‘2018 Using a Diskette Red Hat Linux 6.1: The Official Red Hat Linux Getting Started Guide Prev Chapter 7. Q & A: Quick Answers to Common Questions iF B Using a Diskette Q: Working with Diskettes How do I use a diskette with Red Hat Linux? A. Using Mtools If you've got an MS-DOS formatted diskette, you can access the files by using the mtools utility. Mtools offers a wide range of options for working with diskettes, including copying, moving, deleting and formatting. To read more about mtools, open an Xterm window and type man mtools at the prompt. For example, to copy a file from an MS-DOS formatted diskette (such as one from a Windows95 system), use the following syntax at the prompt in an Xterm window: copy a:thisfile.txt thisfile.txt The file will then be copied from the diskette drive (drive A:) to the directory you're currently in when you issue the meopy command. If you're in your /home directory, then, you'll find thisfile.txt there. Ifyou want to view the contents of an MS-DOS formatted diskette, type mdir at the prompt. By default, you'll be shown the contents of the diskette in the A: drive. To change to a subdirectory on the diskette, type med a:subdir (The above command assumes subdir is the name of the subdirectory you want to access.) Ifyou have a diskette which you want to format and use with your Red Hat Linux system, use the ext2 filesystem. For more on this, read on... A: The ext2 Filesystem To use a diskette specifically with Red Hat Linux, you'll need to create a Second Extended (ext2) filesystem on the disk. The ext2 filesystem is the filesystem used by Red Hat Linux, and is the most commonly used Linux filesystem type. ‘Once you've created an ext? filesystem on the diskette, you can manipulate its contents in the same ways that you manipulate directories and files on your hard drive. Creating an ext2 Filesystem on a Diskette hpi eu/als.newiathenalsystemihlnudredhat-5.idocirhgsgist-4-and-a-disolle him we‘2018 Using a Diskette The mke2fs command is used to create a Linux ext? filesystem on a device, which may be a disk partition or a diskette, Put your formatted diskette into the drive and issue the following command at a shell in an Xterm window: $ /sbin/mke2#s /dev/#d0 On Linux systems, /dev/¢de refers to the first diskette drive, usually your A: drive. The mke2fs utility has a number of options. The -c option makes the mke2fs command check the device for bad blocks before creating the filesystem. The other options are covered in the mke2fs man page. Once you've ereated an ext2 filesystem on the diskette, itis ready to be used with your Red Hat Linux system. Prev He Q& A: Quick Answers to Common Questions Next Switching Environments hp mit uals newiathenasystemihinudredhat-5.idocirhgsgist-4-and-a-disolle him 22.