HDD disk block errors

[Fizzy]

Hi,

I have an A4000D with CSII 060/50 installed, 3.1 roms and os3.9.  Also have recently fitted a 40 GB samsung drive on the internal IDE connector.

I created my first partition as 2GB (system), 2nd as 8GB (programs) and 3rd as 27GB/rest of disk (data).

When the machine loads into workbench, I get to "read error" messages.  First says there is a read error on data, block 14313096, and then a read error on programs on block 4194792.  If I click on "retry" it carries on fine.

If I use the "noromupdate" option for setpatch, this doesn't happen? I've also done some calculations, and the block it seems to be having problems with on each partition is right in the middle/centre block - file system header/rdb possibly?

Anybody any ideas?    

Regards,

- Ian.

[Thomas]

If I use the "noromupdate" option for setpatch, this doesn't happen?

Probably because without the rom update it is not able to access a single block above 4GB, so it just stays quiet.

 I've also done some calculations, and the block it seems to be having problems with on each partition is right in the middle/centre block - file system header/rdb possibly?

File system root block. RDB is in the first block of the entire HDD and if it could not read it, you would get the insert-disk animation.

You should install Boingbag 1 and 2 and make sure that the latest FastFileSystem is installed in HDToolbox.

Bye,
Thomas

[Fizzy]

Hi

Thanks for the help - odd thing is that with the noromupdate option, I can still see the 2 drives beyond the 4gb limit?  I can open files etc too so its not just reading directory contents...  

I have boing bag 1 installed - not too sure about BB2 though.  I'll have to see if I can get hold of it anywhere.

The fastfilesystem in indeed installed on the RDB - I ensured that it was updated a while back.  Version 45.13 apparantly.  

Not sure if thats the very latest - any hints as to where I can find a list of the different versions of scsi.device?

Just bought a kickflash os4 card too to try and help speed up boots and the like.  It doesn't like it when I try enabling its patching features when I have my buddha card installed (original not flash version) - I think its interfeering with the scsi.device driver that it uses.  

Just so you know, I had the problems mentioned above before I installed the kickflash - so its not still seeing beyond the 4gb limit because the kickflash is patching scsi.device.  

...also just bought a pegasosII with morphos as well, so I'm having a play with that.  Makes a great change from my normal pc stuff.  

[Fizzy]

Hmm... this is getting wierd!

Checked and there was a line at the top of the startup-sequence that loaded IDEFix.  I guess this was activating a patch/hack to get past the 4gb limit.

So I commented out the line, and then re-enabled rom updates with setpatch.....

....and it patches, reboots, a quick flicker off the disk led and the machine crashes, and then comes up with a guru meditation error.

If I disable rom updates again, it loads workbench fine - but can no longer see the 2 drives beyond the 4gb limit.  So looks like it was IDEFix all along.

So I backed up all my data off the 2 "offending" partitions, then removed them (to be left with a single 2 GB "system" drive at the beginning of the disk).

On starting now, the machine starts up, loads setpatch/rom updates, reboots, starts to load for a sec and then just sits there with a blank screen and the hdd led stuck on?

Removed the kickflash while I was doing all this to take it out of the equation by the way.  

If the system was built with idefix active, has it set something up thats incompatible with the os 3.9+bb2 scsi.device?

Can't recall having all this problem before.....

[Framiga]

you have to use IdeFix again. (better if installed resident with LoadIDE)

So . . . check to have the LoadIDE command in C: (it loads IdeFIX scsi.device resident)

The first 2 lines in S-S should be:

C:LoadIDE START QUIET

C:SetPatch SKIPROMUPDATES "scsi.device" QUIET

Good luck :-)


 

[Fizzy]

Hi Framiga,

you have to use IdeFix again. (better if installed resident with LoadIDE)

Well, I was kinda working along those lines now anyhow, but was under the assumption that the newer standard scsi.device and file system were able to deal with 4GB+ partitions/disks.  

Just wondered why using the "proper" way so to speak would effect my disks like this?

So . . . check to have the LoadIDE command in C: (it loads IdeFIX scsi.device resident)

Yup it is and thats what its been using previously.

The first 2 lines in S-S should be:

C:LoadIDE START QUIET

C:SetPatch SKIPROMUPDATES "scsi.device" QUIET

At the moment I have managed to get the machine to at least boot to the point where it starts complaining about the disk now.  If I use the bb2 scsi device (43.43?) when it tries booting off the disk it complains about it not being a valid dos disk now, yet if I skip rom updates its visible as normal.

So I have hooked up an old scsi drive to my cyberscsi, set that up as a boot disk, copied the contents of the ide boot disk and booted off that with the new scsi.device in place.

Sure enough, on booting up its reporting that the ide boot partition is not a valid dos disk.  So I am in the process of reinstalling it, formatting etc within hdtoolbox with all rom updates in place (as its not effecting genuine scsi ).

I'll see if this has any effect.......

.....or do you HAVE to use idefix on workbench 3.9 for big disks?  (Thought newer updates coped ok natively?)

Regards,

- Ian.

[Framiga]

i'm not 100% sure if you can use safely the BB2 scsi.device with FFS and large HDs.

Thomas is the right man for this :-) (i've always used IdeFix and PFS3 and/or SFS with large partitions)

[AmigaMance]

 I wonder why there are still ppl using FFS. I can't think of a reason. :roll:

[Fizzy]

AmigaMance wrote:
 I wonder why there are still ppl using FFS. I can't think of a reason. :roll:

Well, I can.  FFS comes with the os (regardless of how "bad" it may be )PFS3 is (still is?) a commercial product.  I do have pfs2 but had a number of problems with it, do never upgraded.

As for SFS - Isn't that just "standard file system" rather than "fast file system", or something different?  Been a little while since I last used the amiga properly..

edit:  Just realised its the newer "smart file system"...  :-D

[Framiga]

ah sure! i usually don't like to force anyone to "use this" or "don't use that" but honestly, its XMas and i highly reccomend SFS for your new partitions.

Bye :-)

EDIT- try a Search here on AOrg with "Thomas SFS" or so.

You will find a lot interesting threads about Amiga filesystems