Floppyconfig problem

[Woody Ochs]

FWIW, I now have 3.7 working on the machine that I need the floppyconfig. But only with the 2.4 kernal, I tried with 2.6 kernal and got the same errors that showed up in 3.8. So it might be something inherent to the 2.6 kernal or something left out in the kernal setup.

Great. This gets us somewhere. Does anyone else know how to narrow the scope of this problem even more? Let's forget about fixing it for now but just try to isolate it as much as possible.

[oddgeezer]

FWIW, I now have 3.7 working on the machine that I need the floppyconfig. But only with the 2.4 kernal, I tried with 2.6 kernal and got the same errors that showed up in 3.8. So it might be something inherent to the 2.6 kernal or something left out in the kernal setup.

Great. This gets us somewhere. Does anyone else know how to narrow the scope of this problem even more? Let's forget about fixing it for now but just try to isolate it as much as possible.

I run KANOTIX, which is based on KNOPPIX. It says it has the 2.6.11.11 kernal. With KANOTIX the use of floppy for the configuration files works just fine.

P.S. I have never got it to work (using floppy for config files) with KNOPPIX v. 3.9 -- just like you guys.
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Added in EDIT mode: By the way you can talk to "KANO" on his forum : http://forum.kanotix.net/viewtopic.p...asc&highlight= and he discusses updating the kernal at the site
http://kanotix.com/files/kernel/ . He might tell you about this bug that exists in KNOPPIX.

[Woody Ochs]

Well I don't have an answer for this problem either, and just talking about it won't make one appear, so let me ask this: Does anyone know where we can LOOK for an answer or where we can ASK if there even is an answer or if this is really an irreparable bug? It's obvious that there is no answer to be found here in this forum, but does anyone here in this forum know of any OTHER resource where a direct and intelligible question such as "How can I make the cheatcode 'floppyconfig' or some such similar code work with Knoppix Versions 3.8, 3.9, or 4.0?" yield a direct, intelligible, and useful answer?

[rwcitek]

Well I don't have an answer for this problem either, and just talking about it won't make one appear, so let me ask this: Does anyone know where we can LOOK for an answer or where we can ASK if there even is an answer or if this is really an irreparable bug?

First, don't panic. Second, Knoppix is Open Source. So everyone can have a look at the code, study it, modify it, and redistribute it. In other words, the likelihood that floppyconfig is an irreparable bug is pretty small.

... any OTHER resource where a direct and intelligible question such as "How can I make the cheatcode 'floppyconfig' or some such similar code work with Knoppix Versions 3.8, 3.9, or 4.0?" yield a direct, intelligible, and useful answer?

Not that I'm aware of.

However, while I don't know what's wrong with floppyconfig, I do know that the floppy-config cheatcode is processed by /etc/init.d/knoppix-autoconfig. So, if we remember 1) to not panic and 2) that Knoppix is Open Source, we can actually narrow down where the problem might be and fix it. To narrow down where the problem is, boot with boot: knoppix -b 3. This will bring knoppix into "emergency mode", a stage just before knoppix-autoconfig gets processed. You can then modify knoppix-autoconfig, putting in breakpoints and the like and watch it as it tries to load the information from the floppyconfig cheatcode.

In fact, I'm going to boot up 3.8.2 and see if I can replicate the problem with floppyconfig. I'll post back my results later.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

[rwcitek]

... I'm going to boot up 3.8.2 and see if I can replicate the problem with floppyconfig.

Yup. I was able to replicate the problem just fine. There appear to be "bugs" in a few places. Here's what I did to get floppyconfig to work under 3.8.2:

Saving the config files:
- boot normally
- create the config files as normal
- edit the newly created knoppix.sh file, changing the "if" statement to this:

if [ -f "$CONFIGS" ]; then
  echo "Extracting config archive $CONFIGS..."
  tar -jpPtf "$CONFIGS" | xargs rm -f 
  tar -jpPxf "$CONFIGS" 
  tar -jpPtf "$CONFIGS" | xargs chown root.root
fi

In 3.8.2 the knoppix.sh code had "chown -R root.root /" which changes every file to be owned by root. That command didn't make sense especially for the /cdrom and /KNOPPIX portions which are mounted read-only. The above code changes permissions only for the files extracted from the config file. It is entirely possible that there is no need at all for the chown command, but I haven't looked at the code deep enough to figure that out.

