PFS3 vs SFS

[CU_AMiGA]

This is all very well but how the HELL do i get SFS up and running? I have wiped out all of my Hard Drive and got rid of FFS cos people recommened SFS and when i try to get SFS installed and usable then people don't bother replying when i am in trouble!!! I am so tempted to go back to FFS, the HD may have been ####ted up, but at least it was half working.

(and yes i am angry)

@lempkee

I have read the SFS docs and it is to my knowledge that 512k blocksize is used and not 1024.

[CU_AMiGA]

The problem is that the HDToolsbox doesn't seem to save half the settings. It save the custom file system bit (where smartfilesystem would be) but the rest of the settings won't have it, and all hell breaks loose, meaning it won't save them. But i will have another go at it tonight. Maybe listening to Red Hot Chilli Peppers will inspire me and calm my nerves down.

Incidently, what are the improtant settings that need to be saved? Thanks for the replies by the way. I didn't mean to sound rude just a little bit frustrated that i seem to get problem after problem it seems like for me at the moment. I just wan't a system that is rock solid, like it was in the first half of the year.

Regards,

[CU_AMiGA]

The docs only say what settings you need to put down. I understand this, but i tried it and it lokked alright, including the Max tranfer, but the bugger will not save at all. Am i missing something? Do i need another tool? It says i need to edit the RDB, is this actually done in HDToolBox? How would i know when SFS is actually working?

[CU_AMiGA]

HDToolBox version is default version, or the one from the Amiga OS 3.9 CD.

I use a 30gig IDE Hard Drive, i also have a Power Flyer installed.

I used the version from this website:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~hjohn/SFS/download.htm

Not sure what version it is, i think its BETA, v1.58. Is this version good?

[CU_AMiGA]

What do you mean by data framiga? HDToolBox settings? I have backed up all the cotents of my Hard Drive if thats what you mean.

Where can i get the latest version of SFS, or the version that everbody else is using?!

[CU_AMiGA]

Thanks Framiga, i will have a look. Then what do i do?

[CU_AMiGA]

Framiga, I think you gave me the wrong file, or my email account is on the blink. I downloaded the link but got the file "showletter.html" and it just shows the email you sent me again!  :-?

-edit-

oh wait i just solved the problem. Thanks for the file. I will try it out later. What do i do with it and whats in the file?

[CU_AMiGA]

:lol:

Yeah. Thats what i need! A total idiots guide to installing SFS! I will follow that guide EXACTLY! Thanks again for the file and guide Framiga. Very helpful.

Regards,

[CU_AMiGA]

Okay i set up my Hard Drive yesterday. Partitions MDH0,2,3,4 are for Wrokbench and other entertainment and games. MDH1 is for the SFS (L:smartfilesystem and the C:tools). Here's the partitions:

MDH0: Workbench 1.9g
MDH1: Important 1.9m
MDH2: Games 10g
MDH3: Multimedia 10g
MDH4: Macintosh 3.9g

The Information says:

MDH0,2,3,4:

Handler: Smartfilesystem 1.212 (0000)
Blocksize: 512

MDH1:

Handler: fs 45.9 (DOS0)
Blocksize: 1000

I set these up to what people described. I now have the following information in my HDToolBox:

MDH0,2,3,4:

On Add/Update:

Filesystem name: smartfilesystem (customfilesystem)
Identifier: 0x00000000

On Change:

Identifier: 0x00000000
Mask : 0x7FFFFFE (default)
Max Transfer: 0x0001FE00
Blocksize: 512

The HDToolBox settings for MDH1: are default, same as FFS Amiga OS 3.9.

Well everything seems to be working okay so far. I have reinstalled the operating system (Amiga OS 3.9) and also CGFX, if someone could confirm i am on the right track then i will then carry on installing the rest. It seems to recognise SFS. One thing i wonder, is it possible to not use MDH1 (with SFS on) and just put SFS on MDH0: before setting up the partitions, and then, using my spare Hard Drive, QUICK FORMAT on MDH0: and then copy SFS over to it. Is this possible?

