You can probably work around this device bug by editing linux/drivers/scsi/sd.c to remove all attempt to send prevent/allow commands -- IIRC, that's only two places in the file, tho I don't recall exactly where they are at the moment.
Sorry, the patch goes this time.
-- I'll pretend to trust you if you'll pretend to trust me.
Javier Marcet <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
--- linux/include/scsi/scsi_devinfo.h.orig 2004-01-13 04:03:19.000000000 +0100 +++ linux/include/scsi/scsi_devinfo.h 2004-01-13 04:12:19.509266640 +0100 @@ -19,4 +19,5 @@ #define BLIST_MS_SKIP_PAGE_08 0x2000 /* do not send ms page 0x08 */ #define BLIST_MS_SKIP_PAGE_3F 0x4000 /* do not send ms page 0x3f */ #define BLIST_USE_10_BYTE_MS 0x8000 /* use 10 byte ms before 6 byte ms */ +#define BLIST_NORMB 0x10000 /* Known to be not removable */ #endif --- linux/drivers/scsi/scsi_scan.c.orig 2004-01-13 04:03:19.000000000 +0100 +++ linux/drivers/scsi/scsi_scan.c 2004-01-13 04:13:07.728936136 +0100 @@ -536,7 +536,8 @@ sdev->online = FALSE; } - sdev->removable = (0x80 & inq_result[1]) >> 7; + sdev->removable = (((0x80 & inq_result[1]) >> 7) && + !(*bflags & BLIST_NORMB)); sdev->lockable = sdev->removable; sdev->soft_reset = (inq_result[7] & 1) && ((inq_result[3] & 7) == 2); --- linux/drivers/scsi/scsi_devinfo.c.orig 2004-01-13 04:03:19.000000000 +0100 +++ linux/drivers/scsi/scsi_devinfo.c 2004-01-13 04:13:40.591940200 +0100 @@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ {"SGI", "TP9500", "*", BLIST_SPARSELUN | BLIST_LARGELUN}, {"MYLEX", "DACARMRB", "*", BLIST_SPARSELUN | BLIST_LARGELUN}, {"XYRATEX", "RS", "*", BLIST_SPARSELUN | BLIST_LARGELUN}, + {"iRiver", "iFP Mass Driver", NULL, BLIST_NORMB}, { NULL, NULL, NULL, 0 }, };