I have an existing hard drive that I would like to partition for ext3fs then utilize for backing up data files from a new machine. My problem is that this HDD has a full version of FC4, and if I have it switched on when connected by external USB when booting the new system, it will hang the process. New equipment is SATA with recent version of FC5; No problem when running by itself. I just haven't been able to read or see this external because I have to wait till FC5 boots; then it's to late. I have tried various timed events but still no worky. Can I make an entry to /etc/fstab or some related config file as you would to mount a new floppy or CD? This is my first time at the ext3 forum and a new Linux user, so any help with commands or procedures to implement ext3, or whatever would be the best suited fs, is greatly appreciated. David
On Wed, 30 Aug 2006, david cooke wrote:> My problem is that this HDD has a full version of FC4, > and if I have it switched on when connected by external USB when > booting the new system, it will hang the process.It will hang..."the process of backing up files"? How so, any error messages, can you kill the process?> New equipment is SATA with recent version of FC5; No problem when > running by itself. I just haven't been able to read or see this > external because I have to wait till FC5 boots; then it's to late. > I have tried various timed events but still no worky.I don't know if I understand you correctly: you've upgraded to FC5 and the external (USB? SATA?) drive still "does not work"?> Can I make an entry to /etc/fstab or some related config file as you > would to mount a new floppy or CD?Still not ext3-related, but "man fstab" should help: /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom iso9660 ro 0 0 ...should be a good start.> This is my first time at the ext3 forum and a new Linux user, > so any help with commands or procedures to implement ext3,I'm not sure about the problem you are describing. If something (anything!) does not work the way you'd expect it to work: send error messages, typescripts of the *exact* things you did and what *exactly* did "not work".> or whatever would be the best suited fs,Ext3 ;-) Christian. -- BOFH excuse #128: Power Company having EMP problems with their reactor
[please reply on-list, so that other ppl can help too] On Thu, 31 Aug 2006, david cooke wrote:> By hang, I mean the boot process will not go any further if I > turn on the USB during boot. Whatever boot happens to beHm, too bad :( But I'd suggest to discuss this issue on some FC forum, usb-list or even linux-kernel.>> I don't know if I understand you correctly: you've upgraded to FC5 and >> the external (USB? SATA?) drive still "does not work"?> Typing fdisk /dev/sdc gives us > Unable to open /dev/sdcso, your OS (linux, FC) does not seem to be aware of your usb-disk (sdc) or the driver crashed. try to check dmesg/messages for related information and pass it on to one of the above mentioned lists.> There is a light on in the USB so I think it's on...Yes, it is on.That's good ;)> Typing fdisk /dev/sda results in > The number of cylinders for this disk is set to 19457.[...] OK, so sda (sata disk?) is doing well. this is good ;)> Now, I keep thinking this is my primary so don't to mess around here. > Is this the USB?typing "dmesg | grep sd" after booting should reveal which disk got initialized with which "sdX" name.> A different subject and we can cross that bridge later, but > See above where the cylinders are set to nineteen thousand plus and not > (I guess the usual) 1024? Can it be fixed?This is what the help-messages above is in place: "The number of cylinders for this disk is set to 19457. There is nothing wrong with that, but this is larger than 1024, and could in certain setups cause problems with: 1) software that runs at boot time (e.g., old versions of LILO) 2) booting and partitioning software from other OSs (e.g., DOS FDISK, OS/2 FDISK)" So, why would you change anything? do you have DOS, OS/2 fdisk? do you have old version of lilo? (FC uses GRUB anyway, IIRC). greetings, Christian. -- BOFH excuse #115: your keyboard's space bar is generating spurious keycodes.