Michael G. Schabert <mikeride@prez.buf.servtech.com> wrote:

In response to Tim Bessie writing:
>> _That_ is the problem.  Mkfs can set the bits correctly FOR me.
>> I am just annoyed that, after paying $60.00 for FWB (after being
>> told by one of their Tech Support people that "Yes, it can create
>> A/UX partitions"), finding that it doesn't do EVERYTHING it's
>> supposed to.  According to FWB's documentation, it works for
>> creating "MkLinux" partitions -- I'm assuming MkLinux isn't as
>> picky as NetBSD, and only looks at the 'type' string, not caring
>> about the partition map entry flags.
>
>
>Actually, Tim, I think that you're missing a big part of the point. FWB
>DOES successfuly do *exactly* what they told you that it does. It can
>successfully create A/UX partitions.
>
>What you need to realize, though, is that NetBSD *CANNOT* use A/UX
>partitions. We can CONVERT them into usable partitions, but what FWB gives
>you can be used right away with no modification by A/UX. You did NOT pay
>$60 for them to create NetBSD partitions, so you got fully what you paid
>for. So as soon as you use an operating system that's A/UX complient, then
>you can complain if you have trouble with FWB's HDT. In the meantime, it
>will work perfectly fine to give you NetBSD support using MKFS....exactly
>like EVERY other formatter you can find.

Mike,

Maybe I've missed something here, but I think Tim is correct.  There are 
two things that a disk formatter must do to create an A/UX partition.  
The partition type must be an Apple_SVR4 type (the types are Apple 
defined). The name of the partition stored in the partition map is 
unimportant, but most formatters will put something in there like "A/UX 
Root&Usr".  The second thing that the formatter must do is correctly 
write some partition type flags in the partition itself. These flags are 
*NOT* part of the disk partition map entry but are part of the data 
recored in the partition.  Apparantly FWB's disk formatter does the first 
part but not the second.

As for NetBSD using A/UX partition, it can and does - *BUT* they must 
contain the proper flags.  If one uses a fully capable disk formatter to 
build and initialize 4.2BSD type partitions, there is no need for Mkfs.

What Mkfs can do is:
1)  Convert any type of partition into an A/UX partition.  When it does 
this it changes the partition name to be "NetBSD something" depending on 
what the user has selected for a partition type. Converting an A/UX 
partition to a NetBSD one usually does nothing more than change the name 
field in the partition map entry for the partition.  The name field is 
basically ignored, although there is (or was) some Kernel code that 
matched partition types by the presence of keywords in the partition 
name. The keywords were "root" and "swap". The current version of Mkfs 
continues to insert these keywords in the name field when it re-write the 
names of the partitions.

2)  Initialize (software format) the partition into a 4.2BSD filesystem.  
This is compatible with the Installer.  Neither Mkfs or the Installer 
currently handle 4.3BSD filesystem structures. Newfs under NetBSD 
defaults to this filesystem structure.  Some disk formatters are (or 
were) capable of initializing both 4.2BSD and 4.3BSD structures.  As some 
users have discovered the Installer can't handle the latter.

3) Write the appropiate A/UX (and NetBSD) disk partition flags.  This is 
the side-effect one needs to successfully complete initializing an A/UX 
partition created by FWB.

To recap, A/UX disk partitions *ARE* the same as NetBSD disk partitions.  
Mkfs doesn't require the disk flags to identify the partition, but both 
the Installer and the Kernel do.  However, if Mkfs doesn't find the disk 
flags for an Apple_SVR4 partition it will classify the partition as 
"Unused" or "Free" even though the name field seems to identify what the 
partition is supposed to be used for.  This should be a warning to the 
user that the partition won't be seen by either the Installer or a NetBSD 
Kernel.

So, unless FWB is initializing the partition type, partition name, *AND* 
the partition flags for A/UX partitions it's not doing what it has been 
advertising.  Without the disk flags it would be more accurate to say it 
is creating MkLinux partitions, not A/UX (or NetBSD) ones.

Hope this clears things up,
-bob