Why format HDF file in Workbench ?

[amiga_Forever]

I'm wondering why the need to format in WB ?

When installing WB from scratch i didn't create HDF file.. All i did was point to empty Hard drive directory host system, and installed WB3.1.. didn't even nee dto format in Workbench.

Is creating HDF file and formatting only required if u want a size limit ? otherwise, its unlimited (free space left), i was up and running with WHDload games perfectly .

[thomas]

A HDF uses the real Amiga file system (OFS or FFS). It has the highest possible compatibility.

A shared directory is more or less like a network drive. It highly depends on the limits of the host file system. WinUAE works around this using data streams (on NTFS) or special UAEFSDB files (on FAT). But you can still lose some file attributes if you copy files in Windows.

[amiga_Forever]

ok,,, its just the main reason i prefer the Windows/Mac side over an HDF, is because i don't like the 'one blob" Outlook style .pst users. With a shared folder you can browse and copy stuff over *without needing to fire up anything first*

Of course. Amiga users here will favor the HDF i gather right ?

Its just the way i just download from Windows, and move/extract to folder to show up..

What do you do if u have an HDF file ? download it from Amiga browser? Or is there any other way from outside?

[thomas]

Some people prefer HDFs exactly because of the "one blob" style. It allows you to move around, copy (backup) and delete whole harddrives easily. Doing this with a big bunch of small files might need some time (too much for the impatient).

I usually use one VHD (a.k.a. dynamic HDF) in RDB mode for the Amiga partitions and also add the C:\Users\Public directory for sharing files.

[idrougge]

Just use a HDF and a directory at the same time.

[EugeneNine]

You can just mount the .hdf like you would an .iso, its not like an outlook .pst where its a proprietary format

root@darkstar:/home/Eugene/Emulators/Amiga/Hard Drives# losetup /dev/loop0 dh0.hdf
root@darkstar:/home/Eugene/Emulators/Amiga/Hard Drives# fdisk -l /dev/loop0
Disk /dev/loop0: 256 MiB, 268435456 bytes, 524288 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
root@darkstar:/home/Eugene/Emulators/Amiga/Hard Drives#

You can just mount all in one step, I just did the losetup here so I could fdisk it. So its a very minor thing that its in am image file.

[amiga_Forever]

just side step,,, i am trying to format HDF, but i cannot..

In WB3.1 (A1200) I tried DF0:HDTools/HDToolBox uaehf.device but it doesn't work

(I substituted 'Tools' for 'HDToolbox' because on A1200 that's on "install" floppy, that's the directory where its located..)

in any care, the line above opens up HDtoolbox but no disk shows up..

What am I doing wrong ? Do i need to edit config file (A1200.config) first? The HDF could be any size.... but in this case, i kept the default.

[thomas]

In order to use HDToolbox on a HDF you have to switch the HDF into RDB mode. (RDB mode is active when the RDB mode button is greyed out.)

In order to use uaehf.device with a HDF, you have to switch the HDF's controller to UAE (which is the default, so actually you have to leave the controller alone and do *not* switch it to IDE or something).

[amiga_Forever]

Taken from : https://fs-uae.net/using-hard-drives this passage:

"When you use an empty partition HDF file, you’ll not partition it – but you still need to format it inside the Amiga before you can use it."

That's just it , i can't format it.... in this case. When i try it says "couldn't open device in DH0:" when I select Format Disk from the Icons menu

[DamienD]

I don't use "RDB mode" but thought I'd try what thomas has said... Unfortunately after starting "HDToolBox" from the Workbench 3.1 Install disk; no hard drives are listed

Anyway, I usually do the following in WinUAE (I imagine it's a similar process in FS-UAE):

... Set an A1200 configuration.
... Add "Workbench v3.1 rev 40.42 (1994)(Commodore)(M10)(Disk 2 of 6)(Workbench)[!].adf" into "DF0:".
... Select "CD & Hard drives" and then "Add Hardfile...".
... Type in the size (MB), select "Create", type in a name e.g. "System", select "Save" and then "OK".
... Now select "Start", once Workbench has loaded double click "Workbench 3.1" --> "System" --> "Format".
... Select "DH0:" --> "Continue", type in the "New Volume Name" e.g. "System", untick "Put Trashcan" and tick "Fast File System".
... Select "Format" 3 times.

[amiga_Forever]

Thanks... but this is what i get:

Fast File system is checked.

[DamienD]

I'm not sure how to assist further. You're using a MAC and FS-UAE; both of which I don't.

If it was Windows I'd possibly say it's a permission thing so run as an Administrator but clearly that's no help here...