Using the floppy drive and saving files
Forum: Other Help Topics
Topic: Using the floppy drive and saving files
started by: Serenity
Posted by Serenity on Mar. 29 2004,02:10
Hello, I'm new to linux, in fact, I've only been running DSL for 3 hours.. I'm a total convert 
I am having some difficulties though.
How do I save files to the floppy drive? I have already got as far as making a backup of filetool.lst but when I went to save a screenshot in Xpaint I kept getting errors and could not see the floppy drive in the /dev list.
Posted by Arioch on Mar. 29 2004,02:45
If you only need to backup your settings it should mount the floppy drive automatically and copy the files. Backup is in the menu under System. Have you tried using the mount dockapp that comes up when you "enhance" the desktop?
Posted by Serenity on Mar. 29 2004,03:15
To clarify my original post- I don't know what to put into the save as box so the screenshot (or any file I've made for that matter, whether its a webpage in dillo or whatever; I had a text file and I couldn't save that to floppy either.) gets saved to a disk in the floppy drive. How do I make the floppy drive a seeable directory from all save as dialogs? I've heard the term 'mount the hard drive' and I am not sure if this is related in some way. For example, I've tried to save a screenshot with /dev/floppy/screenie.gif but I get errors saying invalid directory.
The only time I can see whats on the floppy drive is when I double click the resources meter thingy that as default docks on the right hand part of the screen. I found you can change the icon and double click on it opens a file viewer that looks more dos than windows iyswim. There I could see the backup files I made earlier- backup.tar.gz and filetool.lst. For that I typed dev/floppy and then it saved automatically. It has not created a directory on the floppy disk called floppy so I can only assume that in some parts of linux /floppy means floppy drive and not others.
I can't see why this procedure should be different for other applications. If it isn't, please explain.
I could also browse my windows formatted harddisks from there which was a little unnerving. It might even be possible to save my files directly onto my harddisks.. and then reboot in windows and there they are! If this could be done that would be great. Of course I'd like to get to the point where I won't need to do this anymore ;)
Posted by Serenity on Mar. 29 2004,04:16
*yay* I found out how to do it. 
I found you have to change the dir one at a time. So first it was /mnt then /floppy then I could save with filename and [ok]. /me off to sleep.. what a long night figuring this out!
Posted by Rapidweather on Mar. 29 2004,04:56
I find that opening an rxvt and then #sudo scite (for instance, to open the SciTEeditor with root privileges) solves some of the "cannot write" problems.
Also, try and save to /home/damnsmall and not a sub-directory of that. Then,
once saved, you can move the file into the sub-directory with the:
#sudo mv mypicture.jpg /home/damnsmall/photos/
command.
(assuming that you have made a /photos directory.
For some additional help on all this, and saving your work, browse
this file:
< http://www.angelfire.com/ms/telegram/general_howto >
---
Hope some of this helps.
---
I just finished a remaster of DSL that has a collection of jpg images
for use as wallpapers in the Fluxbox window manager.
I put them in a sub directory of /home/damnsmall, and they come up
automatically, without a line in my filetool.lst, when I boot up.
I don't touch that directory in the backup/restore, anything else I
download, I put in the "download" directory. I have a 200 KB restore
tarball now, and do not want to allow the images to get into that
tarball, when I backup. If one uses a usb stick to backup, then a nice
128 MB one will handle all, but I am stuck with a floppy.
---
On the subject of wallpapers, put "webshots croatia" in Google, and
browse through some of the waterfall pictures there. That photographer
also has Alaska pictures, wonderful as wallpaper. Really shows off
Damn Small Linux to have something like that.
---
Posted by Arioch on Mar. 29 2004,06:07
Serenity,You can save files to your hard drive if you need. If you open up a terminal (rxvt) and type "sudo su" then hit enter. That is how your get root access. Then type "mount -w /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1" Note: hda1 might not be your hard drive though. If it's not then check cycle through the little dockapp in the bottom right of your screen where you found out how you could mount your floppy drive. Anyhow, "mount" is what you do when you need to access a drive. "mount" by itself will only give you read permission on NTFS drives. "mount -w" will give you read and write permission. The first part (/dev/hda1) is the path to the device you wish to mount. The second part (/mnt/hda1) is the path to where you want to link it to. So "mount -w /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1" will mount my hard drive with read and write permission to the /mnt folder as drive hda1. Once that is done you can open "emelfm" (located in the menu under apps, system) and view your Windows files in /mnt/hda1.
Posted by cbagger01 on Mar. 29 2004,19:17
FYI,The NTFS file system is the default file system for Microsoft Windows ™ NT, 2000, XP and Server 2003.
FAT and FAT32 are used by MSDOS/Windows 95/98/ME.
So the bottom line is:
A DSL user can save files to his or her C:\ drive if they have a typically installed MSDOS/Window 95/98/ME system.
While in DSL, the C:\ drive is READ ONLY if your system has a typical install of Windows NT/2000/XP/2003
Good Luck.
Posted by Serenity on Mar. 29 2004,19:37
Hello, still having problems.. 
When I type in "mount -w/dev/hda1 mnt/hda1" I get "mount: invalid option -- /" and then a list of usage. In that it said if I type "mount" then I get a list of mounted filesystems. My harddrives are formatted FAT32 btw, it shows it as type vfat. Maybe it won't mount to anything other than NTFS hd.
I've sussed how to save files, I managed to save a .txt doc in scrite to floppy and opened it in windows. Again, by going to the /mnt dir then the /floppy dir.
---
Edited to add..
Have also saved files to my windows c:\ in the same way, selecting /mnt then /hda1.
----
I am having problems with the whole backup routine. I set my dialup connection everytime I boot because if I type "knoppix restore" at boot I get a desktop, only its like 4 colors and a really low resolution. If I boot from the cdrom without knoppix restore I have to set it up as I go, but I can get 1024x 32bit color no problems.
I've followed the 'save your configuration' over and over and cannot think what I am doing wrong for it to not backup things properly.
Help!
Posted by cbagger01 on Mar. 30 2004,01:06
You are supposed to put a blank space between the -w and the /dev/hda1:mount -w /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1
There are other ways to mount your hda1 partition:
1) Choose "Enhance" from the Fluxbox Start Menu. Then use the Mount.app located in the lower right corner of your screen. Use the arrows to toggle to the "HDA1" mount and push the button in the middle.
2) While inside Emelfm, go to the top directory (Keep clicking on the double dots or .. ). Then double-click on '/mnt' Then Right-Click on 'hda1' and choose "Mount" Then double-click on hda1 to enter your Windows drive contents.
Good Luck.
Posted by Serenity on Mar. 30 2004,12:09
thanks cbagger01 , I didn't get round to posting my successes with writing to my hard drive within DSL. Through using emelfm I went to /mnt and saw both my drives in there and gave it a try.. It works!
You're right, you can also mount a drive with the dockapp in enhance mode. I did this before I knew what I was doing and thats why I could see the contents! I shall try the -w command again, this time with a space between the -w and /mnt/dev..
@ all
Thanks for all your replies!
Posted by mad_scientist on April 04 2004,18:04
i can access my floppy and such, but im having problems getting at my harddrive. its a fat32 drive, win 95. i mount the drive then when i try to goto it in Emelfm i get a permission denied 
?!??!!??!?!?!!?!can somebody give me some help, im only just starting with DSL, ive used windows all my life:(