Lost a partition from hardfile, ways to recover?

[Decker]

After updating my PC, I swapped over my old hard drive and launched WinUAE again. One of the partitions in my latest hard file (HDD2: ) now shows up as NDOS. Seemingly, the issue shouldn't have anything to do with the file itself. After all, if it got corrupted, would be weird if only one partition got affected.

• Below is a screenshot from workbench and WinUAE mounts.

• Attached are my startup-sequence and user-startup. They're a little messy, with all the ClassicWB and ACA stuff, and my own assigns.

This hardfile is created 2018, an older backup still works fine. I can also pull a new hardfile from the actual Amiga. But this file has about a year's worth of modifications not stored anywhere else. So, any tips for troubleshooting would be appreciated. I'll provide more info if needed.

[thomas]

Please run this and attach the report here: http://thomas-rapp.homepage.t-online.../hddreport.lha

[Decker]

Done, report attached.

[thomas]

Ok. The HDF is smaller than 4GB, so no issue here.

File system is SFS2. I am afraid, but this makes it very unlikely that you can recover anything. There is not much support for SFS out there and even less for SFS2.

There is SFSSalv on Aminet. I never got it to run and I doubt that it supports SFS2.

You could try to attach the HDF to a config with AmigaOS 4 and use PartitionWizard, maybe it can recover something.

Or you could email Joerg Strohmayer, maybe he gives support.

SFS is really not the preferred file system if you don't make backups.

[Decker]

Thanks, I'll look into salvaging the partition via PartitionWizard. It's not a massive loss, since this isn't my daily driver or anything

Now my concern is the earlier backup and the actual system. Running WB3.0 and 3.0 ROMs, which filesystem should I prefer, and is there a way to convert without formatting?

*edit* I guess the best way is to setup a new 4GB image and copy everything over.

[AC/DC HACKER!]

Grettings Decker,

When SFS02 goes..it's gone. I used SFS00 for many years, and THAT Is supported by SFSSalv pretty well, and PartitionWizard...and both do very well. Always go with SFS00, not SFS02...unless, as Thomas pointed to, you're keeping backups. I tried many ideas to recover SFS02...even from NDOS... I have had to do rebuilds a few times because of SFS02. Now I only use SFS00, FPS-AllInOne, or FFS. So far, and I do enjoy using test media, PFS is the fastest and has been very reliable. So...been there, done that. I wished several times that SFS02 hadn't been released without some kind of recovery or repair...stay away from SFS02 (again: Unless you keep backups.. then it's speedy and worth while, but make SURE all writes are final before resetting; powering off, and that NO PROGRAM does any kind of lockup) or SFS02 corrupts. PFS speed is really good, so I don't use SFS02 anymore. I would have liked to offer advice for recovery..

[Decker]

That's very clear, saves me a lot of pointless hassle. I'll set up a new hard file with FFS partitions. Copy everything over from older backups, then rewrite the actual hard drive (well, CF) with that.

Thanks, both of you.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Decker

That's very clear, saves me a lot of pointless hassle. I'll set up a new hard file with FFS partitions.

I use FFS all the time but don't really need the increased speed or large size partitions.

Wouldn't you be best to use PFS3AIO though?

[Decker]

If it's compatible with an actual 1200 with 3.0 (looks to be since it's all the way down to 1.x), avoids the issues of SFS and has benefits over FFS, why not. I'll look into it before committing to anything.

[AC/DC HACKER!]

You're welcome.

It's compatible..I've been using it with my A4000 + CyberStormPPC for over 2 years now. I haven't noticed any problems when using WHDLoad, or anything else. Yup, Toni has done a lot with it to make it work with "everything". It's also fantastic with over 4GB. I use a 64GB MicroSD...and I also have 32GB CompactFlash. Thing is..with my SCSI2SD V5.1...PFS3-AIO (Ahh, thanks DamienD...I forgot the 3...) My OS 3.5, 3.1.4.1 function GREAT with larger/smaller partitions. If I use it with OS 4, my SCSI2SD locks..the light stays solid. It's not playing well with OS 4's 68020 emulation and other parts of the PPC OS; or something else I don't understand yet. So, avoid with OS 4; stay with SFS00! If you adventure there sometime. Otherwise, 68K OS...all smooth here.

There IS a recovery program, or a fix in place, and I've tested it several times. The first version doesn't "seem" to handle >4GB, but the beta does. I haven't needed it past my initial tests.

If there are ANY problems at boot, or while using past boot, Toni has implemented prompts to inform. So far, when and IF those display..power off, try again. I haven't noticed any corruption after they show..and the drive will be in, what seems to be, read-only state..very helpful! Again, it has been over a year since I've seen those prompts..and I do a lot with scripts, and..other personal projects.

Maybe we don't have the newest Web Browser, or the ability to play 1080P MKV, MP4 videos...but it's still a great joy to use what I still consider the best OS and a lot of very original games. Grinning.

[hexaae]

Just my experience...
I use SFS00 since I had my A1200+ HD drives. Never had a single issue of corrupt partition or file, NEVER over ~20 years Still using it for my SYS: and WORK: under WinUAE and is rock solid: SmartFilesystem 1.279 (23.12.2007) AmigaOS m68k (c) Joerg Strohmayer <j_s@gmx.de>
PFS3-AIO is a little-bit faster on reading (SFS is also fast), but you have to wait a bit more than SFS to be sure changes have been applied to the file-system: f.e. it's safer to wait 3-4 secs before Amiga reboot after saving a file, while I can reboot without worries with SFS 1-2 secs right after that.

[AC/DC HACKER!]

Off topic some..
WHDLoad has improved also. One of the problems with corruption of SFS02 was that I had loaded a WHDLoad game while doing some other stuff, and didn't notice the quit key, or the quit-key didn't function correctly when tapped. So I reset after playing, checking the game. That caused a corruption. Long time ago.. I haven't noticed that for a while. I couldn't tell you which version of WHDLoad either...over 10 years ago. It was documented a while ago that there had been some bugs with that. Looks like they've been solved.

I agree, hexaae, delaying for the most part helps. I also watch the LED often..so not a problem there.

[hexaae]

IMHO, I'd recommend PFS3-AIO (remember you have to delay reboot for 3 secs at least to be sure changes will be applied to the fs) or SFS00 which is also excellent, fast, and rock solid from my long experience (and won't need big delays to apply fs changes as PFS3-AIO)...
Looks like SFS02 is not as safe as SFS00. Don't use it.

P.S.
Is there an hidden option to reduce "safe delay" in PFS3-AIO?

[thomas]

http://aminet.net/package/disk/salv/DiskSafe

[hexaae]

I was looking for a hidden option somewhere to reduce PFS3-AIO "safe delay" before it writes to disk the actual changes faster then default, where you usually have to wait 3-4 secs to be sure...

[Hedeon]

Thought PFS used a keyboard reset interrupt to catch at least normal resets. But maybe I remember wrong.