Micro Solutions Backpack USB External CDRW module/driver build?

[northd_tech]

I have a very old external Micro Solutions CDRW drive that has 3 interfaces (USB 2.0, "PC card"/PCMCIA, and Parallel port) and these are selectable by changing the cable interface to the computer. The manufacturer has since gone out of business, so there will be NO support forthcoming on that front. This was probably one of the first USB 2.0 interfaces that I ever saw (I needed to special order and install a SIIG USB host adapter card in order to access the USB 2.0 speeds waaay back when under Win98SE). Of course, my 64bit Windows Vista has no drivers since Vista came out years after the manufacturer went out of business, and Vista won't seem to recognize the external CD spinner using the Win9X/ME/NT4 drivers. Strangely enough, the driver install program files worked fine under 64bit Vista (I was expecting the ubiquitous 64bit "different version of windows" error message that I have grown so accustomed to- which is generally when I immediately boot over to Ubuntu). I have tried 5 or 6 of the Win9x drivers with no love so far under Vista Home 64bit.

I need to access some of my old archived data that was recorded on what now appear to be somewhat "dodgy" CD-R media that WILL NOT read in any of my newer CDRW/DVD-RW drives (and I've tried 2 external DVD-RW drives in addition to my HP laptop's internal Optiarc DVD-RW drive). I can get these to at least partially read in a relative's Sony 52x CD-RW drive, but I only have Guest access to that machine under WinXP and I really don't want to go through the hassle of trying to transfer Gigabytes of .ISO files over the wireless network to my laptop, and all the permissions hassles, etc. These data CD-R media are still in "like new" unscratched condition (being stored on a sealed spindle for about 10+ years)- they just won't seem to read in the newer DVD-RW drives for whatever reason(s).

I cannot use the Backpack drive's Parallel port interface as my HP laptop HAS NO Parallel Port (just 4 USB and 1 firewire port). "PC card"/PCMCIA might work under Ubuntu, but the transfer rate is much slower than USB 2.0 and I would need to go for a long drive to find the PCMCIA adapter in my storage location... Long story short: I need to get this old, obsolete [as in read the manufacturer went out of biz] CDRW drive running on a USB 2.0 cable under some flavor of Linux.

My [USB 2.0] external CDRW drive is a "series 6" "Triple Play" Backpack model #195200.

I did locate some older information from around 2005 or so where apparently a Micro Solutions engineer, Ken Hahn, and some other people were able to get the Backpack USB drives running under Arch Linux, Frugalware and possibly some other distros:

BACKPACK USB (and USB2.0) now working in Linux
http://lwn.net/Articles/7653/

Subject: Re: New Packages - fxload and bpck-usb-firmware - msg#00068
http://osdir.com/ml/linux.frugalware.../msg00068.html

Making a Driver Package for USB CD-Writer Drives
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=18156
-----------------------------------------------
I was able to locate some Frugalware and Knoppix Linux sourcecode files and scripts that are also pretty old:

http://www6.frugalware.org/mirrors/l...-usb-firmware/

ftp.cc.uoc.gr/mirrors/linux/frugalware/frugalware-testing/source/lib-extra/bpck-usb-firmware/

http://knoppix.mirrors.tds.net/pub/l...-usb-firmware/

http://ftp.freepark.org/pub/linux/di...-usb-firmware/
---------------------------
My research also led me to the [Hardware] Detection Ubuntu wiki, where I was reading about /proc/sys/kernel/hotplug, /sbin/hotplug, /etc/hotplug/usb/ vs. udevd and other mouldy, arcane whisperings:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Hardware/Detection

HOWTO: Creative's Jukebox with Gnomad
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=33040

OK- let's quote little from the Detection wiki here (I could certainly use the review- or 2 or 3 on this stuff):

The kernel provides uevents by two means, by running the user-space program specified in /proc/sys/kernel/hotplug (usually /sbin/hotplug) and passing environment variables to describe the device and point to the information in the /sys filesystem; or over a netlink socket with packets containing the same information.

