How to use a multipartioned usb key ?

[Remy]

Hi,

I big usb key can have more than one partition.
Linux is able to show all of them but is it possible under OS/2 ?
How to make them visible ?
As well, the maximum USB key size is too low, how to increase usb key max size to satify above 64GB keys ? (e.g. 1TB)

Note: I could format a 128GB usb key to FAT32 (windows) and assign LVM information (dfsee) to have the usb key usable under any OS. 
          trying to format it under OS/2 with JFS or HPFS isn't possible for the full usb key size too.     

Regards 

[Lars]

Have you actually tried ?

The only thing that I can say is that I had changed USBMSD.ADD to (always) use the SCSI-10 "read (10)" and "write (10)" commands to read/write sectors (even if the caller asks for use of "read(6)" and "write(6)" command).
That allows for 32-bit LBA numbers, with a sector size of 512 bytes you get the typical total of 2 TB, that's also the max OS/2 partition size.

If you say that does not work with the AN USBMSD.ADD then I suppose, they have not moved away from the SCSI-6 "read (6)" and "write (6)" commands. These are limited to 21-bit LBA numbers. In that case, 1 GB would be the limit. But I very much doubt that.

I had formatted to JFS a WD EBook with I think 512 GB and that worked just fine.

You won't have much fun with HPFS. I think the partition limit for HPFS is 64 GB. It is a practical limit, not the theoretical one (which would be 2 TB).

[Dave Yeo]

Hi,

I big usb key can have more than one partition.
Linux is able to show all of them but is it possible under OS/2 ?
How to make them visible ?

Of course it is possible, just partition with LVM and give each partition a drive letter.

As well, the maximum USB key size is too low, how to increase usb key max size to satify above 64GB keys ? (e.g. 1TB)

I have a 2TB and a 1TB USB drives, the 2 TB is partitioned with 2 JFS volumes and a EXT4 partition for use under Linux and the 1TB drive is one JFS partition, the JFS drives work fine with ArcaOS and the default USB drivers. I've also formatted 64GB sticks JFS, no reason bigger wouldn't work as a stick and a HD look the same to the OS.

Note: I could format a 128GB usb key to FAT32 (windows) and assign LVM information (dfsee) to have the usb key usable under any OS. 
          trying to format it under OS/2 with JFS or HPFS isn't possible for the full usb key size too.     

Of course it is, well you might lose a few MB's due to the CHS addressing that OS/2 expects but if that 128GB FAT32 usb key is visible to OS/2, eg partitioned correctly, formatting JFS should just work.

Note that the ArcaOS USB drivers aren't the fastest and the ArcaOS Fat32 driver is as slow as frozen maple syrup.

[Dave Yeo]

Actually, it seems IIRC, I discovered what doesn't work on USB is a long format, so "format I: /fs:jfs /long" would fail, remove the /long and it works.

[Remy]

I'm not speaking about USB disk but USB key
LVM doesn't see full size not allowing to create full size partition

Nor does DFSEE see big USB keys !
Have tried all options


Note: Of course USB disk (drive) works (not the question)
          Try using above 64GB usb key (not drive) like 128GB or more

[Remy]

Actually, it seems IIRC, I discovered what doesn't work on USB is a long format, so "format I: /fs:jfs /long" would fail, remove the /long and it works.

Before any format, A full volume size should be available or created.

[Dave Yeo]

I found I have a 128GB USB key I was using with my phone.

Code: [Select]

[I:\]dir

Volume in drive I has no label.
The Volume Serial Number is 1CEC:3E04.
Directory of I:\

12-21-21 10:57a         <DIR>      0 ----  LOST.DIR
12-21-21 10:57a         <DIR>      0 ----  .android_secure
12-21-21 11:00a         <DIR>      0 ----  Music
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Android
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Podcasts
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Ringtones
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Alarms
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Notifications
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Pictures
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Movies
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Download
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  DCIM
       12 file(s)           0 bytes used
                  118,064,087 K bytes free

[I:\]format i: /fs:jfs
The type of file system for the disk is FAT32.
Warning!  All data on hard disk i: will be lost!
Proceed with FORMAT (Y/N)? y
Enter up to 11 characters for the volume label
or press Enter for no volume label.


Format completed successfully.

120825104 kilobytes total disk space.
120773552 kilobytes are available.

[I:\]dir I:

Volume in drive I has no label.
The Volume Serial Number is 63C2:D5BE.
Directory of I:\

 8-20-24  2:56p         <DIR>      0 ----  .
 8-20-24  2:56p         <DIR>      0 ----  ..
        2 file(s)           0 bytes used
                  123,672,117 K bytes free

With FC/2 reporting,

Code: [Select]

117,957M total bytes on drive I:
117,942M bytes free on drive I:
  0 files use 0 bytes in
           I:\

    File System : JFS

So formatting a stick as JFS works fine as long as previously it was partitioned with LVM or DFSee, I forget what I used, likely DFSee.
And of course, whether it is a USB key or hard drive doesn't matter to the operating system, they look the same.

[Remy]

I found I have a 128GB USB key I was using with my phone.

