I just wanted to share some things. 
I have a Sam's club AMD 1100 MHz PC, with a CDRW ATAPI, Maxtor HD, floppy, 2 
USB ports (one used with a Memorex Compact Flash Card reader), and a Canon 
BJ200e inkjet printer daisy-chained to a Zip 100 parallel port drive. After 
multiple tries, I tried and successfully installed material in /etc/fstab and 
mounted my Zip drive. The next day, it wasn't there. 
I reloaded system from CDs. 
Got zip drive back, then went on to get the CD-RW to work.Mucked around and 
failed to get CD-RW, and lost Zip drive in the process. 
I reloaded system from CDs.
I typed in stuff, got my Zip drive back, tried a special command "cdrecord 
-scanbus". Thought I got my CD-RW, and kept my Zip drive this time. Tried to 
burn stuff from Zip drive onto CD RW using somethng called K3b. I saw the 
CR-RW lights come on, and a application status message saying data 
successfully burned or something. I then tried to pull out the data, and 
cannot do it using any application. Gave up, shut off system.
Logged on today, can't get my Zip drive. Still can't get data off of burned 
CD. Went on to try the USB compact flash. Read stuff suggested by members, 
read the How-Tos, and checked www.google.com/linux. Found some interesting 
material, and the most appealing stuff said DON'T DO ANYTHING!. just plug in 
the Compact Flash card and reboot. Latest linux kernels should recognize CF 
card and go to work. Tried it several times, no success, lost CD-RW and lost 
Zip drive. Shut off system, went to bed.

I checked the system log files, found out the system found and recognized 
CD-RW, USB, and Zip drive, but gave them different assignments than what was 
in /etc/fstab. Corrected /etc/fstab device assignments, typed in my modprobe 
stuff, mounted everything, and it all works (except I still can't read the 
data I burned onto the CD-RW). Hmmmm.

Marc

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