As the "hotplug" system relies on user-space forks, it is potentially racey as the handling of one event could be superseded by the handling of another, resulting in out-of-order events. For this reason the kernel supplies a sequence number for each event and any user-space system relying on this should take care to re-order events. The udevd daemon contains this logic.

udevd also listens on the netlink socket and receives uevents from there, eliminating duplicates and processing them the same was as if they came in through the "hotplug" system. As this socket is a FIFO, there is no requirement to re-order events as they will not arrive out of order.

For breezy we used a mixture of both methods because the input subsystem was not yet generating netlink events, in 2.6.15 this will have been fully converted to the new driver core and produces both kinds of events. Therefore for dapper we intend to drop the "hotplug" interface and only listen for events on the netlink socket. This is far more reliable and less error-prone due to the guaranteed ordering and no need to eliminate duplicates.

Whew. I gather from that that I want to avoid the old obsolete "hotplug" method and use the "far more reliable" netlink method. Unfortunately, their old install script (oh yes- did I mention that we need to upload some Micro Solutions Backpack firmware into the external CDRW drive to get it recognized in Linux ) keeps wanting me to poke around in /etc/hotplug and to mkdir /etc/hotplug/usb, etc.

I was hoping to just do a little 'tailoring' of the install script to be Unbuntu-relevant/-functional when I noticed all this firmware business. Now it's looking like a moderate to major overhaul of the script, and I am QUITE 'rusty' on the hardware driver front- and that was under Red Hat and Mandrake, NOT Ubuntu...

Any helpful tips would be appreciated (and links to the Backpack firmware and install script(s) should be at the Frugalware links above).

ndt

Edit: Also, I already used Synaptic to install the "fxload" package that was previously missing.

[northd_tech]

I cannot use the Backpack drive's Parallel port interface as my HP laptop HAS NO Parallel Port (just 4 USB and 1 firewire port). "PC card"/PCMCIA might work under Ubuntu, but the transfer rate is much slower than USB 2.0 and I would need to go for a long drive to find the PCMCIA adapter in my storage location... Long story short: I need to get this old, obsolete [as in read the manufacturer went out of biz] CDRW drive running on a USB 2.0 cable under some flavor of Linux.

My [USB 2.0] external CDRW drive is a "series 6" "Triple Play" Backpack model #195200.

Apparently, the Parallel Port Backpack support is a 'standard' built-in component of Linux kernels since 2.2.x:

Obtaining PARIDE

The PARIDE drivers are now included as standard components of the Linux kernel distribution. At this writing, the current stable kernel is Linux version 2.2.1 and is widely available from many FTP sites on the internet.
The most recent version of the previous stable kernel, Linux version 2.0.36 also contained the PARIDE drivers (with a few missing features).
Recent distributions from Slackware and SuSE contain installation support for PARIDE CD-ROMs. Red Hat does not officially support PARIDE devices for installation purposes, but the installed system does contain all the necessary support.

http://cyberelk.net/tim/parport/paride.html

See also:

CONFIG_PARIDE_BPCK6: MicroSolutions backpack (Series 6) protocol
http://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/PARIDE_BPCK6.html

While this is interesting information, my Laptop still mainly just has the USB 2.0 interface available to the Backpack CDRW burner and NO Parallel port...

Also, I'm currently running Ubuntu Lucid Lynx 10.04.3 LTS with:

Linux 2.6.32-34-generic #77-Ubuntu SMP Tue Sep 13 19:39:17 UTC 2011 x86_64 GNU/Linux

With the external drive unplugged I get this from lsusb:

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 064e:a110 Suyin Corp. HP Webcam
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

but with the Backpack external CDRW "hotplugged" lsusb tells me:

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 064e:a110 Suyin Corp. HP Webcam
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0ac9:0010 Micro Solutions, Inc. BACKPACK
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Thusly, I conclude that my Backpack USB cables, drive, and external power supply are all still functioning- I just need to find a way to get my Ubuntu 2.6.32-34-generic x86_64 kernel to recognize (and mount) the interface/CDRW drive so I can read my old data and convert them to .ISO's for burning on better/newer DVD disks.

