Is there a way to run the format command from RAM?

[kedawa]

I have a massive stack of old PC disks to test and an A500 with only one floppy drive, and I would like to set it up so that I don't have to insert the Workbench 1.3 disk every time I want to format a disk.

I've tried making the command resident, but it gives me an error, and I've tried putting format in the ram disk, but it still asks for the disk, even though the ram disk is in the system path.

I don't know what else to try.

[ChaosLord]

Put format in RAM:

Then type in shell
RAM:Format df0:

[Matt_H]

I can't think of a reason that shouldn't work. Trying specifying RAM:format in the shell. Alternatively, set up your system in RAD:.

[orange]

I'd use d-copy. its a better way to test the disk. iirc, it has 'safe' option which verifies after finishing complete diskette. 'normal' verifies after each track. because, sometimes the track can be ok just for a short time after writing, enough to verify as 'OK'. also d-copy lets you set speed and number of retries and more.

[kedawa]

Is that included with workbench?  Unfortunately I only have the disks that came with the Amiga and no way to get other software onto it.
Is RAM: the same as the ram disk?

Anyway, it's bed time, so I'll take another crack at it in the a.m.

[Matt_H]

Yes, it's the same. RAM: is the device name. "Ram Disk" is the volume name. Similarly, for your floppy drive, DF0: is the device name, "Workbench1.3" is the volume name of your disk.

RAD: is a recoverable Ram Disk that survives reboots. Hence, you can copy your Workbench disk to it and (warm) boot from it. I don't know how to configure it under 1.3, but I'm sure someone here can help with that.

[Bamiga2002]

Try

Code: [Select]

Assign SYS: RAM: add before format command.

[Thorham]

Try

Code: [Select]

Assign SYS: RAM: add before format command.

Won't work, because ASSIGN doesn't set the required paths. Copying FORMAT to RAM: and executing it from there will work. Just use 'CD RAM:' after copying. The system will look in the current directory first, and since this is now RAM:, it will find FORMAT there.

The only thing that will prevent this from working is if FORMAT needs some other files from the Workbench disk, and that I don't remember, although I find it highly unlikely that it does.

[Bamiga2002]

But if Format for some reason requests "Workbench1.3:" and that is assigned as SYS: (even if ran from RAM:), then assigning RAM: to SYS: would remove the annoying requester(?). Haven't tested it myself anyway.

[Thomas]

I have a massive stack of old PC disks to test and an A500 with only one floppy drive, and I would like to set it up so that I don't have to insert the Workbench 1.3 disk every time I want to format a disk.

I've tried making the command resident, but it gives me an error, and I've tried putting format in the ram disk, but it still asks for the disk, even though the ram disk is in the system path.

I don't know what else to try.

You can run format from the Shell as other people have already outlined. Copy the format program to ram: and in the shell window enter

ram:format drive df0: name empty99


Or, if you want to use the Initialize option from the Workbench menu, enter these commands in a shell window:

makedir ram:system
copy sys:system/format ram:system
assign sys: ram:

After that you can remove the Workbench floppy disk and don't need it again.

[Thomas]

Try

Code: [Select]

Assign SYS: RAM: add before format command.

'add' does not exist in 1.3.

[kedawa]

I just tried what Thomas suggested and it works fine now.
Thanks for the help everyone.
I'm assuming I can do this for other things as well, like diskcopy.
This will save me a lot of time when I back up all my stuff.

[desiv]

Can you "resident" the format command?

resident C:format
(Or something like that, not at my Amiga)..
Not sure if format is PURE or not..

desiv

[kedawa]

I tried both with and without the PURE argument, and it returned an error either way.

[kedawa]

'add' does not exist in 1.3.

Are you certain? according to this, the following line is part of a 1.3 startup-sequence:

path ram: c: sys:utilities sys:system s: sys:prefs add