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diff --git a/Documentation/floppy.txt b/Documentation/floppy.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6ccab88705cb..000000000000 --- a/Documentation/floppy.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,245 +0,0 @@ -This file describes the floppy driver. - -FAQ list: -========= - - A FAQ list may be found in the fdutils package (see below), and also -at <http://fdutils.linux.lu/faq.html>. - - -LILO configuration options (Thinkpad users, read this) -====================================================== - - The floppy driver is configured using the 'floppy=' option in -lilo. This option can be typed at the boot prompt, or entered in the -lilo configuration file. - - Example: If your kernel is called linux-2.6.9, type the following line -at the lilo boot prompt (if you have a thinkpad): - - linux-2.6.9 floppy=thinkpad - -You may also enter the following line in /etc/lilo.conf, in the description -of linux-2.6.9: - - append = "floppy=thinkpad" - - Several floppy related options may be given, example: - - linux-2.6.9 floppy=daring floppy=two_fdc - append = "floppy=daring floppy=two_fdc" - - If you give options both in the lilo config file and on the boot -prompt, the option strings of both places are concatenated, the boot -prompt options coming last. That's why there are also options to -restore the default behavior. - - -Module configuration options -============================ - - If you use the floppy driver as a module, use the following syntax: -modprobe floppy <options> - -Example: - modprobe floppy omnibook messages - - If you need certain options enabled every time you load the floppy driver, -you can put: - - options floppy omnibook messages - -in /etc/modprobe.conf. - - - The floppy driver related options are: - - floppy=asus_pci - Sets the bit mask to allow only units 0 and 1. (default) - - floppy=daring - Tells the floppy driver that you have a well behaved floppy controller. - This allows more efficient and smoother operation, but may fail on - certain controllers. This may speed up certain operations. - - floppy=0,daring - Tells the floppy driver that your floppy controller should be used - with caution. - - floppy=one_fdc - Tells the floppy driver that you have only one floppy controller. - (default) - - floppy=two_fdc - floppy=<address>,two_fdc - Tells the floppy driver that you have two floppy controllers. - The second floppy controller is assumed to be at <address>. - This option is not needed if the second controller is at address - 0x370, and if you use the 'cmos' option. - - floppy=thinkpad - Tells the floppy driver that you have a Thinkpad. Thinkpads use an - inverted convention for the disk change line. - - floppy=0,thinkpad - Tells the floppy driver that you don't have a Thinkpad. - - floppy=omnibook - floppy=nodma - Tells the floppy driver not to use Dma for data transfers. - This is needed on HP Omnibooks, which don't have a workable - DMA channel for the floppy driver. This option is also useful - if you frequently get "Unable to allocate DMA memory" messages. - Indeed, dma memory needs to be continuous in physical memory, - and is thus harder to find, whereas non-dma buffers may be - allocated in virtual memory. However, I advise against this if - you have an FDC without a FIFO (8272A or 82072). 82072A and - later are OK. You also need at least a 486 to use nodma. - If you use nodma mode, I suggest you also set the FIFO - threshold to 10 or lower, in order to limit the number of data - transfer interrupts. - - If you have a FIFO-able FDC, the floppy driver automatically - falls back on non DMA mode if no DMA-able memory can be found. - If you want to avoid this, explicitly ask for 'yesdma'. - - floppy=yesdma - Tells the floppy driver that a workable DMA channel is available. - (default) - - floppy=nofifo - Disables the FIFO entirely. This is needed if you get "Bus - master arbitration error" messages from your Ethernet card (or - from other devices) while accessing the floppy. - - floppy=usefifo - Enables the FIFO. (default) - - floppy=<threshold>,fifo_depth - Sets the FIFO threshold. This is mostly relevant in DMA - mode. If this is higher, the floppy driver tolerates more - interrupt latency, but it triggers more interrupts (i.e. it - imposes more load on the rest of the system). If this is - lower, the interrupt latency should be lower too (faster - processor). The benefit of a lower threshold is less - interrupts. - - To tune the fifo threshold, switch on over/underrun messages - using 'floppycontrol --messages'. Then access a floppy - disk. If you get a huge amount of "Over/Underrun - retrying" - messages, then the fifo threshold is too low. Try with a - higher value, until you only get an occasional Over/Underrun. - It is a good idea to compile the floppy driver as a module - when doing this tuning. Indeed, it allows to try different - fifo values without rebooting the machine for each test. Note - that you need to do 'floppycontrol --messages' every time you - re-insert the module. - - Usually, tuning the fifo threshold should not be needed, as - the default (0xa) is reasonable. - - floppy=<drive>,<type>,cmos - Sets the CMOS type of <drive> to <type>. This is mandatory if - you have more than two floppy drives (only two can be - described in the physical CMOS), or if your BIOS uses - non-standard CMOS types. The CMOS types are: - - 0 - Use the value of the physical CMOS - 1 - 5 1/4 DD - 2 - 5 1/4 HD - 3 - 3 1/2 DD - 4 - 3 1/2 HD - 5 - 3 1/2 ED - 6 - 3 1/2 ED - 16 - unknown or not installed - - (Note: there are two valid types for ED drives. This is because 5 was - initially chosen to represent floppy *tapes*, and 6 for ED drives. - AMI ignored this, and used 5 for ED drives. That's why the floppy - driver handles both.) - - floppy=unexpected_interrupts - Print a warning message when an unexpected interrupt is received. - (default) - - floppy=no_unexpected_interrupts - floppy=L40SX - Don't print a message when an unexpected interrupt is received. This - is needed on IBM L40SX laptops in certain video modes. (There seems - to be an interaction between video and floppy. The unexpected - interrupts affect only performance, and can be safely ignored.) - - floppy=broken_dcl - Don't use the disk change line, but assume that the disk was - changed whenever the device node is reopened. Needed on some - boxes where the disk change line is broken or unsupported. - This should be regarded as a stopgap measure, indeed it makes - floppy operation less efficient due to unneeded cache - flushings, and slightly more unreliable. Please verify your - cable, connection and jumper settings if you have any DCL - problems. However, some older drives, and also some laptops - are known not to have a DCL. - - floppy=debug - Print debugging messages. - - floppy=messages - Print informational messages for some operations (disk change - notifications, warnings about over and underruns, and about - autodetection). - - floppy=silent_dcl_clear - Uses a less noisy way to clear the disk change line (which - doesn't involve seeks). Implied by 'daring' option. - - floppy=<nr>,irq - Sets the floppy IRQ to <nr> instead of 6. - - floppy=<nr>,dma - Sets the floppy DMA channel to <nr> instead of 2. - - floppy=slow - Use PS/2 stepping rate: - " PS/2 floppies have much slower step rates than regular floppies. - It's been recommended that take about 1/4 of the default speed - in some more extreme cases." - - -Supporting utilities and additional documentation: -================================================== - - Additional parameters of the floppy driver can be configured at -runtime. Utilities which do this can be found in the fdutils package. -This package also contains a new version of mtools which allows to -access high capacity disks (up to 1992K on a high density 3 1/2 disk!). -It also contains additional documentation about the floppy driver. - -The latest version can be found at fdutils homepage: - http://fdutils.linux.lu - -The fdutils releases can be found at: - http://fdutils.linux.lu/download.html - http://www.tux.org/pub/knaff/fdutils/ - ftp://metalab.unc.edu/pub/Linux/utils/disk-management/ - -Reporting problems about the floppy driver -========================================== - - If you have a question or a bug report about the floppy driver, mail -me at Alain.Knaff@poboxes.com . If you post to Usenet, preferably use -comp.os.linux.hardware. As the volume in these groups is rather high, -be sure to include the word "floppy" (or "FLOPPY") in the subject -line. If the reported problem happens when mounting floppy disks, be -sure to mention also the type of the filesystem in the subject line. - - Be sure to read the FAQ before mailing/posting any bug reports! - - Alain - -Changelog -========= - -10-30-2004 : Cleanup, updating, add reference to module configuration. - James Nelson <james4765@gmail.com> - -6-3-2000 : Original Document |