Code: [Select]

[I:\]dir

Volume in drive I has no label.
The Volume Serial Number is 1CEC:3E04.
Directory of I:\

12-21-21 10:57a         <DIR>      0 ----  LOST.DIR
12-21-21 10:57a         <DIR>      0 ----  .android_secure
12-21-21 11:00a         <DIR>      0 ----  Music
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Android
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Podcasts
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Ringtones
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Alarms
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Notifications
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Pictures
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Movies
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  Download
12-21-21 10:58a         <DIR>      0 ----  DCIM
       12 file(s)           0 bytes used
                  118,064,087 K bytes free

[I:\]format i: /fs:jfs
The type of file system for the disk is FAT32.
Warning!  All data on hard disk i: will be lost!
Proceed with FORMAT (Y/N)? y
Enter up to 11 characters for the volume label
or press Enter for no volume label.


Format completed successfully.

120825104 kilobytes total disk space.
120773552 kilobytes are available.

[I:\]dir I:

Volume in drive I has no label.
The Volume Serial Number is 63C2:D5BE.
Directory of I:\

 8-20-24  2:56p         <DIR>      0 ----  .
 8-20-24  2:56p         <DIR>      0 ----  ..
        2 file(s)           0 bytes used
                  123,672,117 K bytes free

With FC/2 reporting,

Code: [Select]

117,957M total bytes on drive I:
117,942M bytes free on drive I:
  0 files use 0 bytes in
           I:\

    File System : JFS

So formatting a stick as JFS works fine as long as previously it was partitioned with LVM or DFSee, I forget what I used, likely DFSee.
And of course, whether it is a USB key or hard drive doesn't matter to the operating system, they look the same.

Ok thanks,

I do not understand why I'm not able to see more than 56Gb !
(under LVM or DFSEE while under windows, the size is correct)
Have to investigate more

Regards

[Remy]

I just tried using a new unformated usb stick and yes, I fully see its size.

I think having found a possible investigation !
The key was full fat32 formatted (128GB) before using it under OS/2

FAT32 very big partition (above maximum specification - here, 1280GB) works well under windows and if a SATA HDD partition, it is well handled under OS/2 too, using a big one currently to share files without EA's between OS/2 and windows.

Could you open a 128GB FAT32 usb stick ? (usable under OS/2 and Windows to have multi/os compatibility)   


Is it possible to create more than one partition on an usb stick and have all available ?

[Lars]

1) Use DFSee to wipe the first sectors to zero.
2) Then start minilvm/lvm to create partitions
3) remove and reinsert stick and format partitions

USBMSD.ADD does not make any distinction between a USB HDD and a USB stick. They are handled in the exact same way.

Yes, you can create multiple partitions. I have done that and it worked.

[Remy]

1) Use DFSee to wipe the first sectors to zero.
2) Then start minilvm/lvm to create partitions
3) remove and reinsert stick and format partitions

USBMSD.ADD does not make any distinction between a USB HDD and a USB stick. They are handled in the exact same way.

Yes, you can create multiple partitions. I have done that and it worked.

Nice thanks,
Will give it a try

[David Graser]

Here is another round-about way to make a JFS partition on an USB drive.  With this method, I am using the whole drive for the JFS.

Open DFSee.
Select Scripts in the menu
Select Make Fat32 Data USB disk
Select the drive and make a fat32 data disk.
Follow the prompts.
Eject USB drive and reinsert.

Now I use FM/2
Open FM/2
Right click on the FAT32 USB drive
Select Miscellaneous
Select Format Disk
Select JFS

I do the quick format.
Done.

I bought around 10 packages of 3- 32 GB USB drives at Target last year for around $5.00 for each package.  It was an after school clearance.  Formatted them With DFsee to FAT32.  Thus, it was easy for me to format JFS under FM/2  when I want.  I had already made them FAT32 with DFSee.  The drives were originally FAT32 when bought.  However, for ArcaOS to use the drives, DFSee had to be used to reformat them Fat32.  Being already done, it took little time to convert to JFS.

It would be nice for DFSee to have a script to make a JFS data disk.

[Lars]

Here is another round-about way to make a JFS partition on an USB drive.  With this method, I am using the whole drive for the JFS.

Open DFSee.
Select Scripts in the menu
Select Make Fat32 Data USB disk
Select the drive and make a fat32 data disk.
Follow the prompts.
Eject USB drive and reinsert.

Now I use FM/2
Open FM/2
Right click on the FAT32 USB drive
Select Miscellaneous
Select Format Disk
Select JFS

I do the quick format.
Done.

I bought around 10 packages of 3- 32 GB USB drives at Target last year for around $5.00 for each package.  It was an after school clearance.  Formatted them With DFsee to FAT32.  Thus, it was easy for me to format JFS under FM/2  when I want.  I had already made them FAT32 with DFSee.  The drives were originally FAT32 when bought.  However, for ArcaOS to use the drives, DFSee had to be used to reformat them Fat32.  Being already done, it took little time to convert to JFS.

It would be nice for DFSee to have a script to make a JFS data disk.

DFSee does have an option to create a JFS data disk. But that fails often enough and the cause seems to be that a JFS format already has some expectations regarding how the Master Boot Record and/or the end of the first track (that is: sector 63) should look like.