Large Hard Drive A4000D

[scuzzb494]

Hi

I am using an A4000D to back up all my Amiga software into ADF format and I have like a very large mountain to climb doing this. I have noted that the A4000D running OS3.9 is formatted with two volumes, one Workbench at 2GB and the other Work at 11GB. Should I be worried about the size of these partitions, particularly the 11GB, as losing data as it gets full is going to be very frustrating.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

As long as you're at BB2+ you should be fine working with partitions that large.  Better yet would be to reformat with PFS or SFS file system, but a proper install of 3.9 with the Boing Bags should be fine for working with partions of that size.

[scuzzb494]

As long as you're at BB2+ you should be fine working with partitions that large.  Better yet would be to reformat with PFS or SFS file system, but a proper install of 3.9 with the Boing Bags should be fine for working with partions of that size.

Looks like I'm only at 45.1 and not 45.3 on 40.68 so assuming BBs 1 and 2 were not installed. The HDToolbox shows no issue with the large partition size. I've never used anything over the 4GB in the past. So a touch nervious. Also the machine is running pretty sweet at the moment and my luck it'll fall over if I do anything. I have the BB1 and BB2 ready and primed... just want to be sure I won't mess anything up.

One big snag is that I don't have the original 3.9 CD for this installation.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

One big snag is that I don't have the original 3.9 CD for this installation.

Yeah, you'll need that.  The BB installers access files on the disk.  Fortunately you can still buy it new from many places:

http://www.vesalia.de/e_os39.htm

http://amigastore.eu/en/261-amiga-os-39.html

http://amiga.amedia-computer.com/index.php/catalogue/infos/1/4/ACF_AOS39

Also I recommend this, but your mileage may vary.  

[scuzzb494]

I have searched high and low on the web and have been unable to get an answer to these two very simple, it would appear, questions.

01: Does the original prepatched OS3.9 'without' BB1 and BB2 support a second partition, that is not the boot partition, greater than 4GB. i.e. 12GB [ note I have a boot partition of 2GB ]

02: If I want to install BB1 and BB2 will I need the exact same OS3.9 CD that installed the OS or can I use another OS3.9 CD. Does the checking process look for a serial number.

At the moment HDToolBox shows the partitions as 2GB Boot and 12GB second. I really don't want to carry on filling the large hard drive if its going to cause me a problem.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

(1) Sounds like it does, because it's working for you.  However there were a number of problems that were fixed by the Boing Bags.  Personally - if it were me - I wouldn't use the system without them.  It's the whole "just asking for trouble" thing.  Get the system running right, updated and stable, before using it for any critical work.  

(2) It validates against files on the disk.  Specifically some multimedia video files and a few others - a full list  was posted by someone else in another 3.9 thread a month or two ago.  The only difference might be if you have the pink ("Second Edition") or red pressing of the disk.

You should probably read this FAQ:  http://www.gregdonner.org/os39faq/os39faq.html

[paul1981]

Hi

I am using an A4000D to back up all my Amiga software into ADF format and I have like a very large mountain to climb doing this. I have noted that the A4000D running OS3.9 is formatted with two volumes, one Workbench at 2GB and the other Work at 11GB. Should I be worried about the size of these partitions, particularly the 11GB, as losing data as it gets full is going to be very frustrating.

Download Thomas's check4gb tool from here:

http://thomas-rapp.homepage.t-online.de/download.html

http://thomas-rapp.homepage.t-online.de/downloads/check4gb.lha

Run it, and your questions as to the safety of your partitions will be duly answered.

Let's keep things simple