubuntu desktop.

He caught on quickly how to use ls cp cd etc, though he never used DOS. I made little scripts mf and uf to mount and unmount the one working floppy disk of the bunch. off to shutdown. Added a list of instructions to /etc/issue. Script 'music' lists the music playing programs.

The laptop has infrared but there is nothing to beam it to.

Most help will have to be by email since it is a least an hour's walk (or a snowy bike ride) between his dorm and here. I will email him the three lines to add to pcmcia config once he gets a network card from ebay. Then can email entire programs.

Sindi Keesan



  • [BL] linux floppy disk?, baslinux, 12/06/2010

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