1 ===================================
2 Linux and parallel port IDE devices
3 ===================================
4
5 PARIDE v1.03 (c) 1997-8 Grant Guenther <gran
6 PATA_PARPORT (c) 2023 Ondrej Zary
7
8 1. Introduction
9 ===============
10
11 Owing to the simplicity and near universality
12 to personal computers, many external devices s
13 CD-ROM, LS-120 and tape drives use the paralle
14 host computer. While some devices (notably sc
15 to pass commands and data through the parallel
16 external devices are actually identical to an
17 a parallel-port adapter chip added in. Some o
18 adapters were little more than mechanisms for
19 (The Iomega PPA-3 adapter used in the ZIP driv
20 approach). Most current designs, however, tak
21 The adapter chip reproduces a small ISA or IDE
22 and the communication protocol provides operat
23 device registers, as well as data block transf
24 the device being addressed via the parallel ca
25 controller like an NCR 5380. The "ditto" fami
26 drives use the ISA replicator to interface a f
27 which is then connected to a floppy-tape mecha
28 of external parallel port devices, however, ar
29 IDE type devices, which require no intermediat
30 were to open up a parallel port CD-ROM drive,
31 find a standard ATAPI CD-ROM drive, a power su
32 that interconnected a standard PC parallel por
33 IDE cable. It is usually possible to exchange
34 any other device using the IDE interface.
35
36 The document describes the support in Linux fo
37 devices. It does not cover parallel port SCSI
38 drives or scanners. Many different devices ar
39 parallel port IDE subsystem, including:
40
41 - MicroSolutions backpack CD-ROM
42 - MicroSolutions backpack PD/CD
43 - MicroSolutions backpack hard-drives
44 - MicroSolutions backpack 8000t tape d
45 - SyQuest EZ-135, EZ-230 & SparQ drive
46 - Avatar Shark
47 - Imation Superdisk LS-120
48 - Maxell Superdisk LS-120
49 - FreeCom Power CD
50 - Hewlett-Packard 5GB and 8GB tape dri
51 - Hewlett-Packard 7100 and 7200 CD-RW
52
53 as well as most of the clone and no-name produ
54
55 To support such a wide range of devices, pata_
56 in two parts. There is a base pata_parport mod
57 to kernel libata subsystem, registry and some
58 the parallel ports.
59
60 The second component is a set of low-level pro
61 parallel port IDE adapter chips. Thanks to th
62 Linux users from many parts of the world, supp
63 known adapter protocols:
64
65 ==== ==============================
66 aten ATEN EH-100
67 bpck Microsolutions backpack
68 comm DataStor (old-type) "commuter"
69 dstr DataStor EP-2000
70 epat Shuttle EPAT
71 epia Shuttle EPIA
72 fit2 FIT TD-2000
73 fit3 FIT TD-3000
74 friq Freecom IQ cable
75 frpw Freecom Power
76 kbic KingByte KBIC-951A and KBIC-97
77 ktti KT Technology PHd adapter
78 on20 OnSpec 90c20
79 on26 OnSpec 90c26
80 ==== ==============================
81
82
83 2. Using pata_parport subsystem
84 ===============================
85
86 While configuring the Linux kernel, you may ch
87 the pata_parport drivers into your kernel, or
88
89 In either case, you will need to select "Paral
90 and at least one of the parallel port communic
91 If you do not know what kind of parallel port
92 you could begin by checking the file names and
93 installation floppy. Alternatively, you can l
94 the adapter chip itself. That's usually suffi
95 correct device.
96
97 You can actually select all the protocol modul
98 subsystem to try them all for you.
99
100 For the "brand-name" products listed above, he
101 and high-level drivers that you would use:
102
103 ================ ============
104 Manufacturer Model
105 ================ ============
106 MicroSolutions CD-ROM
107 MicroSolutions PD drive
108 MicroSolutions hard-drive
109 MicroSolutions 8000t tape
110 SyQuest EZ, SparQ
111 Imation Superdisk
112 Maxell Superdisk
113 Avatar Shark
114 FreeCom CD-ROM
115 Hewlett-Packard 5GB Tape
116 Hewlett-Packard 7200e (CD)
117 Hewlett-Packard 7200e (CD-R)
118 ================ ============
119
120 All parports and all protocol drivers are prob
121 parameter is used. So just "modprobe epat" is
122 drive to work.
123
124 Manual device creation::
125
126 # echo "port protocol mode unit delay"
127
128 where:
129
130 ======== =============================
131 port parport name (or "auto" for a
132 protocol protocol name (or "auto" for
133 mode mode number (protocol-specifi
134 unit unit number (for backpack onl
135 delay I/O delay (see troubleshootin
136 ======== =============================
137
138 If you happen to be using a MicroSolutions bac
139 also need to know the unit ID number for each
140 the last two digits of the drive's serial numb
141 documentation about this).
142
143 If you omit the parameters from the end, defau
144
145 Probe all parports with all protocols::
146
147 # echo auto >/sys/bus/pata_parport/new
148
149 Probe parport0 using protocol epat and mode 4
150
151 # echo "parport0 epat 4" >/sys/bus/pat
152
153 Probe parport0 using all protocols::
154
155 # echo "parport0 auto" >/sys/bus/pata_
156
157 Probe all parports using protoocol epat::
158
159 # echo "auto epat" >/sys/bus/pata_parp
160
161 Deleting devices::
162
163 # echo pata_parport.0 >/sys/bus/pata_p
164
165
166 3. Troubleshooting
167 ==================
168
169 3.1 Use EPP mode if you can
170 ----------------------------
171
172 The most common problems that people report wi
173 concern the parallel port CMOS settings. At t
174 protocol modules support ECP mode, or any ECP
175 If you are able to do so, please set your para
176 using your CMOS setup procedure.
177
178 3.2 Check the port delay
179 -------------------------
180
181 Some parallel ports cannot reliably transfer d
182 offset the errors, the protocol modules introd
183 delay" between each access to the i/o ports.
184 a default value for this delay. In most cases
185 the default and set it to 0 - resulting in som
186 rates. In some rare cases (especially with ol
187 default delays are not long enough. if you ex
188 transfers, or unexpected failures, you may wis
189 port delay.
190
191 3.3 Some drives need a printer reset
192 -------------------------------------
193
194 There appear to be a number of "noname" extern
195 that do not always power up correctly. We hav
196 drives based on OnSpec and older Freecom adapt
197 the adapter can often be reinitialised by issu
198 the parallel port. As the reset operation is
199 multiple device environments, the pata_parport
200 automatically. You can however, force a print
201
202 insmod lp reset=1
203 rmmod lp
204
205 If you have one of these marginal cases, you s
206 your pata_parport drivers as modules, and arra
207 before loading the pata_parport drivers.
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