[northd_tech]

but with the Backpack external CDRW "hotplugged" lsusb tells me:

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0ac9:0010 Micro Solutions, Inc. BACKPACK

The verbose lsusb -v tells me this about that [obsolete] Micro Solutions Backpack CDRW external USB drive:

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0ac9:0010 Micro Solutions, Inc. BACKPACK
Device Descriptor:
bLength 18
bDescriptorType 1
bcdUSB 2.00
bDeviceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
bDeviceSubClass 255 Vendor Specific Subclass
bDeviceProtocol 255 Vendor Specific Protocol
bMaxPacketSize0 64
idVendor 0x0ac9 Micro Solutions, Inc.
idProduct 0x0010 BACKPACK
bcdDevice 0.85
iManufacturer 0
iProduct 0
iSerial 0
bNumConfigurations 1
Configuration Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 2
wTotalLength 171
bNumInterfaces 1
bConfigurationValue 1
iConfiguration 0
bmAttributes 0x80
(Bus Powered)
MaxPower 100mA
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 0
bAlternateSetting 0
bNumEndpoints 0
bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
bInterfaceSubClass 255 Vendor Specific Subclass
bInterfaceProtocol 255 Vendor Specific Protocol
iInterface 0
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 0
bAlternateSetting 1
bNumEndpoints 6
bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
bInterfaceSubClass 255 Vendor Specific Subclass
bInterfaceProtocol 255 Vendor Specific Protocol
iInterface 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x01 EP 1 OUT
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x02 EP 2 OUT
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x04 EP 4 OUT
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x86 EP 6 IN
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x88 EP 8 IN
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 0
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 0
bAlternateSetting 2
bNumEndpoints 6
bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
bInterfaceSubClass 255 Vendor Specific Subclass
bInterfaceProtocol 255 Vendor Specific Protocol
iInterface 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x01 EP 1 OUT
bmAttributes 3
Transfer Type Interrupt
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0040 1x 64 bytes
bInterval 1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
bmAttributes 3
Transfer Type Interrupt
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0040 1x 64 bytes
bInterval 1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x02 EP 2 OUT
bmAttributes 3
Transfer Type Interrupt
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x04 EP 4 OUT
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x86 EP 6 IN
bmAttributes 3
Transfer Type Interrupt
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x88 EP 8 IN
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 0
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 0
bAlternateSetting 3
bNumEndpoints 6
bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
bInterfaceSubClass 255 Vendor Specific Subclass
bInterfaceProtocol 255 Vendor Specific Protocol
iInterface 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x01 EP 1 OUT
bmAttributes 3
Transfer Type Interrupt
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0040 1x 64 bytes
bInterval 1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
bmAttributes 3
Transfer Type Interrupt
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0040 1x 64 bytes
bInterval 1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x02 EP 2 OUT
bmAttributes 1
Transfer Type Isochronous
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x04 EP 4 OUT
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x86 EP 6 IN
bmAttributes 1
Transfer Type Isochronous
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x88 EP 8 IN
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 0
Device Qualifier (for other device speed):
bLength 10
bDescriptorType 6
bcdUSB 2.00
bDeviceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
bDeviceSubClass 255 Vendor Specific Subclass
bDeviceProtocol 255 Vendor Specific Protocol
bMaxPacketSize0 64
bNumConfigurations 1
Device Status: 0x0000
(Bus Powered)

My SWAG here is that the USB interface is bus-powered (and needs some Backpack firmware injected by Ubuntu) whereas the CDRW drive itself uses the MicroSolutions dual 5VDC & 12VDC external power 'brick.'

[northd_tech]

I gather from that that I want to avoid the old obsolete "hotplug" method and use the "far more reliable" netlink method. Unfortunately, their old install script (oh yes- did I mention that we need to upload some Micro Solutions Backpack firmware into the external CDRW drive to get it recognized in Linux ) keeps wanting me to poke around in /etc/hotplug and to mkdir /etc/hotplug/usb, etc.

I was hoping to just do a little 'tailoring' of the install script to be Unbuntu-relevant/-functional when I noticed all this firmware business. Now it's looking like a moderate to major overhaul of the script, and I am QUITE 'rusty' on the hardware driver front- and that was under Red Hat and Mandrake, NOT Ubuntu...

