Argghhh...rkauer? Somebody help...

[Mallette]

Thanks guys, lots of responses.  I've had to open a second copy on another screen to be able to reply...

guru666: Yep'em, I managed to get HDF files made of the SimStation drives as well as copies to an IDE disk I managed to format.  However, I cannot format an IDE drive on the 4000D as I have no WB floppies or way to make them.  If you wish to help (and once I am up, I have rather a significant store of Amiga software I can send you a list of to reciprocate...off list, off course) the address is:
David A. Mallette
2617 Vermillion
Seabrook, Texas 77586

I do indeed have legal versions of WB 2.X and 3.X.

Thomas:  I go to My Computer>Manage>Storage>Disk Management and delete the partition.  Basically, "unprep" for Windoze.

As to formating from an icon, I am pretty sure that's how I got the one I've managed to format done.  Otherwise, it must have shown up in either WinUAE Hard Drive mount or HDToolbox, or both without any tooltype change.  However, I'll try that this evening if I have time. BTW, SCSI drives ALWAYS show up in WinUAE Hard Drive mount options.  

AMI_gfx: Drive is fine, if old and showing signs of bearing wear.  It formats and checks out OK in Windoze.  I tried both USB and slave to primary connections.  Both work (or in this case, don't) with identical results.

Again, thanks to all for the responses.  I'll keep at it until I get results.  I am most excited both to get SimStation preserved, but also to get back to using DPaint and such as productivity tools in my work for which there remain no acceptable Windoze alternatives.

Kind regards to the group,
Dave

PS - Forgot about Motorllin: That's the problem...nothing shows up in the WinUAE config Hard Drives tab except SCSI drives (if present).

Dave

[vic20owner]

Try removing it from the bios.. set the amiga drive to "Not Installed".  

This was the only way I could get WinUAE to work with my Amiga harddrive because windows kept taking over the drive.

[Thomas]

I go to My Computer>Manage>Storage>Disk Management and delete the partition.

This only removes the partition, it does not remove the MBR. WinUAE looks for an MBR, it does not care about partitions being present or not.

Basically, "unprep" for Windoze.

That's not correct. As I said before, there is no way to "unprep" a HDD with Windows only. If you connect a completely new HDD to the PC, Disk Management does not allow you to add partitions. The option is just missing. You first have to right-click on the left part (where "drive 0" or something like this is written) and choose "initialize". This writes an MBR to the disk and allows you to add partitions. Once the MBR has been written, there is no way to remove it without special software. And as long as there is an MBR, WinUAE will ignore the drive, no matter if there are partitions or not. You have to use "-disableharddrivesafetycheck" in this case, even if you delete all partitions.

Bye,
Thomas

[Mallette]

Well, it is formating.  Basically operator error, I am sure.  Lots of sequence to get just right for a an old Amigan for whom much water has passed under the bridge, especially when mixed with Windoze issues as well...

So, when it's done I'll be loading Workbench to get the A4000D back into service first, then I'll start trying to troubleshoot the SimStation boot issue.

More fun to come...

I am just going to copy the WinUAE system files over.  Will that work to start?

Dave