Re: tlug: MO drives and Linux?

[Masanori "Smack" OMOTE <omote@example.com>]

Hi,

Dr. Marcus Metzler wrote:
MM> I was thinking about getting a MO drive for backup purposes. Since
MM> those drives don't seem to be as popular in Germany (thats where I come
MM> from) as they are here in Japan, I have no idea how and if one can 
MM> use them under Linux. I guess it should be possible since they are SCSI
MM> devices and if the device is not too specific like e.g. a scanner,
MM> they should be as easy to handle as a Jaz drive (which I have, but whose
MM> media are too expensive to use them just for backups). 
MM> If it is possible to use MO drives, I would also like to know which
MM> one would be the best to buy.

Yes, I am a user both of Jaz 1GB drive and MO drive on Lunux.  It can
be used in the same way as Jaz.  To use MO disk,

  1. Insert physical-formatted MO disk in the drive,
  2. 'fdisk' for partitioning,
  3. 'mke2fs' for building new ext2 file system, and
  4. 'mount' somewhere to write/read.

My drive is M2512A by Fujitsu which capacity is 230MB with no cache
but cheapest model when I bought.  I think it already discontinued.

I recommend you to buy an MO drive with full documentation of
jumper/switch.  I have once bought a drive from bulk with one paper
describing only SCSI ID setting.  I missed to swith off the power of
terminator so that it broke 3 months later.


Smack
--
Masanori -Smack- OMOTE
omote@example.com
masa@example.com
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