I've been using a Linux box as a firewall for the cable modem before
Linksys and the other networking companies came out with small router
boxes. Along the years the uses for the box have grown, so I do a
little hacking on it, some file servering, backup/restore to the Windoze
boxes, etc.
The original box was an old 486-66 running Redhat 6.1. (It ran OS/2 2.1
originally). I only decommissioned it last year, and it is still
sitting in the room waiting for it's next purpose in life.
The current box is a Pentium 233, and it's been doing just fine except I
fear that it's starting to crap out. It will not boot off of a floppy
disk no matter what I try. I've tried 2 cables, 3 drives, and four
different known good boot disks. I've stripped the system down, screwed
with the onboard setup, etc. To make a long story short, after 3 hours
I've finally decided that the onboard FDC controller is heading south.
Disks are still readable, but only after you've booted from hard disk.
The motherboard was an ABIT IT5H - good at the time, but given ABIT's
reputation at the time I'm really happy that it made it this far.
Since the end is near for this machine, it's time to get my data off of
it and find a replacement. I'm thinking of something:
- a little more robust .. ie, quality
- needs to take a few PCI cards. Right now I use 2 NICs, 1 SCSI, and 1
video card. If some of those functions are on the motherboard that is fine.
- Can be left on continuously and ignored.
What's a good source for stuff like this? I'm thinking of monitoring
eBay for items I can do local pickup on, but I'm not sure if small
businesses that have this kind of hardware take the time to put it out
on eBay when it comes time to upgrade. (I'm in Rochester MN, so my
sources of this stuff are limited.)
Any ideas on the floppy controller?