Compact Flash card - how to format/partition and install WB?

[RGB_gamer]

I have a Compact Flash card, which is 4gb, and a compatible CF to IDE card. I am going to use it with my CD32 with SX32 MK II. The card is currently formatted for FAT32, so how do I format it to work on my system?
I have had a lot of trouble doing it with WinUAE, and I have read many threads about it (they all seem to hard drives needing to be RDB partitioned, but obviously this thing isn't. I want to install workbench 3.1 on it.

Perhaps there is a way to format/partition it with some sort of special CD?

Thanks for the help!

[Thomas]

It's difficult to help if you don't say which tutorial you followed and at which step you stumbled.

You need to create an RDB and a bootable partition first, otherwise it will not work in your CD32. Use HDToolbox (from the Tools directory of an installed WB 3.1 or on the Install3.1 floppy disk) or HDInstTool (from Aminet) to do this. Once the partition exists, it's just a matter of copying the OS files to it. This can be done with the install script from the Install3.1 floppy disk or manually.

[RGB_gamer]

It's difficult to help if you don't say which tutorial you followed and at which step you stumbled.

You need to create an RDB and a bootable partition first, otherwise it will not work in your CD32. Use HDToolbox (from the Tools directory of an installed WB 3.1 or on the Install3.1 floppy disk) or HDInstTool (from Aminet) to do this. Once the partition exists, it's just a matter of copying the OS files to it. This can be done with the install script from the Install3.1 floppy disk or manually.

do you know of a tutorial? I have been looking for hours on how to do this. I finally got to the point in HDToolbox where I can partition and I am wondering what to do next...My 4gb CF card is currently formatted for FAT. Do I need to partition it in a different tool before trying it in HDToolbox?

[Thomas]

Run HDToolbox, go to Install Drive, Define New, Read Configuration, Ok, Ok, Partition Drive, change partitions as desired, make sure that at least one has the "bootable" box checked, ok, Save Changes to Drive, Exit, reboot. Now the new partition(s) should appear on the desktop as unformatted. Select one at a time and choose "Format drive" from the icon menu, enter a name and click on "Quick". Now the partition is ready to store files. To avoid problems with negative numbers you should make partitions not bigger than 2GB.

If HDToolbox does not show the HDD, select its icon, choose "Information" from the icon menu and check the tooltypes. There should be one reading DEVICE=scsi.device without brackets around it. Make sure that the name (scsi.device) matches the name of the driver of your HDD controller. For most Amiga models it's scsi.device. For WinUAE's built-in controller it's uaehf.device. I don't know which name the SX32 uses. Change the tooltype accordingly, save the icon and run HDToolbox again.

[RGB_gamer]

Run HDToolbox, go to Install Drive, Define New, Read Configuration, Ok, Ok, Partition Drive, change partitions as desired, make sure that at least one has the "bootable" box checked, ok, Save Changes to Drive, Exit, reboot. Now the new partition(s) should appear on the desktop as unformatted. Select one at a time and choose "Format drive" from the icon menu, enter a name and click on "Quick". Now the partition is ready to store files. To avoid problems with negative numbers you should make partitions not bigger than 2GB.

For some reason, HDToolbox lists two drives. SCSI ID 1 is the only one that I can work with. SCSI ID 0 give me an error which says, "Drive does not support the SCSI inquiry command" if I Read Configuration. I have a 4gb CF drive and this will be going into my CD32 with SX32, which as I understand, is an A1200.
I did all that you said, and when I go to save the changes, it doesn't work. Also, when I go to Define a New Drive Type, I go to Read Configuration, and the capacity is negative.

[/QUOTE]
If HDToolbox does not show the HDD, select its icon, choose "Information" from the icon menu and check the tooltypes. There should be one reading DEVICE=scsi.device without brackets around it. Make sure that the name (scsi.device) matches the name of the driver of your HDD controller. For most Amiga models it's scsi.device. For WinUAE's built-in controller it's uaehf.device. I don't know which name the SX32 uses. Change the tooltype accordingly, save the icon and run HDToolbox again.[/QUOTE]


I don't know what the SX32 uses either, but I am trying to set this drive up in WinUAE. I am using a .hdf file that a guy gave me. Should I try just using a generic workbench .hdf with .adf file? I have been at this for like 6 hours and nothing works.

