[Ham-Computers] Re: Puppy Linux hard drive install problem

[fkamp at comcast.net]

doc wrote:
> 
> >>BTW:  Just got Thingamablog running under Puppy.  It only
> >>needs Java and not several libraries with the predictable
> >>troubles as libraries are updated, etc.
> >
> > I have seen you refer to the Thing.... before.
> > What is it?
> >
> > Regards, Frank Kamp  K5DKZ
> 
> Remember "The Thing"?  VW copied an old German military vehicle.
> 
> Thingamablog is an app to host your own blog.
> 
> I am fond of it because it is naturally portable because it
> only requires Java and you can put Pupppy, Java, Thing, etc.
> on a USB stick and take it wherever you go!

Sounds interesting.  I will have to look that up. 
Seems like something neat to play with.

I got a hard drive refresher course at 

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/bios/modesLBA-c.html

Lots of good information there.

I also discovered that Puppy has hdparm.  In my
case, I only have one hard drive, hda.  By
entering hdparm -i /dev/hda while in a terminal
mode (rxvt will do it) you get a screen
identifying the hard drive and its capabilities. 
The hard drive I am using has no LBA capability. 
Probably not a big surprise since it is only
540meg. I guess the BIOS in this particular
computer is not smart enough to work with dumb
drives through the AUTO option.

I could have saved myself a lot of time by using
hdparm before trying to use that particular hard
disk.  Oh well, now I know.

Regards,
Frank Kamp
K5DKZ