From: Digest To: "OS/2GenAu Digest" Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2006 00:00:21 EST-10EDT,10,-1,0,7200,3,-1,0,7200,3600 Subject: [os2genau_digest] No. 1306 Reply-To: X-List-Unsubscribe: www.os2site.com/list/ ************************************************** Sunday 04 June 2006 Number 1306 ************************************************** Subjects for today 1 Re: Aussie Mobile Internet for OS/2 - eCS [Warning LONG posting] : Mike O'Connor" **= Email 1 ==========================** Date: Sun, 04 Jun 2006 13:06:07 +1000 From: "Mike O'Connor" Subject: Re: Aussie Mobile Internet for OS/2 - eCS [Warning LONG posting] Peter Moylan wrote: > Mike O'Connor wrote: > >> I too have a RAZR V3x, and after looking at the [SanDisk] 64MB >> Transflash (Micro Secure Digital Card [~ 6mm * 4mm]) I can confirm >> that the only format that is acceptable to Motorola is VFAT12 - i.e. >> 12-bit FAT entries with LFN "a la" FAT32, but more space efficient >> than F32! Windows recognises that it is VFAT12 - OS/2-eCS thinks it >> is just FAT12, so the directory structure gets screwed up if >> appending to the card from our OS! > > > I'm surprised that VFAT12 even exists, because the reason for the > invention of FAT16 (FAT12 was the original DOS file system) was that > FAT12 because grossly inefficient once floppies got as large as 1.2MB. > (You could use it only by having a large cluster size.) > > I see that there's a VFAT IFS by Daniel Steiner on Hobbes. I don't know > anything about it, but it might be worth a try. > >> Here's a look at the data on a 1GB regular size SDRAM card that I >> bought from DSE yesterday for my new Palm Tungsten E2 [$339 on >> special til 11th June] almost exactly the same formatting as the >> Motorola Transflash - VFAT12, although they both label the DBR as >> FAT16 - I'll have a chat to Chris [GU] to see whether he could extend >> the GU to include a VFAT [12 & 16] to the current suite. > > > Years ago I wrote disk drivers for DOS that would work with both FAT12 > and FAT16, and as far as I recall they autodetected which one was which. > (It was part of a library for writing multithread programs for DOS. I > had to write all my own device drivers because MS-DOS device drivers > used BIOS routines, and the stupid BIOS used to enable interrupts when > they were supposed to be disabled, so the DOS device drivers couldn't be > trusted.) I'd be happy to give that code to Chris or to anyone else > who's willing to write a VFAT IFS. (As I understand it, VFAT is almost > identical to FAT, except that it uses two directory entries per file. > Even though I've written device drivers for bare machines, I have no > experience into how to do it for OS/2. > > (If I recall correctly, Chris is a member of this list.) > Hi Peter, Sorry for the delay in responding - I've got all my systems in bits and pieces and don't feel like using the V3x to generate my e-mails! I can't get used to having to use "ABC" on the 2-key etc., especially after having had virtual on-screen keyboards with my 1998 Palm III for years. Had a bit of luck experimenting between the V3x and the new Tungsten E2 - which uses regular size SD RAM cards. The Motorola which absolutely refused to read/re-format the "garbaged" MicroSD card allowed me to read and reformat it after I had inserted it in my Tungsten E2, using the Motorola MicroSD adapter [standard SDRAM card size], and which the E2 was quite happy to format. It also displayed tech information about that MicroSD card! :-) So now I am again able to use the storage capacity of the card for saving pictures/videos etc. Will definitely upgrade the card, capacity-wise, as they come in up to 2GB size. As suggested by Ed, I will play around a bit with VFAT2EA, and see whether that is a permanent solution! -- Regards, Mike Failed the exam for -------------------- MCSE - Minesweeper Consultant and Solitaire Expert -------------------- [Please ZIP any attachments, other than GIF/JPG or plain-text] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------