I just found this old 'zombie' of a thread in a web search (not in an ubuntuforums search) that looks to be worth a shot- I will post updates (or massive failures) here as I discover them- since I can't post or tag that old 2006 thread with anything relevant to my Backpack USB troubles here:

Please help, MicroSolutions Back Pack CD-RW issue, USB style
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=218475

I'm looking at posts #7 and #8 on that thread, and I will be taking extensive notes on my inputs/outputs/results.

Edit: More possibly helpful, likely obsolete notes:

External USB BACKPACK CD-ReWriter problem...
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...roblem-212360/

Linux and USB 2.0 (refers to now-defunct Micro Solutions website for .RPM files...)
http://www.linux-usb.org/usb2.html

[northd_tech]

I wasn't certain which of the Backpack firmwares was correct for my old external CDRW, so I was forced to 'trial&error' and ended up trying all 5 firmwares with no luck (but the firmware appears to load in RAM, not EEPROM, so hopefully nothing got messed up in the USB interface by my 'erroring').

The one firmware did throw an error message, so I'm reasonably certain that the "BPINTCD.HEx" firmware file is incorrect for my Backpack Series 6 External CDRW drive:

~/Desktop/bpck-usb-firmware-1.1/firmware$ sudo fxload -vv -D /dev/bus/usb/001/008 -I BPINTCD.HEX
microcontroller type: fx
single stage: load on-chip memory
open RAM hexfile image BPINTCD.HEX
stop CPU
write on-chip, addr 0x0000 len 3 (0x0003)
write on-chip, addr 0x125e len 6 (0x0006)
write on-chip, addr 0x0043 len 3 (0x0003)
write on-chip, addr 0x1000 len 4 (0x0004)
write on-chip, addr 0x100c len 12 (0x000c)
write on-chip, addr 0x0e00 len 208 (0x00d0)
can't write 7 bytes external memory at 0x1cd0
unable to download BPINTCD.HEX

I did find this very helpful tidbit of information while researching- post #1 and I"m posting the [previously missing] bpckusb script here for convenience, since it is apparently EXTREMELY difficult to locate now with Micro Solutions now being disintegrated:

#!/bin/sh

# [shell script "bpckusb"]
# [from post #1: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-hardware-18/external-usb-backpack-cd-rewriter-problem-212360/#post1082927 ]
# [ External USB BACKPACK CD-ReWriter problem... (Solved!)]
# [ http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-hardware-18/external-usb-backpack-cd-rewriter-problem-212360/#post1082927]
# [ FYI- Micro Solutions went out of business years ago as of Oct. 18, 2011]
# Load bulk/interrupt transfer test firmware into
# various EZ-USB USB devices that will run it

#TEMPLATE PROGRAM TAKEN FROM http://linux-hotplug.sourceforge.net/perf 4/2/2002
#Adapted for BACKPACK USB drives 

FIRMWARE=
FLAGS=

# pre-renumeration device IDs
case $PRODUCT in

# BACKPACK USB2 INTERNAL ADAPTER

#----------------------SCANNNERS SCANNERS-------------------------------
#external usb1 scanner
ac9/0/0)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP1SCAN.HEX
    ;;

#external usb2 scanner
ac9/1/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP2SCAN.HEX
    FLAGS="-2"
    ;;

#----------------------USB1 EXTERNAL-------------------------------
#external usb1 cd-romish series 5
ac9/1000/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP1CD5.HEX
    ;;
#external usb1 cd-romish series 6
ac9/1001/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP1CD6.HEX
    ;;
#external usb1 hard drive series 5
ac9/1002/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP1HD5.HEX
    ;;
#external usb1 hard drive series 6
ac9/1003/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP1HD6.HEX
    ;;

#----------------------USB2 EXTERNAL-------------------------------
#external usb2 cd-romish series 5
ac9/1004/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP2CD5.HEX
    FLAGS="-2"
    ;;
#external usb2 cd-romish series 6
ac9/1005/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP2CD6.HEX
    FLAGS="-2"
    ;;
#external usb2 hard drive series 5
ac9/1006/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP2HD5.HEX
    FLAGS="-2"
    ;;
#external usb2 hard drive series 6
ac9/1007/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP2HD6.HEX
    FLAGS="-2"
    ;;

