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This file describes the floppy driver.

FAQ list:
=========

 A FAQ list may be found in the fdutils package (see below), and also
at http://fdutils.linux.lu/FAQ.html


LILO configuration options (Thinkpad users, read this)
======================================================

 The floppy driver is configured using the 'floppy=' option in
lilo. This option can be typed at the boot prompt, or entered in the
lilo configuration file.
 Example: If your kernel is called linux-2.2.13, type the following line
at the lilo boot prompt (if you have a thinkpad):
 linux-2.2.13 floppy=thinkpad
You may also enter the following line in /etc/lilo.conf, in the description
of linux-2.2.13:
 append = "floppy=thinkpad"

 Several floppy related options may be given, example:
 linux-2.2.13 floppy=daring floppy=two_fdc
 append = "floppy=daring floppy=two_fdc"

 If you give options both in the lilo config file and on the boot
prompt, the option strings of both places are concatenated, the boot
prompt options coming last. That's why there are also options to
restore the default behavior.

 If you use the floppy driver as a module, use the following syntax:
 insmod floppy <options>

Example:
 insmod floppy daring two_fdc

 Some versions of insmod are buggy in one way or another. If you have
any problems (options not being passed correctly, segfaults during
insmod), first check whether there is a more recent version.

 The floppy related options include:

 floppy=asus_pci
        Sets the bit mask to allow only units 0 and 1. (default)

 floppy=daring
        Tells the floppy driver that you have a well behaved floppy controller.
        This allows more efficient and smoother operation, but may fail on
        certain controllers. This may speed up certain operations.

 floppy=0,daring
        Tells the floppy driver that your floppy controller should be used
        with caution.

 floppy=one_fdc
        Tells the floppy driver that you have only one floppy controller.
        (default)

 floppy=two_fdc
 floppy=<address>,two_fdc
        Tells the floppy driver that you have two floppy controllers.
        The second floppy controller is assumed to be at <address>.
        This option is not needed if the second controller is at address
        0x370, and if you use the 'cmos' option.

 floppy=thinkpad
        Tells the floppy driver that you have a Thinkpad. Thinkpads use an
        inverted convention for the disk change line.

 floppy=0,thinkpad
        Tells the floppy driver that you don't have a Thinkpad.

 floppy=omnibook
 floppy=nodma
        Tells the floppy driver not to use Dma for data transfers.
        This is needed on HP Omnibooks, which don't have a workable
        DMA channel for the floppy driver. This option is also useful
        if you frequently get "Unable to allocate DMA memory" messages.
        Indeed, dma memory needs to be continuous in physical memory,
        and is thus harder to find, whereas non-dma buffers may be
        allocated in virtual memory. However, I advise against this if
        you have an FDC without a FIFO (8272A or 82072). 82072A and
        later are OK. You also need at least a 486 to use nodma.
        If you use nodma mode, I suggest you also set the FIFO
        threshold to 10 or lower, in order to limit the number of data
        transfer interrupts.

        If you have a FIFO-able FDC, the floppy driver automatically
        falls back on non DMA mode if no DMA-able memory can be found.
        If you want to avoid this, explicitly ask for 'yesdma'.

 floppy=yesdma
        Tells the floppy driver that a workable DMA channel is available.
        (default)

 floppy=nofifo
        Disables the FIFO entirely. This is needed if you get "Bus
        master arbitration error" messages from your Ethernet card (or
        from other devices) while accessing the floppy.

 floppy=fifo
        Enables the FIFO. (default)

 floppy=<threshold>,fifo_depth
        Sets the FIFO threshold. This is mostly relevant in DMA
        mode. If this is higher, the floppy driver tolerates more
        interrupt latency, but it triggers more interrupts (i.e. it
        imposes more load on the rest of the system). If this is
        lower, the interrupt latency should be lower too (faster
        processor). The benefit of a lower threshold is less
        interrupts.
        To tune the fifo threshold, switch on over/underrun messages
        using 'floppycontrol --messages'. Then access a floppy
        disk. If you get a huge amount of "Over/Underrun - retrying"
        messages, then the fifo threshold is too low. Try with a
        higher value, until you only get an occasional Over/Underrun.
        It is a good idea to compile the floppy driver as a module
        when doing this tuning. Indeed, it allows to try different
        fifo values without rebooting the machine for each test. Note
        that you need to do 'floppycontrol --messages' every time you
        re-insert the module.
        Usually, tuning the fifo threshold should not be needed, as
        the default (0xa) is reasonable.

