Validating disk - 4GB CF card, one partition.

e5frog · 23 July 2010, 00:46

So, when trying out some WHDLoad-games I resetted the 2MB A600 and ended up with guru-meditation. Shut it off and then on again - also guru - something about memory too low...

I poked around and got it going again after removing the 1MB extra memory - when I finally found my other one - thinking there was something wrong with it - I got the same guru messages (sometimes Software Failure).

So I started it without the extra memory and tried editing the WHDLoad.prefs file but I wasn't able to save - Disk not validated... :-(

So apparently an unvalidated disk won't boot with the extra memory (news to me) - I successfully booted from disk with both extra memory-cards with the full amount of memory showing.

Any idea how long a validation takes - it's 4GB in one partition and it's running on a plain A600.
How will I know when it's done - the HD LED has never flashed on my machine with the CF-card...

Is there any way to speed it up? Any configuration in WinUAE for example that will do a better job?

If I move the card, does the validation process start from the beginning?

Is there any way to get around the problem in the future - does an A600 boot any other (better) file system? Any downsides to that?

e5frog · 23 July 2010, 06:05

I give up - it's been validating for more than five hours now and is not finished yet, re-partitioning the CF-card and writing the information back takes less than an hour...

I can't run Disksalv2 because it requires more RAM than I have left over (booting with only 1MB since it only crashes with the extra 1MB hooked up) so I guess that's the quickest way.

Any ideas how to avoid this again?

thomas · 23 July 2010, 07:36

Validating will not finish if there is not enough memory. Make smaller partitions or add more memory. Make partitions so small that Disksalv can handle them, then the validator will work, too.

e5frog · 23 July 2010, 07:47

How small is that then?
I was considering only using a 512MB partition since the data I have is currently only about 300MB.

A solution would have been to plug it in the PC then and cram up the memory in emulation?

I reinstalled the CF-card and now it's up and running again - until next crash and validation.

e5frog · 23 July 2010, 08:11

I got a new validation after trying CalifornaGames2 which was ended due to insufficient memory. It hogged about 1MB memory after a cold restart and everything was slow for a few minutes then it was back to normal again...

thomas · 23 July 2010, 09:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by e5frog

everything was slow for a few minutes then it was back to normal again...

That's how it should be. Disk-Validator at work.

e5frog · 23 July 2010, 09:12

I still wonder why I got guru-message before with the extra memory inserted - had to remove it to get it to boot and then I guess there was too little memory for it to validate...

thomas · 23 July 2010, 10:42

Quote:

I still wonder why I got guru-message before with the extra memory inserted

Depends on which program issued the message and why. Could be trashed exec.library base. Power off/on would have cured it. Could be loose contact or dying RAM chips on the expansion.

If the computer often crashes while accessing the disk, it could also be a weak or dying power supply.

e5frog · 23 July 2010, 11:33

I did try and power off/on as well several times, but that didn't help, same behavior with both my expansion memory cards. I'm guessing some file got trashed... No big deal as I have everything backed up on the PC.

thomas · 23 July 2010, 11:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by e5frog

I'm guessing some file got trashed...

Well... http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=53964

e5frog · 23 July 2010, 12:12

Nope, the Max Transfer was correct 0x1fe00.

23 July 2010, 00:46	#1
e5frog The Headstrong Join Date: May 2010 Location: Älvängen / Sweden Age: 49 Posts: 273	Validating disk - 4GB CF card, one partition. So, when trying out some WHDLoad-games I resetted the 2MB A600 and ended up with guru-meditation. Shut it off and then on again - also guru - something about memory too low... I poked around and got it going again after removing the 1MB extra memory - when I finally found my other one - thinking there was something wrong with it - I got the same guru messages (sometimes Software Failure). So I started it without the extra memory and tried editing the WHDLoad.prefs file but I wasn't able to save - Disk not validated... :-( So apparently an unvalidated disk won't boot with the extra memory (news to me) - I successfully booted from disk with both extra memory-cards with the full amount of memory showing. Any idea how long a validation takes - it's 4GB in one partition and it's running on a plain A600. How will I know when it's done - the HD LED has never flashed on my machine with the CF-card... Is there any way to speed it up? Any configuration in WinUAE for example that will do a better job? If I move the card, does the validation process start from the beginning? Is there any way to get around the problem in the future - does an A600 boot any other (better) file system? Any downsides to that? Last edited by e5frog; 23 July 2010 at 00:58.

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23 July 2010, 06:05	#2
e5frog The Headstrong Join Date: May 2010 Location: Älvängen / Sweden Age: 49 Posts: 273	I give up - it's been validating for more than five hours now and is not finished yet, re-partitioning the CF-card and writing the information back takes less than an hour... I can't run Disksalv2 because it requires more RAM than I have left over (booting with only 1MB since it only crashes with the extra 1MB hooked up) so I guess that's the quickest way. Any ideas how to avoid this again?

23 July 2010, 07:36	#3
thomas Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Germany Posts: 7,024	Validating will not finish if there is not enough memory. Make smaller partitions or add more memory. Make partitions so small that Disksalv can handle them, then the validator will work, too.

23 July 2010, 07:47	#4
e5frog The Headstrong Join Date: May 2010 Location: Älvängen / Sweden Age: 49 Posts: 273	How small is that then? I was considering only using a 512MB partition since the data I have is currently only about 300MB. A solution would have been to plug it in the PC then and cram up the memory in emulation? I reinstalled the CF-card and now it's up and running again - until next crash and validation.

23 July 2010, 08:11	#5
e5frog The Headstrong Join Date: May 2010 Location: Älvängen / Sweden Age: 49 Posts: 273	I got a new validation after trying CalifornaGames2 which was ended due to insufficient memory. It hogged about 1MB memory after a cold restart and everything was slow for a few minutes then it was back to normal again...

23 July 2010, 09:12	#7
e5frog The Headstrong Join Date: May 2010 Location: Älvängen / Sweden Age: 49 Posts: 273	I still wonder why I got guru-message before with the extra memory inserted - had to remove it to get it to boot and then I guess there was too little memory for it to validate...

23 July 2010, 11:33	#9
e5frog The Headstrong Join Date: May 2010 Location: Älvängen / Sweden Age: 49 Posts: 273	I did try and power off/on as well several times, but that didn't help, same behavior with both my expansion memory cards. I'm guessing some file got trashed... No big deal as I have everything backed up on the PC.

23 July 2010, 12:12	#11
e5frog The Headstrong Join Date: May 2010 Location: Älvängen / Sweden Age: 49 Posts: 273	Nope, the Max Transfer was correct 0x1fe00.

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