16GB Flash drive...how to set up to use as boot drive

[AmigaFun]

Hi everyone.

OK, first off, I admit I dont know what I am doing with this.

I need to replace my aged 2GB hard disk, so I have bought a CF adapter for IDE, and a 16GB Compact flash card. I use OS 3.9, and that has seen the drive, and using Hard Disk Toolbox in OS 3.9, used the GUI to slide the arrows to (I think) create 3 partitions. One is 1gb with the bootable box checked, the other two partitions are about 7GB each. I clicked save and it said all data will be destroyed (good) so there we are, I think I have partitioned it.
But, the drive does not display on my screen so I cant format them. I have downloaded SFS, but what do I do with it? I have dragged SFS into 'L', but the archive has loads of files in it and I just glazed over looking at it all.

The aim is to:
1) Prep the CF card into 3 partitions
2) Drag my OS 3.9 partition onto the 1 GB section on the CF card and boot from that in future.
3) Drag the rest of my stuff from the old drive onto the CF card and ditch the old 2.1GB drive

Anyone out there who can help me on this please?

Thanks

[AmigaFun]

Hang on.

I think I might have found the answer to this a while back.

[AmigaFun]

Hang on.

I think I might have found the answer to this a while back.

Right, I am back at square one.

I have got as far as moving my OS partition from my old drive to the CF card, but on loading it's moaning about 'please insert Work and please insert Workbench' . I think I know why that is but I am just stuck.

I need advice please on this.

So, I think my origional question still stands.

Thanks again

[AmigaFun]

Put the SFS in your L: and in HD toolbox make sure that when you partition the drives you select SFS instead of the default one (you'll need to "browse" for the correct system via the partitioning option).

OK, I have put 'SmartFileSystem' directly in my 'L' draw. Then went in HDToolBox and found the option for selecting the filesystem, but the one that loads up is called '0X0' . So I selected that and again partitioned the drive, but while I formated DH0 (1GB) alright, when I try to format the other partitions (7GB each) it just says DH1 Busy. Its then doing nothing. How do I know that it's formatting in SFS? Do I need to use something other than the normal Format menu??

Thanks again

[AmigaFun]

You need to change the DOSType to the hex equivalent of SFS/01 - the docs should have the specific value.

Ermm, what do you mean?

[AmigaFun]

Enter 0x53465300 in the Identifier field (which is SFS\00 in hex, not SFS\01 as I originally posted) when you add SmartFileSystem to the RDB.

It still don't like it. I had to choose 'custom file system' for the identifier field to become active. But again trying to quick format the larger partition it just says 'DH1 Busy' and freezes up

[AmigaFun]

From the main partitioning screen, click Add/Change Filesystem. If SFS is in the window that comes up, delete it. Now add it again from the L: directory and enter the identifier above. Now when you create a partition, click Change Filesystem, and SFS\00 should be one of the options in the cycle gadget.

Thanks Matt, will give it another go when I get a chance.

Cheers

[AmigaFun]

I admit defeat. I have not been able to do what I wanted. I got as far as formatting my first partition, then whe I try to format my 2nd partition it just say's 'Busy' . I have also just tried WinUAE, with no success.

Has ANYONE actually managed to do anything similar under OS3.9 and got it to work?

[AmigaFun]

I have tried again. When ever I load the filesystem from 'L', I never see any referance to 'SFS/00 or 01' , it loads up saying 'CUSTOM FILE SYSTEM FAT\01, or, CFS\00'

I can see no way to make the identifier stay as 53465300, it's either always greyed out or just defaults to 0X00000000.

[AmigaFun]

guide

I have followed as closley as I can to the guide, but the same thing happens when I attempt to format another partition bigger than 500mb, it just hangs there with DH1:Busy all the time. The 500mb partition looked like it formatted ok using the Shell command.

What gives?

[AmigaFun]

Use this to setup the CF instead of HDToolbox:
http://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/hdinst
That might do it, at least it did for me with 2 of my 8GB CF's.

Hi Buzzfuzz

thanks for the link. I have got as far ,using that program, to loading in the new filesystem SFS, but it does not show up in select file system cycle box. No referance to SFS\00 at all anywhere.

[AmigaFun]

I have given up on the origional plan. Now set up with <500mb partition for OS3.9, then split the drive up into 1.8GB partitions.
Seem OK but Sysinfo reports it is slower than the old hard disk, however I could swear it's a bit quicker on loading up.
I have a seperate question now, but I will start a new thread for that if I can't find the answer here.