 floppy=<drive>,<type>,cmos
        Sets the CMOS type of <drive> to <type>. This is mandatory if
        you have more than two floppy drives (only two can be
        described in the physical CMOS), or if your BIOS uses
        non-standard CMOS types. The CMOS types are:
                0 - Use the value of the physical CMOS
                1 - 5 1/4 DD
                2 - 5 1/4 HD
                3 - 3 1/2 DD
                4 - 3 1/2 HD
                5 - 3 1/2 ED
                6 - 3 1/2 ED
               16 - unknown or not installed
        (Note: there are two valid types for ED drives. This is because 5 was
        initially chosen to represent floppy *tapes*, and 6 for ED drives.
        AMI ignored this, and used 5 for ED drives. That's why the floppy
        driver handles both.)

 floppy=unexpected_interrupts
        Print a warning message when an unexpected interrupt is received.
        (default)

 floppy=no_unexpected_interrupts
 floppy=L40SX
        Don't print a message when an unexpected interrupt is received. This
        is needed on IBM L40SX laptops in certain video modes. (There seems
        to be an interaction between video and floppy. The unexpected
        interrupts affect only performance, and can be safely ignored.)

 floppy=broken_dcl
        Don't use the disk change line, but assume that the disk was
        changed whenever the device node is reopened. Needed on some
        boxes where the disk change line is broken or unsupported.
        This should be regarded as a stopgap measure, indeed it makes
        floppy operation less efficient due to unneeded cache
        flushings, and slightly more unreliable. Please verify your
        cable, connection and jumper settings if you have any DCL
        problems. However, some older drives, and also some laptops
        are known not to have a DCL.

 floppy=debug
        Print debugging messages.

 floppy=messages
        Print informational messages for some operations (disk change
        notifications, warnings about over and underruns, and about
        autodetection).

 floppy=silent_dcl_clear
        Uses a less noisy way to clear the disk change line (which
        doesn't involve seeks). Implied by 'daring' option.

 floppy=<nr>,irq
        Sets the floppy IRQ to <nr> instead of 6.

 floppy=<nr>,dma
        Sets the floppy DMA channel to <nr> instead of 2.

 floppy=slow
        Use PS/2 stepping rate:
         " PS/2 floppies have much slower step rates than regular floppies.
           It's been recommended that take about 1/4 of the default speed
           in some more extreme cases."



Supporting utilities and additional documentation:
==================================================

 Additional parameters of the floppy driver can be configured at
runtime. Utilities which do this can be found in the fdutils package.
This package also contains a new version of mtools which allows to
access high capacity disks (up to 1992K on a high density 3 1/2 disk!).
It also contains additional documentation about the floppy driver.

The latest version can be found at fdutils homepage:
 http://fdutils.linux.lu

The fdutils-5.4 release can be found at:
 http://fdutils.linux.lu/fdutils-5.4.src.tar.gz
 http://www.tux.org/pub/knaff/fdutils/fdutils-5.4.src.tar.gz
 ftp://metalab.unc.edu/pub/Linux/utils/disk-management/fdutils-5.4.src.tar.gz

Reporting problems about the floppy driver
==========================================

 If you have a question or a bug report about the floppy driver, mail
me at Alain.Knaff@poboxes.com . If you post to Usenet, preferably use
comp.os.linux.hardware. As the volume in these groups is rather high,
be sure to include the word "floppy" (or "FLOPPY") in the subject
line.  If the reported problem happens when mounting floppy disks, be
sure to mention also the type of the filesystem in the subject line.

 Be sure to read the FAQ before mailing/posting any bug reports!

 Alain