Subject: Problems...

From: Ian Hinder <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 10 Aug 1997 23:10:41 +0100

I know it is in general considered to be polite to read a newsgroup/
mailing list for a couple of weeks before posting, but there doesn't
seem to be any traffic at all on this list...

I am attempting to install ARMLinux on my Risc PC.  The spec is

RPC 600 with StrongARM, Risc OS 3.7, 2.6Gb IDE Quantum Fireball
hard disc.

I have initialised the drive to 3200 cylinders with HForm.  I had to
specify the 'initialise' option rather than the 'format' option
because if I used the 'format' option it says 'format error on track
n' for n = 0 to infinity (until I abort).  I initially formatted to
the complete number of cylinders as I didn't realise you needed
to use less.  This worked, but it hung at the end after verifying.

So, I have initialised the disc to the correct number of cylinders and
Risc OS gets the right size and can access the partition perfectly.

I then run PartMan and enter ADFS and 4 in the boxes and press return.

I do not get the expected list of partitions.  Instead I get

Partition     Start sector  End sector     Size       Type
----------------------------------------------------------
                         0   5008751      2446 MB   Free

If I alter the geometry to give my new number of cylinders, 3200,
it gives

Partition     Start sector  End sector     Size       Type
----------------------------------------------------------
                         0   3225599      1575 MB   Free

None of the dialogue boxes from the menu work;

Partition '1' -> Edit...
Partition '1' -> Delete
New...

all do nothing.

Has anyone else had any problems like these?  I am tearing my hair out
because I can't think of anything else to try.

-- 
I a n  H i n d e r
[email-masked]

---

From: Thomas Down <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 09:39:27 +0000 (GMT)

> to use less.  This worked, but it hung at the end after verifying.

Modern IDE discs are generally not designed to be low-level formatted,
and will probably return an error if you try, to prevent any damage.
Reinitialising the disc should be fine. The hang after verifying is
worrying though.

> Partition     Start sector  End sector     Size       Type

Check which version of PartMan you are using... I seem to remember  having
similar problems with some older versions of PartMan. If you're running a
version before about 1.06, Grab the latest from the FTP site (the link on the
web page could be out of date now), and try again.

Hope this helps,

Thomas
--

---

From: Joseph Heenan <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 19:46:58 +0100

In message <[email-masked]>
          Ian Hinder <[email-masked]> wrote:
> [snip]

You are using the latest version of HForm? There's a 'beta' version
somewhere on ftp.acorn.co.uk that you should be using, as the one
that comes with 3.7 can't handle discs over about 2Gig-ish, AFAICR.

> because I can't think of anything else to try.

I had all sorts of fun with !PartMan :-)
Russell managed to sort them all out, though - the version I have on
my harddisc is 1.05, which worked perfectly partitioning my 850Meg
drive.

Joseph

-- 
Joseph Heenan, Coventry, UK
mailto:[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 21:47:31 +0100 (BST)

> web page could be out of date now), and try again.

The current version available from both the FTP and web site is 1.05.

There is a FAQ on the web with this problem listed, btw.
   _____
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