Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    As far as "losing" some of your HD space, the first 2 physical tracks
    of your drive are reserved for boot blocks, etc.  I do not know how
    much storage this amounts to on your drive, (take the # of bytes on
    each track and multiply by 2.).  Also, most hard drive capacity is
    quoted "unformatted" since the manufacturer doesn't know which file
    system the drive is going to be used on.  When you format the HD in
    AmigaDos, some of the drive storage capacity is taken up with AmigaDos
    headers, bitmap, etc.  This storage is subtracted from the total
    storage capacity when you do the "info" command.  Info gives you the
    actual amount of storage you can use.
    
    Also, manufacturers do tend to "round up" storage capacitys also.  
    
    I think your problem is a matter of semantics.  I remember when CDC
    used to advertise their 9762 (RM03 equivilant) drives as having 80 Mb
    storage while DEC advertised the RM03 as 67 Mb.  Customers would ask
    why our drive has less capacity.  The answer:  CDC was stating
    unformatted capacity while DEC stated formatted capacity.
    
    Ken
    

    Ken,
    
    Isn't there a utility that well tell me the total HD capacity and alow 
    me to munipulate files and directories?
    
    Thanks,
    ~Ray
     

    Re .2:
    
>   Isn't there a utility that well tell me the total HD capacity and alow 
>   me to munipulate files and directories?
    
    Let's not mix and match the nomenclature.  Files and directories are
    artifacts of the AmigaDOS file system (after formatting).  Each
    partition of a hard drive appears as a "volume" to the file system and
    may be mounted and controlled separately.
    
    It is common for hard disks to come pre-partitioned into two equal
    pieces.  All the overhead stuff implied in .1 DOES apply (there's even
    overhead imposed by the drive itself in order to allow for invisible
    bad block replacement when necessary).  My Quantum 105S nets out to
    about 100MB and I'd expect the Quantum 52S (which replaced the Q40S as
    the standard drive on the 2000HD) to net out just under 50MB.
    
    Hard disks are "high maintenance" as compared to floppy diskettes. 
    You'll need a good backup program, such as Quarterback (Central Coast
    Software).  There's also a shareware program called Backup available on
    Fred Fish disk #434, among others.
    
    Your hard disk controller should have come with a utility diskette that
    provides you the means of repartitioning and formatting the hard disk. 
    The A2091 controller comes with HDtoolbox, which DOES show the full
    size of the device/partitions as you work with them.  The store may
    have copied this onto your hard disk, in which case you need to copy it
    back to a bootable floppy in order to be able to use it.  (It should be
    self-evident that the contents of the hard disk are no longer usable
    when you start redefining partitions. 8^)
    
    For the moment, use what you have and get into the habit of taking
    regular backups.  You're on the learning curve and are therefore VERY
    LIKELY to do something that will trash the data on your hard disk. 
    Once you have a better handle on your space needs, you'll be in the
    position to make intelligent partitioning decisions.
    
    For direct manipulation of AmigaDOS directories and files, you might
    consider Diskmaster (Progressive Peripherals and Software).  I'm quite
    comfortable using the Command Line Interface (actually, WShell 8^), but
    Diskmaster is still my means of choice when it comes to browsing and/or
    maintaining far-flung directories.  Here, again, there are shareware
    alternatives to this commercial product.

    Ray,
    
    I use DiskMaster.  IMO it's the best directory utility around.  It
    let's you easily manipulate files, print text files, show iff pictures,
    copy files between directories and is fairly fast.  It will show the 
    available storage on selected drives or partitions.  As far as your
    total HD capacity, I think HDToolBox is the only program that will do
    that directly.  You can add the Free and USed amounts from the Info
    command to find the total capacity of individual partitions also.
    
    Ken
    

    It sounds like I had better do some more research before I get carried
    away and go in the Amiga outlet store and start "demanding my rights."
    I'm going to buy DiskMaster TODAY!  That sounds like just what I'm
    looking for. I've selected HDToolBox when I first got my system
    running, it then displayed it was partioning my HD and I freaked
    and aborted.  Decided I wouldn't touch that again until I got some
    information on partitioning Amiga hard drives.  Maybe I over reacted.
    
    Thanks for the information,
    ~Ray

    
    diskmaster is indeed a great utility,
    But I prefered SID, that is available shareware from a fred fish.
    It might be more complex to install but much more flexible than
    DiskMaster.
    
    ...That reminds me that I still haven't paid my share...
    
    Enjoy,  Vince.

    Is this fred fish utility in one of TAPE::AMIGA:[AMIGA.FISH] areas?
    
    ~Ray

    Re .7:                                                              
    
    	BACKUP is on FF434:	TAPE::AMIGA:[AMIGA.FISH.Z400]FF434.LZH
    	SID is on FF338:	TAPE::AMIGA:[AMIGA.FISH.Z300]FF338.ZOO
    
    You'll need LHArc and ZOO, respectively, to dearchive these files. 
    Each one contains the equivalent of a nearly-full 3.5" Amiga floppy.

    I too have a Quantum LP52S "50" meg hard disk on my A2500. Controller
    is A2091. I think (cause I'm at work now) that I got two 25 meg
    partitions using the A2091 install disk. Try the HDTOOLKIT on that
    disk. There is a slider that will set up the partitions to your liking.
    
    I will confirm this tonight.
    
    I sort of expected this to have 52 meg, like the RD52 is nominally a 30
    Meg drive but delivered 34 Meg of useable space.
    
    My vote also goes to SID . Agreed, difficult to install but powerful
    and easy to use thereafter....Except for one thing! I cant "un-Lharc"
    from SID - I get a vist from the Guru. No probs doing the job from the
    CLI, and no probs de-zoo'ing and de-arc'ing.
    
    Glenn

    I have no problem unLHARCing from SID.  Do it all the time.  I will
    look up the configuration entry and post it here tonight.
    

    
    Will one of you copy the ZOO and LZHarc compression and decompression
    files if I send you a disk.  Also, I'm assuming these are 
    compressed and decompressed on the Amiga, right?  I kermit down
    to my XT these files in TAPE::AMIGA area and then will transfer them
    over to my amiga when I get an emulater program for the Amiga.
    
    Re:-.1
    Yes, please let me know what you come up with.
    
    Thanks,
    Ray

    My re:-.1 should be re:-.2 in note 4627.11
    
    ~Ray

    re:.11
    I don't mind doing it for you, but I live in Canada, I have
    a bootable floppy that contains a working VLT using zmodem
    and all utilities, zoo, arc, lharc. 
    That should be easier than transfering from an XT.
    
    You can communicate with  me via VaxMail if you are interested.
    
    Vince.