Problem with Dynamic HDF

[tero]

I did my first steps with Dynamic HDF today, but no matter which config i use it ends always with Not a Dos disk in device dh0.

First i create them (2gb), boot from emergency-disk, quickformat,install OS3.9. All seems OK but after a reboot - not a dos disk
Second i setup a 3.1 first, seems OK - but after upgrade to 3.9 - not a dos disk. This was strange 'cause from emergency-disc dh0 was only ados after i quit WinUAE and restart - reset/restart from within uae results in 'not a dos disk'. eject df0 and 3.1 is booting without problems.

OK, this was with latest beta - tried 1.6.1 seems ok first but after a break for a Movie i started uae and again - not a dos disk

As it run fine with os3.1 (i have a 2nd setup with 3.1) i guess it is os3.9 who makes the trouble.

plz: Any ideas what i am doing wrong?

EDIT: Amikit mounts the vhd but can't write to it
in ClassicWB it's NDOS

[Toni Wilen]

Does winuae still recognise it as a vhd file? ("HDF is VHD dynamic image.." in the log)

Does hdtoolbox still recognise partitions?

[tero]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Does winuae still recognise it as a vhd file? ("HDF is VHD dynamic image.." in the log)

Yes

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Does hdtoolbox still recognise partitions?

No

i attach the winuae.log - you need the bootlog too? It does happen on all my used configs

[Toni Wilen]

"Final question": does it work if you use regular hardfile? (must use exact same size and configuration)

[tero]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

"Final question": does it work if you use regular hardfile? (must use exact same size and configuration)

Yes, it does - same setup except regular HDF (2000mb same as vhd)

[tero]

I tried a little more with other setup's :
After format it is write-protected(after reboot) or NDOS
Sometimes i can't even format the (new created) vhd
dh1:unformated=write-protected (isn't in log/uae hd-tab)

it happens on beta and 1.6.1
This is only with OS3.9 - 3.1 works

Long Story short:
It's not only on fresh OS3.9 install - It happens on every 3.9 setup i have

[Toni Wilen]

What do you mean by formatting? Do you use it as a partition hdf? (you said nothing about hdtoolbox)

Step by step instructions how to duplicate this, please.

[tero]

sorry for the late replay - real life's busy
(About used config i tried many different quickstartA1200/Amikit/my own)

set Quickstart a1200 4mb
creating new vhd - 2000mb
(i used different WB's here - own WB3.1/3.9; Amikit/ClassicWB;os3.9cd+e-disc)
use OS3.9cd+emergencyDisc
No HDToolbox - format from DesktopIcon's rightclickmenu
for format options only 'put Trashcan' and 'FastFileSystem' are ticked
install OS3.9 and reboot

Nothing special - that's how i tried first

Attached is a set (150kb) where the hd is reputed 'write-protected'
TestHD.rar
for this you only need a os3.9 CD (it's just one of my countless tries)
as i used different config's and setup's i thought this is the easiest way (or you may see something in config that force the trouble)

I hope this help

[Toni Wilen]

Are you absolutely sure it isn't caused by "too many cylinders" issue? You MUST increase number of surfaces (for example) until total number of cyls is less than 65536 in hardfile properties. Only OS3.9 will support this configuration, older versions use 16-bit arithmetic.

You should always use RDB hardfiles if they are equal or bigger than 1G.

(yes, you said non-vhd hardfile works but it is not guaranteed the problem appears immediately)

[thomas]

I did some tests yesterday, too, and got all kinds of strange errors, mainly telling the vhd is write protected. I booted from a 3.1 install disk and HDToolbox told me "error 28 on write". I booted from a readily installed 3.9 and HDtoolbox told me "error 7 on write". Then I added the vhd as one-partition HDF and when trying to format it, it told be "disk is write protected".

However, yesterday evening I did another test, at first got similar results, but then suddenly it worked. Same VHD, same config, don't know what changed.

BTW, you should allow ".vhd" in the add hardfile and create hardfile dialogues.

This all looks very similar to the problems with USB flash memory which were discussed some months ago: http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?p=570667#post570667

[tero]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Are you absolutely sure it isn't caused by "too many cylinders" issue? You MUST increase number of surfaces (for example) until total number of cyls is less than 65536 in hardfile properties. Only OS3.9 will support this configuration, older versions use 16-bit arithmetic.

Increase surfaces works with all my vhd's i've created for this
I never read about this before (Hmmm...or just didn't seen it)
THX

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

You should always use RDB hardfiles if they are equal or bigger than 1G.

OK, i will familiarize this (just to prevent future fault's)

btw: Thomas idea of a dialog seems fine to me, i guess this could be a easy trap for people doing this the first time.
How about a First time dialog?

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by tero

Increase surfaces works with all my vhd's i've created for this
I never read about this before (Hmmm...or just didn't seen it)
THX

Great.

Problem is that UAE makes it too easy to use "wrong" and non-existing harddrives (partition hardfiles) than normal but difficult and complex hdtoolbox method

Read-only problem is something completely different (and most likely is not vhd-specific), I managed to duplicate it only once..

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by tero

Attached is a set (150kb) where the hd is reputed 'write-protected'

Do you mean you always get write-protected error if you use this configuration? Do you also get it if you modify harddrives GUI list? (like add readwrite directory harddrive before or after the vhd hardfile?)

EDIT:

I guess it is time to add "sane" default regular hardfile geometry when drive is 512M or larger. This means you can't use "new" >=512M regular hardfiles in older UAE versions without configuration file (or modifying hardfile parameters). This shouldn't be a problem because most regular hardfiles that are meant to be "portable" are max 100M or so.

Also there is stupid bug in hardfile filesystem loader, if dostype is unknown and not zero, drive is skipped (not visible at all..). This can be easily duplicated by non-quick formatting large hardfile and canceling before it is finished. Reboot and drive is gone..

[tero]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Do you mean you always get write-protected error if you use this configuration? Do you also get it if you modify harddrives GUI list? (like add readwrite directory harddrive before or after the vhd hardfile?)

with 'too many cycles' error it happens randomly
with os3.9 = Do nothing but quit WinUAE and reboot do: mostly NDOS; sometimes non-writable; (very rare) no errors
Format with WB3.1 and use on 3.9 it is reversed - mostly Write-protect and sometimes NDOS/no errors (this is used in above zip)

Add drives (Without 'too many cycles' error):
It's always vhd which isn't working - never had trouble with hdf
vhd only = working
First drive hdf; second vhd = write protected
First drive WinDirectory; second/third vhd =all vhd write protected
First drive vhd; second/third vhd = second and/or third write-protected
First drive vhd; second hdf =working
First drive vhd; second WinDirectory = working
1st hdf; 2/3 Directory; 4 vhd = write protected

It's always these results - no changes on os3.9/3.1 or the used config

Didn't had much time for testing these days, but until now no 'random'
cases like it was with the 'too many cycles' error

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Also there is stupid bug in hardfile filesystem loader, if dostype is unknown and not zero, drive is skipped (not visible at all..). This can be easily duplicated by non-quick formatting large hardfile and canceling before it is finished. Reboot and drive is gone..

hmm...Did test with 500/1000/2000mb in 'rdb mode' but can't duplicate
(icon says 'unreadable' but i can reformat)
maybe hd not large enough?