Installing PFS3AIO on Amiga OS3.2

[jaesonk]

I used PFS3 in the past on other systems.  I only have FFS partitions under OS3.2 on the current Amiga.  I downloaded PFS3AIO from Aminet but it doesn't include an installer or documentation for install/setup.

Do I just copy the files to L: then add the filesystem in HDToolBox?  What ID should be used?  Any other particulars to be aware of?

Can PSF3AIO be used for boot partitions?

Thanks.

[AndyFC]

Hi there. Yes PFSAIO can be used on boot partitions, I have it installed on my CF card which I boot from.

I needed to install it on a new drive earlier this week and couldn't remember some of the settings so found the included AmigaGuide doc very useful. I also found this page and the section called "Optional: Use the pfs3 file system" https://johan.driessen.se/posts/Setting-up-a-Compact-Flash-card-with-Classic-Workbench-and-WHDLoad-for-Amiga-600-1200/.

You then need to format the partition so you will lose any existing data.

[jaesonk]

Thank you for the link.  I will take a look at this.

[Boing-ball]

I used PFS3 in the past on other systems.  I only have FFS partitions under OS3.2 on the current Amiga.  I downloaded PFS3AIO from Aminet but it doesn't include an installer or documentation for install/setup.

Do I just copy the files to L: then add the filesystem in HDToolBox?  What ID should be used?  Any other particulars to be aware of?

Can PSF3AIO be used for boot partitions?

Thanks.

Plenty of topics on this subject in the web.

As a rule I use the following DOS Identifier for PFS which is: 50465303

Good luck.

[Tumbleweed]

This is what  I did when installing pfs3aio

1. Downloaded pf3aio from aminet (https://aminet.net/disk/misc/pfs3aio.lha)
2. Extracted the archive to RAM:
3. Copied pfs3aio to L: [note the extract generates two files in ram: pfs3aio and pfs3aio-custom. I used pfs3aio) if you want you can extract direct to L:
4. Opened HDToolBox [you will find it in the Tools drawer]
5. Selected Partition Drive
6. Select Advanced Options [will bring up additional buttons & options]
7. Click Add/Update ...
8. Click Add New File System
9. Navigate to L: and select pfs3aio that was saved in step 3 [alternatively type L:pfs3aio) and then click "OK"
10. Dos Type is: 0x50465303; Version is 19 and Revision is 2. Click OK
11. Select the partition you want to use PFS3AIO; Click "Change"
12. Select PFS\03 in the file System Drop Down
13. Identifier should be the same as step 10
14. MASK = 0x7FFFFFFE (Six Fs)
15. MAX Transfer = 0xFFFFFF (Six Fs)
16. File System Block Size. I've set mine to 512 but you can set different values depending on your set up / drive capacity.
17. Tick Automount this partition (if not already ticked)
18. Click "OK".
19. In the main HDToolBox screen click "bootable" if you want to make it a bootable partition else leave unticked.
20. Set buffers (I have mine set at 300 for my boot partition and 512 for my larger work partitions - note: the larger the buffer the more ram you need. I've got 128MB on my CSMKII)
20. Click "OK"
21. Reboot the Amiga (it may ask you to do this after clicking OK).

Note: when changing values (Mask, Max Transfer etc) always hit "Return". If you don't the values you enter wont be retained.

See screen shots attached.

Weed

[Agauser]

Hi,

Good explanation but the Max Transfer value that worked in my A1200 was 0x1FE00. With the value  0xFFFFFF I was getting errors like the attached one.

Thx!

[F0LLETT]

I would say there is an issue with your drive.

I have my SD setup exactly as described in post before yours and never had any errors.
I think different devices react differently depending on what filesystem is used.

I do however set block size to 1024 for boot (2gb) and my larger drives (28gb each) as 4096.

As a rule I use the following DOS Identifier for PFS which is: 50465303

Why not Direct Scsi PFS3?

[Boing-ball]

I use PFS3 and it can be hit and miss with the Max Transfer. Normally OS 3.2 will set this to the max. But have had SD card issues with this setting. I use DOS 0x50465303. But this is on version 19.2.
Now I have been brave and use Tony Willens Version 20.0 BETA which works great! By the way 19.2 (Current public release) doesn’t  use anything past 1024 block size even though HDToolBox will set it. Version 20.0 does and works well, even fixes a tonne of issues I was having with 19.2.

[Munchkin]

I use PFS3 and it can be hit and miss with the Max Transfer. Normally OS 3.2 will set this to the max. But have had SD card issues with this setting. I use DOS 0x50465303. But this is on version 19.2.
Now I have been brave and use Tony Willens Version 20.0 BETA which works great! By the way 19.2 (Current public release) doesn’t  use anything past 1024 block size even though HDToolBox will set it. Version 20.0 does and works well, even fixes a tonne of issues I was having with 19.2.

Where can that Beta be found?

[Boing-ball]

1st post here:

https://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=115072

[Munchkin]

1st post here:

https://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=115072

Strange. I've seen that thread before without seeing the attachment. Time to do some testing then!

[F0LLETT]

Strange. I've seen that thread before without seeing the attachment. Time to do some testing then!

Same, never even knew there was a beta. Thought it would have been pusched by now, as its from last year.

[Boing-ball]

Same, never even knew there was a beta. Thought it would have been pusched by now, as its from last year.

Yeah, when I was on there before the bald one spat his dummy out 🤦🏻‍♂️ and got me kicked off. I was in conversation with Toni about it. I think there was another thread somewhere, where people were testing it? I asked Toni when it was to be released properly? All I got was “When it’s ready and it won’t corrupt data”. Been using the Beta release over a year without incident 🤞🏻 Sorts out a lot of issues I had with 19.2 (3.1) current release. Can use it with zip and Jaz drives as well. The 4096 block size works really well 👍🏻