#----------------------USB2 INTERNAL-------------------------------
#internal usb2 cd-romish drive
ac9/10/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BPINTCD.HEX
    FLAGS="-2"
    ;;

#internal usb2 cd-romish drive
ac9/11/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BPINTHD.HEX
    FLAGS="-2"
    ;;
esac


# quit unless we were called to download some firmware 
if [ "$FIRMWARE" = "" ]; then
    # OR:  restructure to do other things for
    # specific post-renumeration devices
    exit 0
fi

# missing firmware?
if [ ! -r $FIRMWARE ]; then
    if [ -x /usr/bin/logger ]; then
    /usr/bin/logger -t $0 "missing $FIRMWARE for $PRODUCT ??"
    fi
    exit 1
fi

if [ ! -x /sbin/fxload ]; then
    if [ -x /usr/bin/logger ]; then
        /usr/bin/logger -t $0 "cannot load firmware, missing fxload"
        fi
        exit 1
fi 

if [ -x /usr/bin/logger ]; then
    /usr/bin/logger -t $0 "load $FIRMWARE for $PRODUCT to $DEVICE"
fi

    /sbin/fxload $FLAGS -I $FIRMWARE 

External USB BACKPACK CD-ReWriter problem... (Solved!)
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...0/#post1082927

Post #1
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...0/#post1082927

[northd_tech]

I did find this very helpful tidbit of information while researching- post #1 and I"m posting the [previously missing] bpckusb script here for convenience, since it is apparently EXTREMELY difficult to locate now with Micro Solutions now being disintegrated:

Also, before I forget to post it (again)- I have found that a simple lsusb command will tell you the USB Bus & Device information much easier than all the "Device Manager" business (that seems to now be obsolete information from my experience under Ubuntu Lucid Lynx 10.04.3 LTS) from post #7 on this thread:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...99&postcount=7

I have found that if you lose/cycle the CDRW power or disconnect the USB cable and plug it into a different (or even the same) USB port, it keeps incrementing the Device number (on my laptop it's apparently always on Bus 001 for a USB 2.0 device), so my firmware 'target' is currently:

..................[ /Bus./Dev ]
/dev/bus/usb/001/009

for:

Bus 001 Device 009: ID 0ac9:0010 Micro Solutions, Inc. BACKPACK

In the case of my external USB 2.0 Series 6 CDRW #195200, I believe this is the relevant part of the Linuxquestions.org script that I just posted above:

#----------------------USB1 EXTERNAL-------------------------------
#external usb1 cd-romish series 5
ac9/1000/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP1CD5.HEX
    ;;
#external usb1 cd-romish series 6
ac9/1001/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP1CD6.HEX
    ;;
#external usb1 hard drive series 5
ac9/1002/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP1HD5.HEX
    ;;
#external usb1 hard drive series 6
ac9/1003/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP1HD6.HEX
    ;;

#----------------------USB2 EXTERNAL-------------------------------
#external usb2 cd-romish series 5
ac9/1004/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP2CD5.HEX
    FLAGS="-2"
    ;;
#external usb2 cd-romish series 6
ac9/1005/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP2CD6.HEX
    FLAGS="-2"
    ;;
#external usb2 hard drive series 5
ac9/1006/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP2HD5.HEX
    FLAGS="-2"
    ;;
#external usb2 hard drive series 6
ac9/1007/*)
    FIRMWARE=usb/bpckusb.fw/BP2HD6.HEX
    FLAGS="-2"
    ;;

I'm fairly certain that I tried the "BP2CD6.HEX" firmware file first off, but perhaps the script with its "FLAGS" will somehow make the CDRW spin to life.

Still digging...