Booting with floppyconfig:
- boot into "emergency mode" with boot: knoppix floppyconfig -b
- to enter "emergency mode" press enter when asked for root's password.
- type the following

mkdir /mnt/floppy
exit  # leave emergency mode and continue the normal boot process

From what I can tell, /etc/init.d/knoppix-autoconfig tries to mount the floppy disk so that it can read the config files. Unfortunately, there is no /mnt/floppy mount point, yet. So the mount fails, triggering an endless request for a password. The above steps create the mountpoint /mnt/floppy just before /etc/init.d/knoppix-autoconfig runs. A better fix would be to modify knoppix-autoconfig or even /linuxrc in minirt.gz to make the mountpoint automatically.

The above worked for me. Does it work for anyone else?

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

[Woody Ochs]

Robert, this workaround is great; it works on the 3.9 CD and the 4.0 DVD. This floppyconfig problem has been kicked around here and elsewhere on the Net for months now, and I must confess to being one of those many talkers who had no plan of action. Some people might question the value of floppy storage at all when pendrives can hold so much more data, but 1M is usually enough for almost any Knoppix configuration, and a floppy slips nicely into a standard sized jewel box along with the disk. Also of note is the fact that your resolution was clearly and logically presented. Free and Open Source Software (I like that acronym FLOSS) has not been accepted as widely as it should because poor documentation (as well as really poor and absolutely pathetic documentation) is more the rule than the exception in the GNU-LINUX-BSD cosmos, but if you address many more problems with resolutions such as this then I won't be able to whine about documentation anymore either.

[rwcitek]

Robert, this workaround is great; it works on the 3.9 CD and the 4.0 DVD.

Excellent news! Thanks for trying it out and letting the rest of us know. BTW, I don't know if the solution is a good solution. That is, there may be unintended side effects of creating the mountpoint that I am unaware of. If there are, I'd like anyone who discovers such a side effect to post back.

This floppyconfig problem has been kicked around here and elsewhere on the Net for months now, and I must confess to being one of those many talkers who had no plan of action. Some people might question the value of floppy storage at all when pendrives can hold so much more data, but 1M is usually enough for almost any Knoppix configuration, and a floppy slips nicely into a standard sized jewel box along with the disk.

Admittedly, I have an adversion to floppies, but that's just because floppies are a very unreliable medium for data storage. If you use one, use two. Despite that floppies are useful, especially on older hardware that does not have USB or FW card.

Also of note is the fact that your resolution was clearly and logically presented.

Thanks. But what is also worth noting is that you read them, tried them, and posted your experience back. That's called teamwork. It's what builds and binds a FLOSS community.

Free and Open Source Software (I like that acronym FLOSS) has not been accepted as widely as it should because poor documentation (as well as really poor and absolutely pathetic documentation) is more the rule than the exception in the GNU-LINUX-BSD cosmos, ...

Unfortunately, I agree. The docs are often writen by those who are the least interested in writing docs: coders. And coders would rather write code than write docs. Of course, IMHO, the best software needs no documentation; it just works and what it does is self-explanatory. But examples of such "self-documenting" software are rare even in the proprietary world.

... but if you address many more problems with resolutions such as this then I won't be able to whine about documentation anymore either.

My point is that it is not just me addressing problems. It's you, me, and others, too. FLOSS is a team effort, a community. Everyone can participate to help.

How can one improve the state of FLOSS, in particular, make it more widely accepted? Here are some ideas that even the non-coder can participate in:

- use FLOSS
- let non-FLOSS users know that you use FLOSS
- for the FLOSS you use, learn the community structure and tools: web pages, forums, wiki, e-mail lists, bug trackers, etc.
- participate in discussions via forums and e-mails
- give feedback: what works, what doesn't

Those are just some of the many ways people can help out and one does not even need to understand a lick of coding.

To learn more about Free Software and how to participate in the FLOSS community:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source_culture

I remember finding How-Tos about participating in the FLOSS community, but those are the only two I have been able to find so far. Will keep looking.

And remember, don't panic.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org