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diff --git a/Documentation/floppy.txt b/Documentation/floppy.txt new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..6fb10fcd82f --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/floppy.txt @@ -0,0 +1,245 @@ +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-5.4 release can be found at: + http://fdutils.linux.lu/fdutils-5.4.src.tar.gz + http://www.tux.org/pub/knaff/fdutils/fdutils-5.4.src.tar.gz + ftp://metalab.unc.edu/pub/Linux/utils/disk-management/fdutils-5.4.src.tar.gz + +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 |