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IMPORTANT: Ejecting your Zip disk

From: Mark Aran Aiken <marka@ugrad.ece.mcgill.ca>

Hello,

    On Pluto, there is now an additional image available, which
prepares a "rescue" floppy disk. You dump the image onto a floppy by
running

    /images/dumpresc

    Why would you want a "rescue floppy"? Two reasons:

  - It is possible, if you are careless, to render your Zip cartridge
unbootable (even though the kernel on your boot floppy is fine) by
deleting, moving or corrupting certain important files. The rescue
disk boots the entire machine on its own, without using the Zip
cartridge. It includes a (very) basic shell and text editor, and may
allow you to repair a damaged Zip cartridge.

  - Secondly and more importantly, you may have trouble ejecting your
Zip cartridge from the 502 machines when you are working as root! The
problem is, from the moment you boot a root-enabled machine with your
Zip cartridge, the cartridge is used as the file system for Linux, and
the eject button is disabled. But when the machine is shut down, the
Zip drive is also disabled and you can't recover your diskette.

    The solution? Boot with the rescue diskette, which will power up
the Zip drive but not actually use the cartridge. The eject button
should then work properly.

    When booting with the rescue diskette, you will be presented with
a "boot:" prompt. Type the following string exactly to boot into the
minimal Linux environment contained on the disk:

    linux aha152x=0x140,11

    When the boot sequence is complete, you will see a prompt about
whether your screen is color or black and white. Ignore this, and type
ALT-F2. This will switch you to a second "virtual console", and you
will be able to log in.

    Let me know if you have any trouble with the above.

    Mark