Bernd Sieker <bsieker@freenet.de> writes:

> On 09.07.02, 22:18:17, alias@netbsd.org wrote:
> > 
> > 8 partitions:
> > #        size   offset     fstype   [fsize bsize cpg/sgs]
> >   a:   512000        0      MSDOS                        # (Cyl.    0 - 999)
> 
> I had assumed it would create one d and one e entry for whole disk and
> DOS partition. Is 512000 really the actual size of the usable area of
> the card?

Well, it's a 256MB card.  I may have specified the size incorrectly.

Of course, the card manufacturers don't really mean megabytes, but
instead they start using 1000 along the way somewhere instead of 1024.

> > This seems reasonable, and matches what fdisk reports.
> > > 
> > > newfs_msdos [options] /dev/rwd1e
> > 
> > Here is what I've tried, with no luck:
> > 
> > # newfs_msdos /dev/rwd1a
> > newfs_msdos: Cannot determine size, must use -f format
> > # newfs_msdos /dev/wd1a  
> > newfs_msdos: Cannot determine size, must use -f format
> > # newfs_msdos -f 256000 /dev/wd1a
> > newfs_msdos: Cannot find format description for 256000 KB
> > 
> > I must be doing something simple wrong.
> 
> Just to be sure: You are using -current or 1.6_BETA[x]?
> newfs_msdos on NetBSD 1.5[.x] and prior can only format floppy disks
> whose geometry is defined in /etc/floppytab. It cannot format hard
> disk partitions.

Nope, I'm using 1.5.2.  I guess that's why it doesn't work!  I
mentioned this in my very first email, sorry for the confusion.

> Check the (hopefully accurate) man page for newfs_msdos, on 1.5[.x]
> and earlier it should have a BUGS section saying that it currently has
> no way to specify drive parameters and thus cannot format hard disk
> partitions. With 1.6 these parameters were added, but I have not
> tested that it actually works.

When 1.6 comes out, I'll try newfs_msdos again.

> If you have created a valid DOS partition table with fdisk, though,
> you should be able to format the partition with Windows 2000 or CE.
> 
> Did you try to run the Windows 2000 Disk Manager to create/destroy
> partitions on the card? Otherwise I'm out of ideas. I never had
> trouble formatting cards.

I have Windows 200 installed, but I almost never use it, and I barely
know my way around.  I did not try to destroy and then recreate the
partition that I created with NetBSD fdisk, I just tried to format it,
and this failed.  Perhaps I can try to destroy all partitions on the
card, then create a partition for the whole card, and then format it,
all in Windows 2000 Disk Manager.  This is a good suggestion, too,
thanks.

-russ