| Author |
Topic |
|
|
HBPayne
45 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Jul 2004 : 17:55:34
|
I'm using:
- BitsyX
- Bootloader 1.07
- OS Image 4.10.35
Once in a great while, I run into a CompactFlash that is not compatible with the bootloader ...
Problem 1: When inserting a CompactFlash with a deleted partition, I do not get a dialog to format per Topic 1163. There is no registry entry as indicated in Topic 1358.
Problem 2: Using CE .Net Storage Manager to format a CompactFlash with a deleted partition (or not) will not produce a compatible FAT16 for the bootloader. I've been using Disk Explorer per Topic 1162 to recognize good and bad formats and also tested with bootloader. To me, not being able to salvage a CompactFlash by the Storage Manager method, is an issue.
If the BitsyX popped a dialog when inserting a no partition CompactFlash, will the format be different than from Storage Manager?
By deleting the partition and inserting into an iPaq PDA, I've been able to get by ... |
Edited by - HBPayne on 22 Jul 2004 12:31:31 |
|
|
iei
4 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2004 : 10:20:19
|
Is there any product from ADS to check that FAT16 is good or not for bootloader?
Ivan |
 |
|
|
HBPayne
45 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2005 : 14:29:47
|
| This has now become a serious problem. We have field personnel that are reformatting CompactFlash using Windows and getting into trouble when trying to install new software. |
|
|
|
akidder
1519 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2005 : 16:59:16
|
| Sounds like we're going to have to revisit this one. I'll flag it for discussion at our engineering meeting this week. Thanks for checking in about this issue. |
|
|
|
HBPayne
45 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2005 : 12:12:57
|
Our problem is now compounded by field personnel buying 1GB CompactFlash which when formatted by a Pocket PC PDA, is formatted FAT32. Also, when new I think they are already FAT32.
The topic CE Bootloaders, ATA Cards and FAT does not seem to address the problem.
I have done the following per the topic on Windows 2000 and XP. The .NET Framework 1.1 is installed on both systems. I am using a Dane Electric CompactFlash with a USB SanDisk Reader on both systems:
On Windows 2000
Command line: does not not like the "/y" flag. Without the flag the formatted CompactFlash was not compatible with the bootloader.
FormatFAT16.exe: does not format the CompactFlash at all.
On Windows XP
Command line: It did not complain about the "/y" flag though using "/?" with format does not list its purpose. The formatted CompactFlash was not compatible with the bootloader.
FormatFAT16.exe: It formatted the CompactFlash but is not compatible with the bootloader.
Deleting the partition on the CompactFlash and inserting into a Pocket PC PDA to format produces a CompactFlash that is compatible with the bootloader.
Please help. |
|
|
|
akidder
1519 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2005 : 16:26:59
|
I'm not sure we've tested with 1GB drives. Are you going to be using those big cards to reload the system files? I guess we can try it out here, though we might have to sacrifice a microdrive for the effort.
Are you using BitsyX CE boot 1.07 for these tests, or have you moved to boot 1.14? |
|
|
|
HBPayne
45 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2005 : 12:02:33
|
- That was the intention for the 1GB drives. The 1GB CompactFlash appear to be relabeled Toshiba flash cards. They are not Microdrives.
- I failed to mention the size but all the tests were done with a 64MB Dane Electric CompactFlash (again a relabeled Toshiba card).
- Tests were done with bootloader 1.07 and image 4.10.35. BitsyX I think is a level A. We are starting to get Level C with bootloader 1.10. I could try that if needed.
- I could try bootloader 1.14 on a Level C BitsyX if that might make a difference, however, we have a number of units with Level A BitsyX. |
|
|
|
HBPayne
45 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2005 : 14:48:14
|
If it's of any help and you may be aware of the following details:
In all the tests I've been using DiskExplorer per Topic 1162 to look at the geometries of good and bad FAT16 formats for the bootloader. The items that seem to be out of character for bad formats is the number of heads and sectors per track. Good formats for number of heads are 1, 4, or 8 and sectors per track should be 32. Bad formats would have number of heads at 255 and sectors per track at 63.
Are these the things that the bootloader doesn't like?
My assumption at this point is that if you had a format application that could control those geometries, that would solve the problem (note that number of heads is normally defined by hardware). So far I have not found such an application.
Also note that most manufacturers (such as Toshiba) of the smaller CompactFlash cards are preformatted in a way to be compatible with bootloader. If we had their application or process ... |
Edited by - HBPayne on 22 Apr 2005 15:59:44 |
|
|
|
mplaum
11 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2008 : 20:04:11
|
>Deleting the partition on the CompactFlash and inserting into a Pocket PC PDA to format produces a CompactFlash that is compatible with the bootloader.
I have to do the same thing with our 128 MB cards from WinSystems (on an AGX platform). Is there any other way to properly pre-format the cards to be compatible with the bootloader?
Markus |
Edited by - mplaum on 08 Apr 2008 20:04:44 |
|
|
|
grenierm
133 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2008 : 16:36:14
|
I'll check with our Development Team to see if they have any new insights on this, but we don't have any current plans for new development on AGX.
You'll probably have to continue to reformat the cards or determine another vendor for these cards.
Have you seen the details at topic 1163? |
|
|
|
mplaum
11 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2008 : 16:59:01
|
>Have you seen the details at topic 1163?
Yes, I have... Unfortunately that process doens't work for the CF cards that we are currently using. The only reliable way we can do it for now is to reformat them in a CE PDA.
Thanks,
Markus |
Edited by - mplaum on 26 Nov 2008 12:14:52 |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
All Forums
Microsoft Windows CE
CE .Net will not format compatible FAT16?
Forum Locked
Send Topic to a Friend
Printer Friendly