[northd_tech]

Attempting wonton180's load script from post #8 on the old thread:

---- load_backpack.sh -----

#!/bin/bash
#
# searches for Backpack CDRW drive on USB device tree.
#
# if found, loads the firmware update to the device so Linux
# may detect and recognize the drive

grep -B 2 "Vendor=0ac9 ProdID=0001" /dev/bus/usb/devices | head -1 | awk '{ \

fieldcount = split($0, fullstr);
busstr = fullstr[2];
fieldcount = split(busstr, busnum, "=");
devnum = fullstr[8];

targetdev = "/dev/bus/usb/0" busnum[2] "/00" devnum;
execstr = "sudo fxload -t fx2 -D " targetdev " -I /etc/backpack_usb/BP2CD6.HEX"
print "Loading USB Backpack firmware to " targetdev;
system(execstr);

}'

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...86&postcount=8

I got this error message:

sh ./load_backpackUSB.sh
grep: /dev/bus/usb/devices: No such file or directory

It looks to me like the USB Bus/Device reference scheme has probably changed since that script was written back in March 2007...

Currently, my Backpack USB CDRW drive is at: /dev/bus/usb/001/009 and I'm trying to decipher what it is that script is trying to do, but I can already see that mine is an "fx" device type, not a "fx2" as shown in that old script.

For reference:

usage: fxload [-vV] [-t type] [-D devpath]
[-I firmware_hexfile] [-s loader] [-c config_byte]
[-L link] [-m mode]
... [-D devpath] overrides DEVNAME= and DEVICE= in env
... device types: one of an21, fx, fx2
... at least one of -I, -L, -m is required

[northd_tech]

I did find this very helpful tidbit of information while researching- post #1 and I"m posting the [previously missing] bpckusb script here for convenience, since it is apparently EXTREMELY difficult to locate now with Micro Solutions now being disintegrated:
...
Post #1
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...0/#post1082927

I did actually locate that "bpckusb" script in the "bpck-usb-firmware-1.1" archive- I was looking for a ".sh" extension (either from habit or code discipline reasons, but I missed that one before).

That script did..........

absolutely nothing.

NOTHING- no errors, no newly found CD drive(s), no spinning up of the drive motor- NOTHING.

I'm reasonably certain that my cable is fine and I'm communicating on the USB bus, since lsusb still tells me:

Bus 001 Device 009: ID 0ac9:0010 Micro Solutions, Inc. BACKPACK

Arrgh. Time for a system restart and a cup of coffee.

[northd_tech]

OK- I powered everything down for a while and downed a cup o' Joe. From a fresh restart, I believe that this is the correct and proper command for my Series 6 Backpack CDRW on a USB2.0 interface (firmware file BP2CD6.HEX when the Backpack is at Bus 001 Dev 003 ):

fxload -vv -D /dev/bus/usb/001/003 -I BP2CD6.HEX

gave me this (apparently moderately "successful?") output:

microcontroller type: fx
single stage: load on-chip memory
open RAM hexfile image BP2CD6.HEX
stop CPU
write on-chip, addr 0x0000 len 3 (0x0003)
write on-chip, addr 0x000b len 3 (0x0003)
write on-chip, addr 0x0040 len 5 (0x0005)
write on-chip, addr 0x0033 len 3 (0x0003)
write on-chip, addr 0x0100 len 1013 (0x03f5)
write on-chip, addr 0x04f5 len 1013 (0x03f5)
write on-chip, addr 0x08ea len 413 (0x019d)
write on-chip, addr 0x0aa6 len 152 (0x0098 )
write on-chip, addr 0x0bc0 len 1021 (0x03fd)
write on-chip, addr 0x0fbd len 1013 (0x03f5)
EOF on hexfile
write on-chip, addr 0x13b2 len 16 (0x0010)
... WROTE: 4655 bytes, 11 segments, avg 423
reset CPU

Still no spinning, and no new CD devices discovered (even after ejecting/inserting the CD tray with a data CD in it). I even tried 'hotplugging' the Backpack CDRW back into the same USB port (which incremented it to Bus 001 Dev 004) and re-upping the Firmware, this time with a type "fx" specified explicitly:

~/Desktop/bpck-usb-firmware-1.1/firmware$ fxload -vv -t fx -D /dev/bus/usb/001/004 -I BP2CD6.HEX

microcontroller type: fx
single stage: load on-chip memory
open RAM hexfile image BP2CD6.HEX
stop CPU
write on-chip, addr 0x0000 len 3 (0x0003)
write on-chip, addr 0x000b len 3 (0x0003)
write on-chip, addr 0x0040 len 5 (0x0005)
write on-chip, addr 0x0033 len 3 (0x0003)
write on-chip, addr 0x0100 len 1013 (0x03f5)
write on-chip, addr 0x04f5 len 1013 (0x03f5)
write on-chip, addr 0x08ea len 413 (0x019d)
write on-chip, addr 0x0aa6 len 152 (0x0098)
write on-chip, addr 0x0bc0 len 1021 (0x03fd)
write on-chip, addr 0x0fbd len 1013 (0x03f5)
EOF on hexfile
write on-chip, addr 0x13b2 len 16 (0x0010)
... WROTE: 4655 bytes, 11 segments, avg 423
reset CPU

lsusb

Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0ac9:0010 Micro Solutions, Inc. BACKPACK

ls /dev/bus/usb/001/

001 002 004

(Bus 001 Dev 001 is the "Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub", Bus 001 Dev 002 is my 1TB external hard disk that I've got plugged in after the fresh restart in order to retrieve some files, and Bus 001 Dev 004 should still be our Backpack CDRW).

lsusb

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 064e:a110 Suyin Corp. HP Webcam
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0ac9:0010 Micro Solutions, Inc. BACKPACK
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 18a5:0216
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Still no luck, and still no spinning CD-R media (but the drive LED is glowing orange at me- it is green when the disk is first inserted, but I cannot remember if this indicates an error condition or not. I seem to recall it flashing red while burning CD-R's but I've owned almost a dozen recordable drives and used many more than that, so I can't say for certain).

So to recap:
1. 120 Volts of 60 Hertz AC power to Backpack CDRW drive- check.
2. USB cable communication to Backpack CDRW drive- check (according to lsusb).
3. Readable data disc in Backpack CDRW drive- very likely (it automounted in my laptop's internal Optiarc DVD-RW drive and I tested the integrity of a .ZIP file on the CD with no errors noted).
4. Firmware loaded in Backpack CDRW drive- it would appear so if the "reset CPU" message and lack of error messages from the fxload command(s) means anything.

NOTE: I had absolutely NO luck with any of the old scripts that I tried (either the unmodified ones or my attempts at bringing them more along much more modern Ubuntu 10.04.3 LTS 'lines').

ANY input from our Hardware and/or PERL scripting gurus here would be helpful- I'm ready to try the old "factory" Micro Solutions Win98 drivers under a VirtualBox "Windows 98SE" virtual machine to try to generate my .ISO files from my old data CD's now. That will probably be a goose chase as well.

I did figure out that wonton180's script would probably work better (on my HP laptop running Ubuntu 10.04.3 LTS, that is) with this input string though:

lsusb | grep BACKPACK

Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0ac9:0010 Micro Solutions, Inc. BACKPACK

[northd_tech]

Perhaps my one last try (today at least)- I forgot to try sudo above. After unplugging the external Backpack CDRW AC power supply for at least a dozen seconds to clear the RAM (which incremented the Device to Bus 001 Dev 005 according to lsusb):

~/Desktop/bpck-usb-firmware-1.1/firmware$ sudo fxload -vv -t fx -D /dev/bus/usb/001/005 -I BP2CD6.HEX

microcontroller type: fx
single stage: load on-chip memory
open RAM hexfile image BP2CD6.HEX
stop CPU
write on-chip, addr 0x0000 len 3 (0x0003)
write on-chip, addr 0x000b len 3 (0x0003)
write on-chip, addr 0x0040 len 5 (0x0005)
write on-chip, addr 0x0033 len 3 (0x0003)
write on-chip, addr 0x0100 len 1013 (0x03f5)
write on-chip, addr 0x04f5 len 1013 (0x03f5)
write on-chip, addr 0x08ea len 413 (0x019d)
write on-chip, addr 0x0aa6 len 152 (0x0098 )
write on-chip, addr 0x0bc0 len 1021 (0x03fd)
write on-chip, addr 0x0fbd len 1013 (0x03f5)
EOF on hexfile
write on-chip, addr 0x13b2 len 16 (0x0010)
... WROTE: 4655 bytes, 11 segments, avg 423
reset CPU

In the words/shrieks of Steven Tyler: "Same ol' story, Same ol' song&dance, My friend."

