@NutsAboutAmiga

Quote:

a1ide_xfer and a1ide_conf is for onboard pata connector not the sii0680 controller, there should be a sii0680_xfer and a sii0680_conf in uboot that controls the sii controller, (I might be wrong as do not have MicroA1, does not the MicroA1 have onboard sii0680 controller me confused.)

I am still using the internal IDE and was planning to "blank" the two variables above by leaving the second (value) parameter empty:

setenv a1ide_conf
setenv a1ide_xfer
saveenv

If I switch to use the Sii 0680 do I have to enter these variables a certain value or can I leave them empty as well?

Quote:

After using MedaToolbox you should reboot, and when the system has reboot you should only then format the partition.

I am following the on-screen instructions and the machine is rebooted after MTB has saved the settings to disk. After the machine is up and running again I try to format the partition but it fails like I have described in earlier messages.

Quote:

Note if you are setting UBOOT vars using UBOOT you should not type the “=” the result is that uboot variable is deleted, when you have set the uboot variable you need to use the Uboot savenev command, or else the setting will be lost after a reboot.

I do all UBoot settings in UBoot command line. I have gathered setting these variables is pretty much similar to creating environment variables in UNIX (so one should not use the "=" when setting up things).

Or do you mean that using setenv with "=" only (without entering a value) you can delete existing variables completely (so that they do not appear at all when using nvgetvar/printenv)?

Quote:

If your computer locks up while formating I think its where likely the HD that is broken, or to high transferer rate, or the cables but you have replaced this right? I hope you have the flat cables and not the round ones, the round PATA cables are known to course lots of problems. Even if system can't boot on the HD, you should be able to format the disk.

I guess I need the check the max transfer value then. I have tried with the old HD (Western Digital Caviar 320GB) and two brand new HDs (both Western Digital Caviar Blue, 160GB) and both fail. The new cables are round (like the old ones which never caused me any kind of problem until the uA1 motherboard battery died and was switched to a new one). I also tried few different batteries in case there was a duff one.

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@GrumpyOldMan

Quote:

Or do you mean that using setenv with "=" only (without entering a value) you can delete existing variables completely

Yes let's give you an example of how it works.

Setenv mytest 22
Printenv mytest

Should look ok, but if you do.

Setenv mytest=22
Printenv

Then mytest should have disappeared completely
You can type "reset" to reboot whit out saving.

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@GrumpyOldMan

I really wish you had access to a Seagate 80 Gig IDE (PATA) drive, which have become as hard to find as the Western Digital, as IDE is totally phased out. These have functioned flawlessly with the A1s, but yes I understand you probably wanted more storage space.

I've read quite a number of posts on AW about the Western Digital drives, and the posters seem quite certain they only perform as advertised with "certain" motherboards.

I'd love to rule out the drive as being your issue before we over complicate the trouble shooting on your Micro.

This is somewhat troubling...

Problems formatting/partitioning WD drives

@NutsAboutAmiga or anyone else who's following this

Please read this and tell us if you've heard of such a thing before.
It pertains to Moxee and his XE, but the info is specific to the drive.

Partitions on new HD won't format

#6

Last edited by number6 on 20-Feb-2013 at 10:06 PM.

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@number6
I did not have much choice - I could only find Western Digital PATA drives from local computer stores. Besides, the old uA1 drive I am replacing is a WD Caviar Blue (320 GB) model and it worked without problems for the two years I have had the MicroA1. I think it still works, but trying to write to it results in a similar freeze than with the new drives.

I repartitioned the new drive in MTB and set the boot partition to use FFS/07. Interestingly, the transfer value the tool proposes is 1FE00 ("standard IDE"). Changing it to "7FFFF" did not improve the situation.

Still, for some reason I can now "Quick format" the boot partition! Maybe it is because I made it smaller (only 14 GB now) or maybe because I deleted the two a1ide variables from UBoot configuration.

It is a small victory but does not fix the problem. Now when I proceed to install the OS4.1.u1 from CD the progress halts immediately and OS4 reports a write error in the boot partition. Hard disk light stays on, system is no longer responding to mouse or keyboard and I am forced to do a hard reset to the uA1 to recover from situation.

I suppose next step is to try Sii 0680 and see if it suffers from similar problems?

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@GrumpyOldMan

Maximum partition size for FFS\5 is 127Gbytes you should keep below that size, the Wikipedia does not say what what maximum size is for FFS\6 and FFS\7, most likely the same as FFS\5.

Well maybe number6 on to some thing here, It might be smart to try a different vendor.

Lockups does not need to be HD related it can be memory couption and bad PSU, you might wont keep that in mind also.

Last edited by NutsAboutAmiga on 20-Feb-2013 at 11:35 PM.
Last edited by NutsAboutAmiga on 20-Feb-2013 at 11:33 PM.
Last edited by NutsAboutAmiga on 20-Feb-2013 at 11:24 PM.

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@GrumpyOldMan

Quote:

I did not have much choice - I could only find Western Digital PATA drives from local computer stores.

I feel your pain. In the U.S. big box stores dropped IDE all together long ago. Now they are dropping everyday SATA for only solid state SATA.

Still, I wish you could "borrow" a seagate to rule out the drive. There is an inconsistency (as you have seen) in whether they function properly.

Quote:

Interestingly, the transfer value the tool proposes is 1FE00 ("standard IDE"). Changing it to "7FFFF" did not improve the situation.

eeeek! That's still the default?!
By the way, what I wrote was "7FFFFFFF". count the Fs.

That old number (default) was for older drives.

#6

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@NutsAboutAmiga

Quote:

Well maybe number6 on to some thing here, hd model, anyway try to keep partition not too big....how big is your hd?

btw-we're also discussing firmware issues with the WD drives in irc. I really think he needs to test with a seagate.

#6

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@number6

Your quite is bit out sync there, a compliantly agree, he need to route out source of freeze, start whit HD, then maybe PSU, and it never hurt to replace the backup battery (expect the settings gets corrupted).

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@GrumpyOldMan

We need the exact model number of your drive please.

#6

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This posting, in its entirety, represents solely the perspective of the author.
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@number6

The drive is

Western Digital Caviar Blue 3,5" 160GB 8MB ATA/100 7200RPM
WD1600AAJB

BTW I have a old but working Seagate Barracuda HD (4GB) as a secondary hard disk in my trusty old A1200 tower. I could try that one (need to back up the data from the disk first).

Another options came into my mind - can I use a SATA drive with uA1 by using a PCI SATA controller or a PATA-SATA adapter? How about those compact flash cards with IDE adapter, are those usable with uA1?

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@GrumpyOldMan

Yes a Sii PATA/SATA adapter should be fine. Models like 0680, 3512 and 3114 chipset IIRC.