Subject: Re: Drive Partitioning
To: Randy Grafton <rgrafton@indatacorp.com>
From: Don Bruder <dakidd@sonic.net>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 05/06/2002 11:53:25
In article <DDEGJONNOFMPHPIHKCJGEENICBAA.rgrafton@indatacorp.com>,
rgrafton@indatacorp.com (Randy Grafton) wrote:
> "Randy Grafton" <rgrafton@indatacorp.com> writes:
> <
> < When I try to use the Apple HD SC utility to partition the drive I get a
> < message that says the process was unable to unmount the drive because a
> file
> < may be in use. This same message comes up when I try to initialize the
> drive
>
You've got Virtual Memory (or RamDoubler, or similar "toys") turned off,
right? That was my "killer" yesterday while attempting to repartition
the (only) drive in the Powerbook I'm trying to install NetBSD on. Had
*EXACTLY* the symptoms you're describing, despite trashing *EVERYTHING*
off of the drive and rebooting from an external. Then I checked the
memory control panel, which told the tale... I was using a file on the
drive all right. A nice, fat, invisible 17Meg file (which,
coincidentally, matched the "missing" amount of space I was seeing on
the drive...) being used for virtual memory. Killed virtual memory,
restarted, and was able to format/partition without so much as a hiccup.
Now if I could just get NetBSD to boot...
> Are you unmounting the drive _before_ running the formatter?
>
> Mark Geary
Irrelevant. HD SC Setup takes care of unmounting (if there's not
something in use on the drive...) if the operation requested needs the
drive unmounted. "pre-unmount" the drive, or don't. HD SC Setup doesn't
care.
> If I put this drive into a non-Apple system and re-format it, can I bring it
> back to the Quadra and use the Apple HD SC utility or will I have totally
> messed things up?
You *SHOULD* be able to do that, yes. Whether you *WILL* be able to or
not... Well, that's another question. Some versions of HD SC Setup seem
to look for something (I've never been able to find out exactly what)
that says "Yep, this is an Apple drive, so I can work with it". I've
seen cases where Apple drives were reformatted on a SCSI-equipped Wintel
box, (for the sole purpose of wiping them clean, overwriting anything
that *MIGHT* be left, and starting from ground zero - it was a paranoid
company) and then put back in the Mac, and HD SC Setup refused to work
with them. (or even acknowledge the fact that they existed) On the other
hand, I've seen other cases where they were reformatted in a Wintel box,
used for months there, then moved back to a Mac, and HD SC Setup was
perfectly content to deal with them. Why? <shrug> You tell me. I've
never been able to find out.
--
Don Bruder - dakidd@sonic.net <--- Preferred Email - unmunged
I will choose a path that's clear: I will choose Free Will! - N. Peart
Notice: My former ( dakidd@primenet.com / Dakidd@aaahawk.com ) addresses are
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