> Could you possibly tweak the install program so I could send the tomsrtbt
> files to hdb instead of fd0? I've been trying to install Linuxes for 3+
> weeks but all of them get angry at the rescue disk and booting process.
> Please let me know if this is feasible; THANKS!
>
> [Of course, plan 'b' is to buy a fd0, install, and toss.. we'll see.]
It isn't just the install program. The ramdisk driver in the kernel
_will not_ load a kernel-loaded ramdisk except from a floppy device,
without patching the ramdisk driver. If you decide to make a kernel that
will do this, the stuff in rd.c you need to fix is stuff like:
if (MAJOR(ROOT_DEV) != FLOPPY_MAJOR
Where is says, if it ain't a real floppy, don't load a ramdisk.
You could also get a CDROM drive and use a bootable CD. There is a
bootable CD version of tomsrtbt, but you would have to burn the CD-R
yourself, I don't actually create or distribute other than electronically.
My recommendation to LS120 owners is, as you mentioned, splurge the $15
and get a *real* floppy drive, maybe you can sell the LS120 on E-Bay...
Personally, I think LS-120 (and Zip, and etc.) are not a good idea, a
floppy is 1.44, a CD or CD-R or CD-RW is 650MB, there isn't a need for
something in between, so, in addition to the technical reasons for not
doing it, I have no inclination to support them, I just want these formats
to go away and die. I realize that doesn't help you much...
FWIW, If I ever get around to releasing another version of tomsrtbt, which
I do plan to do, I will probably apply the kernel patch that will at least
make it possible to load compressed ramdisks from hard-drives (I'm doing
it for things like SanDisk solid-state IDE devices, really, the LS-120s
will be a side benefit).
-Tom
