kevin@l00sewire.com
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Using a Micro Solutions Backpack CD-ROM Drive
| Problem | Solution | ||
| Details | Preliminaries | ||
| Windows 95 ??? | |||
| My Dual-Boot CompuAdd Laptop | Linux Install Fix | ||
| Quote: | "Use The Force, Read The Source" | Oxymoron: | "Microsoft Works" |
The RedHat Linux 5.2 install program will not recognize all Micro Solutions Backpack CD-ROM drives. This is easily remedied with a different boot disk with the correct drivers. However, their are also a number of problems with system architecture that freeze the install during the partitioning and file system steps. I experienced very slow performance and countless hangs with HDD install, and with CD-ROM installs, with boot disk(s), with supplementary disk, and with CD boot.
Problem Details |
-------- or -------- |
Skip to My Solution |
As I mentioned, before I knew of the new Backpack drivers, I was forced (CD-ROM not recognized by install) to try a HDD install booting from the standard RedHat boot disk. (Don't leave the backpack plugged in here.) The install continued slowly until choosing HDD install (time for the supplementary disk). Then I had multiple hangs, real slow response, and almost made it to the partition step. -- OK bad disks? Got new ones, still same. --NEXT
Still no new boot disk with Backpack drivers, so...
Tried the HDD install booting from the RedHat CD#1. driven by DOS real-mode drivers. (Backpack plugged in here.) The install ran great until choosing the CD-ROM install - Not the right Backpack CD-ROM driver!!! So... chose HDD install (time for the supplementary disk). Multiple hangs, real slow response, and almost made it to the partition step. --Bad Drive? --Works fine in DOS, but switched with another. Still same on both. --NEXT
After a little research, found out that certain MicroSolutions Backpack CD-ROM drives use a different set of drivers. Got a new Boot Disk (If you use the new boot disk comment here.) -- OK
Use of the updated boot disk for Backpack CD-ROM worked great, chose CD-ROM install; Microsolutions Backpack. -- OK. But when it came time to write the partition info I had problems. I blamed the floppy drive, since boot disk reads seemed to take forever during install. -- Still not the media? Drive? --NEXT
Well, the floppy drive seems to be hanging the install. -- CD Boot?
By booting directly from CD, (driven by DOS real-mode drivers) the install program will not have access to the "new" Backpack driver, and will force HDD install. The HDD install requires the use of the supplementary disk, and again this went real slow. The same types of probs, i.e. not writing all of the partition info, and multiple hangs.
Found that passing parameters to the kernel ( boot: linux hda=1023,16,63 hdb=cdrom ) got me a little further, but after setting my partition info, and clicking "Done" the installation would sit for days trying to write the partition info. I found that reboots would not produce anything, but if I removed the floppy from the drive it ended installation abnormally, and allows you to reboot. Repeating above showed the partitions I defined, but no labels ( / ). Editing the partition to add labels worked, but clicking "Done" had same results (terminal hang).
This system was set up with Win95a when I bought it used, so I ran through some diagnostics, printed a lot of info, and dived right in. The System Resource Report available from the Device Manager tab of System Properties will prove invaluable, so print one. Visit the links below, and either take some notes or print info, especially if you won't have access to the Internet until your through. Download the image, and make the new boot disk. Also taking a look at your Bios/CMOS Setup utility is a great idea. Make clear notes of your HDD settings especially the cylinders, heads, & sectors. In my case the Colorpro had only one IDE HDD, and it was set in the CMOS to autodetect settings. Since the 503 MB drive included the specifics, I tested using the user specified settings of 1023 cylinders, 16 heads, & 63 sectors. Everything worked fine, so I also checked to make sure the date was correct, system memory (only 8MB) detected, set trackball state to on, and disabled Power Management (Just in Case).
You may decide to keep the utility partition either way, although the space may come in handy, & CompuAdd's utility disk will still function somewhat without it.
1. The fdisk option 3. Delete partition or Logical DOS Drive; then choice 1. Delete Primary DOS Partition should be used to delete your Pri-DOS partition to allow you to create a smaller one. I set my Primary DOS to 250MB ~1/2 of my 503MB HDD. Option 1. Create DOS partition or Logical DOS Drive; then 1. Create Primary DOS Partition. Then at the main fdisk screen option 2 Set Active Partition to set the Pri-DOS to a (active). This will leave a section of your drive unallocated, (253MB in my case) so that you can use the Linux fdisk or DiskDruid utility during Linux install.
-- Do Not set any partitions for Linux yet. --
Once the HDD is partitioned to your liking for DOS (Win95 etc.) you will need to format the partitions. format c: /S from your floppy drive (a:) will format your harddrive and copy the operating system files to the disk after formatting. These system files are hidden files and will not appear in a directory listing.