Regards,

[CU_AMiGA]

NNNOOO!!! :-(

Damn! I thought i was doing it right and it was okay. The indentifier bit is ghosted but shows them numbers. I will reset up my HD partitions and type them down again. Is that the only bit i done wrong? Are there any other figures i need to put down? Also do i need that seperate partition with SFS on, MDH1:

[CU_AMiGA]

Okay. I have reset up my Hard Drive again:

MDH0: Workbench 1.9g
MDH1: Entertainment 22.7g
MDH2: Macintosh 3.9g

This time i put all the SFS files including L:Smartfilesystem and C:Tool files on the Workbench partition and set everything up with the help of my spare Hard Drive.

Info on all the partitions MDH0,1,2:

Same as before apart from:

Handler: Smartfilesystem 1.212 (SFS0)

On the HDToolBox:

Change:

Filesystem: SFS\00
Identifier: 0x53465300 (not 0x43465300, docs said what i put down) - GHOSTED
Mask/Max Transfer: (default)
Blocksize:512

Add/Update:

Filesystem: L:smartfilesystem (Custom File System SFS\00)
Identfier: As stated above.

I have also set the buffers to 100.

I had to manually type down the idenfier and press return to enter it in, that's probably why it did not save before! :-) Anyway, have i finally cracked it, i have installed the usual so far and i have had no troublt. I left the Mask/Max Transfer as they were.

[CU_AMiGA]

@Framiga

So you are actually saying i got it right this time! :-)

The answer to your question:

I used the HDToolBox from Amiga OS 3.9, but i will take a look and see if it works in the other version if you like.

Make the identifier: 0x53465300
What is your Mask and Max Transfer?
Did you disable FFS flags?

[CU_AMiGA]

@Framiga

My only guess is the identifier. It must be 53465300, why have you got 43465300? That is the best i could do. Try it anyhow.

[CU_AMiGA]

JetRacer wrote:
I've poked around abit with SFS and I can tell you that there are many pitfalls.

First of all: the docs are not up to date; they reflect the old 1.58 (I think). The ID you want is the one the filesystem list states, not the docs(!).

The identifier have changed several times during devlopment.

And people: you MUST use the update feature in HDToolbox properly when trying to update SFS! Don't just add the new version to the list and start typing the new ID to partitions(!). Click the add/update button, select the old version, click update and click the new version (wherever it's located). Then save changes and you're done. Without data loss(!).

I use a blocksize of 1024 with SFS. It's real fast. However there are people who get serius performance issues and I don't know why.
The file handling benchmark included in the SFS archive says my SFS partitions are about as fast as the RAM disk (filehandling! not transfer rates nor seektimes!).

My best guess so far is that some people may have increased the read-ahead and that cripples performance seriusly. Or they don't add enough buffers to their partitions. Using A500? :-) Who knows?

Disagreed.

1. If something important like the change of the Identifier would happen then i am 100% sure that this would be mentioned in the doc.

2. I tried that little instruction you wrote out and i got the same Identifier! I clicked Add/Update button, then clicked update on the current SFS i was using then clicked the one in L and i got the same results!

3. The HDToolBox/Info recognises the filesystem as SFS\00 and Filesystem: smartfilesystem (Custom File System SFS\00). The SFS\00 is also on the list.

4. I heard that Blocksize should be 512, but is usable in 1024, if the right speed Hard Drive / options is used.

Just for the record, my Identifier is 53465300 and the version i use is 1.212. What is your version and Identifier?

@Framiga

Have you sorted your SFS out yet?

[CU_AMiGA]

@Framiga,

I used the other HDToolBox and it recognised the filesystem as SFS\00 and filesystem: smartfilesystem (custom file sysem SFS\00), or in other words the same as before.

I thought you said you were having problems with SFS, that was the whole point of this thread wasn't it? Speed problems.