Topics

1

Multimedia / Desktop weirdness

« on: January 12, 2021, 10:12:35 pm »

My brother has ArcaOS 5.0.4 (I haven't been able to go there to upgrade it). He is having a problem where a lot of, seemingly random, windows open (programs, folders, files), when he boots. He has "SET RESTARTOBJECTS=STARTUPFOLDERSONLY,REBOOTONLY" in CONFIG.SYS.. Checking the startup folders (I hope he did what I asked), shows no sign of any of this stuff.

I saw this, on his system, a few years ago, in eCS, Ar that time, it was all from one folder. There was nothing obvious wrong with the folder. I created a new folder, and moved all of the files into it, then deleted the old folder. That fixed it then, but he can't seem to relate all of this stuff to any individual folder, so I don't know what to fix.

I have used the VOICE HelpDesk thing in the past, but that won't work any more (Telus has blocked everything), so I can't have a look.

Anybody got any ideas?

2

Applications / OS/4 (non technical issues)

« on: June 16, 2020, 09:33:00 pm »

I would point out, that the Arca Naoe drivers etc. are licensed for use with supported versions of OS/2, by users who have a subscription, when the driver is released. OS/4 is NOT OS/2, and there is NO support, at all, when using them with OS/4. Strictly speaking, it is probably illegal to use any of them with OS/4. The released source is available. Build, and support, your own, if you want to use them.

I will also point out, that using my Logical Config.Sys Sort (LCSS) program will sort your CONFIG.SYS properly. It is at HOBBES. LCSS will probably work with OS/4, but I don't intend to support it in OS/4 (or even with 4OS2)..

3

Article Discussions / Large Floppy Support Discussion - USBMSD.ADD

« on: November 24, 2017, 08:20:13 pm »

As I said multiple times this issue is already solved with my USBMSD.ADD driver.

Actually, it is not totally solved, and I know that that is the reason why AN has not picked up your changes for large floppy support. As I understand the problem (and I could be wrong), you wrap the contents of the drive in a software wrapper, but that doesn't include the MBR that is written on the device.  That works fine, until you decide to wipe the device, and recreate it, or even format it to a different file system. Since the "virtual MBR" is in memory, such changes modify the contents of memory, and not what is on the media. That works fine, until you eject it, and try it in another system. Then, the contents of the stick don't match. In other words, your approach does not allow an OS/2 user to properly manage media on USB sticks, because part of what needs to be on the stick, is only in memory (but only for FAT32 formatted sticks).

I think you have developed a "work around" for the real problem, but a "work around" that requires using some other OS, just to wipe the media, or even reformat it to some other file system, isn't up to the job.

Nothing wrong with what you did, but it is an incomplete solution, and not ready for prime time.

4

General Discussion / SAMBA, RSync, and ZIP.

« on: October 25, 2015, 07:53:36 pm »

This is a report of a problem that I have seen a few times. I would like some suggestions about what to report, and where to report it. I think that SAMBA causes the problem that causes RSync, and ZIP to crash when they stumble upon the "defective" file. Other programs don't seem to mind the file.

First, I will state that RSync, and ZIP, should NOT crash, and they need to be fixed. Who is looking after those programs these days, and where does one report problems? Then, I don't think that SAMBA should be creating files with EAs that contain a blank, empty, EA in the middle of other EAs.

Anyway, what I did: I use a small batch file to update the files distributed by Virtual Box Extensions, for OS/2. It is pretty simple (and far from complete). I keep the script on my main machine, so I can access it from any SAMBA attached eCS system in a VM. Recently, I had need to change the drive letter in that file, so I Attached the share in SAMBA, copied the file (from the remote directory to the remote directory) to a new name, then edited it using the E editor (EA.EXE), saved it, and it worked fine. When trying to reproduce the problem, it seems that the problem does not always happen, but I have seen it a few times over the last few months.

Later, RSync came along, and crashed when it got to the file. even later, it did it again. After much messing around, I isolated the problem to that file (simply listing the file with RSync causes the crash). Then, I tried to ZIP up the folder, so I wouldn't lose it, and ZIP crashed when it got to that file. ARJ doesn't seem to mind (but I haven't verified that the problem was retained).

Using FM/2 (latest), I looked around on the file, and discovered a problem in the EAs. There is a blank EA, with no data, in the list. If I remove the EAs, the crash no longer happens.

I attached RSyncCrash.arj, for those who might be interested in looking closer.

5

Storage / Merge two JFS volumes

« on: March 13, 2014, 09:01:31 pm »

I am using the JFS that comes with eCS 2.1. I have two volumes: V: which is roughly 50 GB, and W: which is roughly 200 GB. Both are type 35 (not bootable). There is enough room on W: for everything that is on V:. I wish to move everything to W: (do I have to do that?), then merge V: with W: (which I think can be done), eliminating V:. V: is ahead of W:, physically.

Has anybody done it? How? Are there any tips?

Thanks...