Install the CD-ROM drivers (I assume we are using a Micro Solutions Backpack CD-ROM)
by running the install from floppy. The program will create autoexec.bat, and
config,sys files. Now reboot. If all goes well you will boot to a DOS prompt
and the backpack drive will be accessible. (Assuming D:\ again) If you can't boot
still use your Windows 95 Startup Disk from earlier. If that works, cp
copy autoexec.bat autoexec.old, config.sys config.old, & then cp
copy everything from a:\ to c:\. Now remove your floppy and try to reboot. You
should be at the DOS prompt, but not be able to reach your CD-ROM. Use edit to cp
copy the backpack driver calls from autoexec.old into autoexec.bat, and from config.old
into config.sys. This should let you reboot, and load the backpack CD-ROM.
Assuming all went well above you can now boot to your clean harddrive, and access your
Windows 95 CD. So... install Windows95. I recommend doing a laptop install,
then going into Windows Setup and adding and removing components later. This seems
to be faster, and sets up some of the Laptop settings for you. If you run into any
problems with install, go get help elsewhere. That is not what this document intends
to address.
OK -- Windows 95 is running, and your C:\ is the size you intended. The remaining
space (Total HDD size - DOS Partitions) is going to be used for Linux. The next step
is to rm del the *.old files at your root, since the cd-rom drivers must
have loaded ok back in DOS. Next, run the install for your Micro Solutions Backpack
CD-ROM drive from "Add Remove Programs" using the floppy. Again this seems
to work faster than the real-mode drivers when in Win95. Reboot, and test your
CD-ROM Drive by Running an application installation, but use a small one, save lots of
space for the next step.
Just in case you have any problems using a CD-ROM during the Linux install process, it is a good idea to prepare for a HDD install as a fall back. This can be done if needed later by booting to either DOS or Win95, and copying then. At least the base packages will be needed, and make sure you have RPM ( to easily add packages later and UMSDOS (PARIDE). Like I said this can be done if needed later. If this is overkill, skip ahead a paragraph.
Copy either the entire /RedHat directory off of Redhat CD#1, or if space does not permit this, make sure of the following:
Once the packages you want are available on the HDD, we can get on with the CD-ROM
install (hopefully you won't need these). If you chose to start fresh above, you are
ready for Linux
2. You
may attempt to keep your existing installation and resize it to allow space on the drive
for your Linux partitions. Do Not attempt this with fdisk,
instead check the RedHat CD#1 in the \Dosutils directory for documentation on FIPS a
partition splitting utility. --I have used this, but it is just as easy to reinstall
Win95 and a few apps, restore some of your files, and set preferences if that is all you
have (Colorpro's Drives ~ 530MB) FIPS is real handy on large drives though.
Now, this worked great on my system, and I would like to here from you if this helps at all.
After a little research,
found out that certain MicroSolutions Backpack CD-ROM drives use a different set of drivers. Got a new Boot Disk in
order to use the Backpack.
(If you use the new boot disk comment
here.)
First of all, I blamed the install problems I had on the use of floppy disks. The drive itself worked great in DOS and I even switched out drives with no luck. Multiple disks = same probs, so not media either.
Use of the updated boot disk for Backpack CD-ROM worked great, chose
CD-ROM install; Microsolutions Backpack. Like I mentioned above, this still led to
probs,
So ...
I am going to boot directly from HDD on Dos partition, then install from CD (driven by new Paride drivers (also on HDD)) so that no floppy drive use is necessary!!!
Step 1. Copy \dosutils & \misc directories from RedHat CD #1 to your
pri-Dos partition (I'll call this your HDD for now.) If space is a concern, remove
all Fips stuff since we won't be using it.
*****
Step 2. Copy all files off the new boot floppy to respective directories on
HDD.
Step 3. Copy autoexec.bat autoexec.dos & copy config.sys config.dos then edit autoexec.bat & config.sys to remark out extra junk, and call the autoboot.bat on HDD ( C: \dosutils\autoboot.bat ). I was sick of reboots during the install, so this way I didn't have to mess much to get the install running again. This can be as fancy as you want, here is my autoexec.bat for during the install:
Step 4. Now reboot. With any luck at all, your autoexec.bat
called the autoboot.bat on the HDD, which booted the install from the HDD rather than the
CD-ROM.
Step 5. Step through the RedHat install, and select the CD-ROM install. Again
with any luck you now are able to select the new Microsolutions Backpack option
from the menu which should detect your Backpack CD-ROM.
Well, installing from the CD-ROM went well (fast too) for me from here, I
assume that you will have to set your Linux partitions with either fdisk or DiskDruid
still. (I had already defined the partitions, but the earlier failed attempts had
not labeled them. This time I just went to edit, set the label on my root partition
to / and continued the install !!!) I would rather have set more partitions, but the
sheer number of failed installs had left me with the less is more scheme of root ( / )
with 230MB and a swap of 23MB to go with my measly 8MB's of physical RAM. Of course
this was based on my 250MB of unallocated space on the Colorpro's 503MB harddrive.
-- SUCCESS !!!
Some other "helpful" info about / on my CompuAdd Colorpro 475 Laptop:
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| HELPFUL LINKS | |
|---|---|
| http://www.torque.net/parport/rhs.html | -- New Boot Disk Info |
| http://www.torque.net/parport/paride.html | -- PARIDE Driver Info |
| http://www.linuxstart.com/system/drivers.html | -- General Info on Drivers |