[Thomas]

SCSI ID 0 give me an error which says, "Drive does not support the SCSI inquiry command" if I Read Configuration.

This is the HDF. You shouldn't touch it if you want to continue using it.

the capacity is negative.

HDToolbox cannot display numbers bigger than 2GB correctly. But it's only a cosmetic problem, don't worry about it.

I did all that you said, and when I go to save the changes, it doesn't work.

What happens ? Error message ?

[RGB_gamer]

When I go to select my CF card before starting WinUAE, what settings do I choose? I always choose read/write, and UAE for HD Controller.
As far as  when I try to partition or make any changes to the CF card, I choose to save changes to drive, but then status goes to Not Changed.

[Thomas]

then status goes to Not Changed

That's how it should be. It means there are no changes since you saved last time. Now click on Exit. It might or might not ask you to reboot. Reboot anyway.

[amiga1260]

I found a link of a manual to install Workbench on a CF card.

http://www.amigascene.nl/download/Amiga1200CF-v0_8.pdf

[RGB_gamer]

That's how it should be. It means there are no changes since you saved last time. Now click on Exit. It might or might not ask you to reboot. Reboot anyway.

tried all that already. Still not working.

I have Include removeable drives and automount removeable drives checked before starting winuae. Is there some sort of step by step tutorial for setting up compact flash drives larger than 2gb (in my case 4gb) that aren't amiga formatted? Most of the time when I right click on HDtoolbox and go to icons->information, there is nothing in the Tool Types area. I am using the latest version of WinUAE

[Thomas]

Please stop saying "not working" without anything else. I am sick of asking for details. Describe what you did, what you expected to happen and what happened instead.

If you are using Vista or Windows7, Windows will not write to the CF card if there are PC partitions mounted on it. Open a DOS prompt and enter diskpart.  In DiskPart enter list disk. Identify the CF card and enter select disk n. Replace n by the number of the CF card. Enter list disk again and check that the right disk is marked with a '*'. Enter clean and then list disk once more. It should now show the entire capacity as empty. Leave DiskPart with exit. Remove the USB drive safely and plug it back in. If Windows asks you to format the empty CF, do *not* do it. Now try WinUAE again.

[RGB_gamer]

Please stop saying "not working" without anything else. I am sick of asking for details. Describe what you did, what you expected to happen and what happened instead.

If you are using Vista or Windows7, Windows will not write to the CF card if there are PC partitions mounted on it. Open a DOS prompt and enter diskpart.  In DiskPart enter list disk. Identify the CF card and enter select disk n. Replace n by the number of the CF card. Enter list disk again and check that the right disk is marked with a '*'. Enter clean and then list disk once more. It should now show the entire capacity as empty. Leave DiskPart with exit. Remove the USB drive safely and plug it back in. If Windows asks you to format the empty CF, do *not* do it. Now try WinUAE again.

Thanks for the tip. Now, what do I need to do to partition/format and ultimately install Workbench 3.1 on my CF card now that it's empty? Can I somehow transfer the contents from the HDF file to it? Or do I need to choose a bunch of ADF Workbench 3.1 from the WinUAE options and start up WinUAE?

[Thomas]

Now, what do I need to do to partition/format and ultimately install Workbench 3.1 on my CF card now that it's empty?

What I said above: HDToolbox, install, partition, save, reboot, format. Once you have a bootable Amiga partition, you can copy whichever system files you want to it. ClassicWB, AmigaSys, Workbench from ADFs, whatever you like and runs on your Amiga.

Can I somehow transfer the contents from the HDF file to it?

To copy all files from one partition to another open an AmigaDOS Shell window and enter

copy xxx:#? yyy: all clone

replace xxx by the name of the source drive and yyy by the destination drive.

Or do I need to choose a bunch of ADF Workbench 3.1 from the WinUAE options and start up WinUAE?

You can do this if you want a clean basic 3.1 installation, but you don't need to. You can as well copy a working configuration from another partition, be it a HDF or whatever.

[RGB_gamer]

I am using the Workbench 3.1 install .adf disk, and when I go to HDToolbox, it doesn't see my CF card at all.

[Thomas]

Follow the second paragraph of this post: http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?p=545199#post545199