Edit: Also the only device seen under Settings > Devices in k3b is my internal DVD-RW drive, so the Backpack is still 'invisible' to anything but lsusb...

Edit2: Nero Linux 4 did throw the following error message at me (and I was able to make it go away by changing the permissions for those 2 items using gksu nautilus):

Please check that you have the correct permissions on the corresponding device files.
Nero Linux cannot get acces to the following devices:
/dev/sg0 (SCSI Generic Device)
/dev/sg2 (SCSI Generic Device)

Although the Backpack external USB CDRW should show up as a SCSI device after uploading the firmware according to my research, I only see my internal Optiarc DVD-RW and the Image Recorder in Nero- no Backpack anything at all (and I seem to recall it showing up as the actual physical drive inside the external case not as "Backpack" when everything ran properly under Win98SE waaaay back when).

also, these are my recent USB messages:

dmesg | grep usb
[ 0.370000] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbfs
[ 0.370000] usbcore: registered new interface driver hub
[ 0.370000] usbcore: registered new device driver usb
[ 0.620181] usb usb1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 0.640174] usb usb2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 0.702109] usb usb3: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 0.762106] usb usb4: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 1.083361] usb 2-2: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 2
[ 1.241998] usb 2-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 7.540035] usb 1-2: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 2
[ 7.713784] usb 1-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 13.890037] usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 3
[ 14.040912] usb 1-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 50.623742] input: HP Webcam as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:04.1/usb2/2-2/2-2:1.0/input/input7
[ 50.623808] usbcore: registered new interface driver uvcvideo
[ 50.950205] usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
[ 50.950604] usb-storage: device found at 2
[ 50.950607] usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
[ 55.954398] usb-storage: device scan complete
[ 726.334047] usb 1-1: USB disconnect, address 3
[ 730.602550] usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 730.754225] usb 1-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 5497.262111] usb 1-1: USB disconnect, address 4
[ 5499.930058] usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 5
[ 5500.071227] usb 1-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice

I believe the "usb-storage" lines are due to me plugging in my external 1TB hard disk this time to retrieve some files....

And the Backpack drive is still dangling out there on the USB bus as:

lsusb
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0ac9:0010 Micro Solutions, Inc. BACKPACK

Edit3: here are the SCSI messages:

dmesg | grep scsi
[ 1.079767] scsi0 : ahci
[ 1.081548] scsi1 : ahci
[ 1.083838] scsi2 : ahci
[ 1.084057] scsi3 : ahci
[ 1.621621] scsi4 : pata_amd
[ 1.621693] scsi5 : pata_amd
[ 1.658921] scsi 0:0:0:0: Direct-Access ATA WDC WD2500BEVS-6 01.0 PQ: 0 ANSI: 5
[ 1.672877] sd 0:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 0
[ 1.883574] scsi 4:0:0:0: CD-ROM Optiarc DVD RW AD-7561A GH09 PQ: 0 ANSI: 5
[ 1.913271] sr0: scsi3-mmc drive: 24x/24x writer dvd-ram cd/rw xa/form2 cdda tray
[ 1.953209] sr 4:0:0:0: Attached scsi CD-ROM sr0
[ 1.953335] sr 4:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 5
[ 50.943158] scsi6 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
[ 55.964797] scsi 6:0:0:0: Direct-Access SAMSUNG HD103SI PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
[ 55.965280] sd 6:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 0

I believe that the Samsung HD103SI at scsi6 is my Laptop's internal hard disk, the Western Digital WD2500BEVS-6 at scsi0 is my external 1TB hard disk, and the Optiarc DVD RW AD-7561A at scsi4 is my Laptop's internal DVD-RW drive (but I might have the hard disks reversed here).

???