IBM 755CD

[linux-thinkpad@www.bm-soft.com]

Robert,

>>
I'm new to Linux and am trying to load Linux Mandrake 6.0 onto the system.
The only problem I've run into (so far:)) is that the floppy and the CD-Rom
share the same bay. When I boot up using the floppy, it doesn't recognize
the CD-Rom. Any suggetions? TIA
<<

Although I don't have a 755CD on hand, I do have a 760CD, which also requires
swapping the CDROM drive and diskette drive in its single bay. So, last night, I
used the 760CD to create a procedure for you. I used Red Hat Linux 6.0 for the
install. The trick is to suspend the machine (via Fn+F4) and switch from
diskette to CD at just the right time -- when the loader is done with the
diskette and before the kernel has begun execution. The method below performs
the switch-a-roo during the uncompressing of the kernel image.

1. Boot the RH6 install diskette.
2. Press Enter (or let the loader time-out) to begin the loading process.
    - You'll see the message: "Loading initrd.img........."
    - You'll see the message: "Loading vmlinux.........."
      (About 10 progress dots -- keep your finger on the Fn key!)
3. As soon as you see the message, "Uncompressing Linux," press Fn+F4 to trigger
the suspend. If you see the kernel spewing out information before the suspend
occurs, you've waited too long.
4. Replace the diskette drive with the CDROM drive.
5. Resume. The loader should continue uncompressing the kernel.
6. When the kernel starts execution, if you watch very closely you should see it
report the CD-ROM drive.
7. On one of my attempts, the kernel trapped during the device probing --
possibly a result of the suspend. If this happens, simply go back to step 1 and
try again. This procedure has worked for me 3 out of 4 times.
8. Continue with the install. When asked to insert the RH6 install CD:
    a. Open the CD-ROM drive (ie., eject).
    b. Insert the RH6 CD if it is not already in the drive.
    c. Close the drive and wait a few seconds for the drive to scope out the CD.
9. Continue with the install. If the installs says that it could not recognize
the media, go back to step 8 and try again. It seems that after a suspend, the
eject-close drive sequence is necessary, even though the RH6 CD may have already
been in the drive.
10. Once the CD is recognized, proceed with the install.
11. Skip the "Make boot disk" phase or any other option that requires going back
out to diskette. As long as you put LILO on the hard disk (master boot record or
first sector of boot partition), you should be able to boot into Linux and make
a boot disk at that time.

I hope this works for you. It's usually a good idea to make sure you are running
with the latest level of BIOS.

-- Keith

Keith Frechette
Linux Development Lead, Mobile Computing Options and Software Development
IBM Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
kfrechet@us.ibm.com / 919-543-3761 / TieLine:441-3761


"Pr. Robert Wurst" <wurst@evansville.net> on 08/01/99 10:41:03 PM

Please respond to linux-thinkpad@www.bm-soft.com

To:   linux-thinkpad@bm-soft.com
cc:
Subject:  IBM 755CD





I'm new to Linux and am trying to load Linux Mandrake 6.0 onto the system.
The only problem I've run into (so far:)) is that the floppy and the CD-Rom
share the same bay. When I boot up using the floppy, it doesn't recognize
the CD-Rom. Any suggetions? TIA

Rob

+++
Pr. Robert Wurst    mailto:wurst@evansville.net
Our Saviour Lutheran Church
6501 E. Madison Ave.
Evansville, IN  47715
812.476.8707 v/tty
Ballast Press information:  mailto:info@ballastpress.com