Read and salavage A4000 IDE disk on a PC

[NLS]

So, I removed my A4000 IDE disk after, possibly 15 years of storage.
I don't even remember what was in there (I believe it used muFS... which will complicate things), or even if that is my own disk as my A4000 was on a looooong load to a friend, that managed to lose some of my stuff (for example put a CyberStorm MK1 040 and lost my original 040 daughterboard - he even wanted the MK1 back, which of course NEVER happened).

The disk is a Seagate ST33232A (3GB I believe!).

Anyway, my questions:

- Can I mount this on WinUAE? Suspect yes (which is why I removed the disk anyway).

- If yes, can I even mount this on WinUAE using an IDE-to-USB adapter? (because on board IDE is rare nowadays)

- Help me with how I can actually do it? (WinUAE walk-through)

- Can I store an image of the disk using track-aware (i.e. OS-agnostic) image software on Windows? Suspect yes.

- Can I mount the image instead on WinUAE? (is WinUAE compatible with any image format I can make?)

- If I use indeed multi-user filesystem (I remember I had to enter password to use my Workbench and I haven't the slightest idea what my 15-20 years ago self was using)... is there any way around it in these... modern times?
(even a way to brute-force attack the password using WinUAE fast mode and some... scripting?)

Thanks!

[AMIGASYSTEM]

Originally Posted by NLS

- If yes, can I even mount this on WinUAE using an IDE-to-USB adapter? (because on board IDE is rare nowadays)ù

Yes I have mounted more than one, you can even boot, look at my old attached video, WinUAE also allows you to save on Disk Image

[ Show youtube player ]

- Can I store an image of the disk using track-aware (i.e. OS-agnostic) image software on Windows? Suspect yes.

Yes, I really think so

- Can I mount the image instead on WinUAE? (is WinUAE compatible with any image format I can make?)

Yes, if the Hardisk image is standard, you can mount it on WinUAE as HardFile

- If I use indeed multi-user filesystem (I remember I had to enter password to use my Workbench and I haven't the slightest idea what my 15-20 years ago self was using)... is there any way around it in these... modern times?
(even a way to brute-force attack the password using WinUAE fast mode and some... scripting?)

I have never used multi-user filesystems but if you connect disk as Slave there should be no problem

[NLS]

Thanks for the video!

(for the last part)
...actually it would have a problem. You see muFS was actually a different format. Until disk is unlocked, it will be inaccessible.
Anyway I'll figure those things out after I can mount the thing.

[AMIGASYSTEM]

It is usually the system that imposes a restriction, if the Hardisk is used as a Slave on another system is usually accessed . after your test we will know if it can be accessed

[Locutus]

Strong recommendation....

First dump the disk to a image with GNU ddrescue (use a GNU/Linux live distro if you must), and then work off the image.

Produced image should mount fine on WinUAE.

[Toni Wilen]

WinUAE has image creation option in same GUI page that is used for HD mounting. But note that it does handle possible errors very well. Use some other tool that is made for recovery if drive has errors.

EDIT: USB adapter should work fine, drive is large enough to not have any usual ancient (less than 1G or so) drive specific issues.

[NLS]

Thank you!
Mounted drive successfully already before reading this, using a USB box. I was indeed scared to touch an ancient disk so I mounted read-only. It whined and failed startup-sequence (because of read-only) but mounted ok! The old Seagate held MUCH stronger than its newer siblings (I lost 5 Seagates in the last 3 years).

So then I used the image creation option Toni has in there. I took a risk because Toni, sorry to say but this button is not described in any CHM file.
BUT WORKED OK! Created a nice 3GB hardfile, that I mounted (with proper geometry) on a simulated A4000 and it BOOTED!
I had to also mount my CD drive as A4000 IDE 1, as atapi.device was asking for it when boot.
Thank you Toni for the wonderful tool you have created!

New WinUAE question: Is there any way to identify what screen mode the workbench requested, BEFORE actually entering Workbench? (and checking the prefs) Reason is below (and non-WinUAE specific). But is there a way to know what it tries to use?
I can see that an 800x600 window doesn't seem enough and I didn't have a graphics card on my A4000. So it is some AGA-compatible mode.

Reason I cannot check from within Workbench (non-WinUAE issue and deserves its own thread possibly to seek help):
At some point during boot, I get a "MultiUser Login Request", where it asks for login ID (I suspect which one I used) and then password (that I cannot in the slightest recall)... No way to cancel this.
Any ideas what to do?
I will try to mount this hardfile as secondary disk to other Workbench, but I think I remember muFS actually encoded the files... Anybody remembers the inner workings of this thing?
Any ideas?

[AMIGASYSTEM]

Originally Posted by NLS

New WinUAE question: Is there any way to identify what screen mode the workbench requested, BEFORE actually entering Workbench? (and checking the prefs) Reason is below (and non-WinUAE specific). But is there a way to know what it tries to use?
I can see that an 800x600 window doesn't seem enough and I didn't have a graphics card on my A4000. So it is some AGA-compatible mode.

A good resolution AGA 740x560 Windowed Mode

[NLS]

Originally Posted by AMIGASYSTEM

A good resolution AGA 740x560 Windowed Mode

I actually found it.
(see accessing my system progress here: http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=91798 )

It was a weird NTSC based 692x467! Probably my monitor could sync there (although PAL region).
So I used double that for WinUAE and looks great!

[AC/DC HACKER!]

I used WinUAE to dump my older Hard Drives also. Toni has done a great job there. The Years Ago Seagates are much better than the current (2015+).. I don't buy them anymore, I'm a user of only Western Digital now, and for over 15 years..I have some from then that are still doing great. I've heard people say that hard drives have a particular life span, naaahhh... Some are made very well, some aren't. Sometimes defects get in..

Anyway, glad to see you got your stuff transferred. I wondered _some_ when I started copying mine and the drives are STILL doing well. Funny thing "beliefs"..they aren't always healthy and are often incorrect. Hehe.

YEAH, I love seeing my A4000 power user emulation functioning like my real machine. But emulation HAS perks, you'll discover them. Thinking of that, I should donate to Toni again. High five, NLS!

[NLS]

Thanks man.