Internal memory problem with Pocket Pro

[jusmee]

Originally Posted by theducks

I just had Major file system corruption on both the Main and my 4G Sd card.
Scan disk fixed main, I lost 80% of the SD card contents. Reformatted in Windows and reloaded my books. lost all my recently Reading (multiple books in progress)

I have rolled back my Firmware to Dec , never before was it this bad.

I never (Knocking on wood) have had any corruption with USB sticks.

I have to say, that with the nature of the crashes I saw, i.e. requiring a reset (which is never good for a running operating system), it really isn't that surprising to hear of file system problems.

Glad you have recovered your device OK.

[Aptosreader]

The last post of this Apple discussion board (http://discussions.apple.com/thread....readID=1302331). That might help, or even trying one of those free partition programs for Mac. Seems by default the Mac will format a Windows/Dos partition at Fat32.

The method they suggested in this post is exactly how I formatted the PP via Apple's Terminal program. Seems I'm doing all I can (now go back to your family!).

[Solicitous]

Originally Posted by Aptosreader

The method they suggested in this post is exactly how I formatted the PP via Apple's Terminal program. Seems I'm doing all I can (now go back to your family!).

They're in bed, lunch time sleep.

[jusmee]

Originally Posted by Solicitous

I wonder, if one was to accidently remove all partitions on the internal memory (including the hidden system partition), would a firmware reinstall re-create the partition table?

I have been working on a theory that the firmware doesn't install into what we call the PP main internal memory at all - that there is other internal storage where the root file system resides.

As it boots, it probably just tries to mount the internal memory that we see as an internal memory drive, and maybe it's that mount that is failing (due to incompatible partitioning or formatting) - hence why the original poster's PP cannot see files that are placed there via USB.

This fits with seeing a 'recent files' folder only as, under linux, mount points are simply directories, and if the mount failed, the operating system will simply use the directory in the root file system instead, and hence create a 'recent file' folder there. Alternatively they could be doing some union file system trick, but the net effect is similar.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by jusmee

I have been working on a theory that the firmware doesn't install into what we call the PP main internal memory at all - that there is other internal storage where the root file system resides.

As it boots, it probably just tries to mount the internal memory that we see as an internal memory drive, and maybe it's that mount that is failing (due to incompatible partitioning or formatting) - hence why the original poster's PP cannot see files that are placed there via USB.

This fits with seeing a 'recent files' folder only as, under linux, mount points are simply directories, and if the mount failed, the operating system will simply use the directory in the root file system instead, and hence create a 'recent file' folder there. Alternatively they could be doing some union file system trick, but the net effect is similar.

Here is an entry of recently read on the main:
There is a /home in the path that we can not see.
You may not OWN the folder anymore
(I faked in the control chars)

sohnulnulnulnulnulnulnulsohnulnulnul(nulnulnul/home/Websters Dictionary 1913_ver21.prc"nulnulnulWebsters Dictionary 1913_ver21.prcxV4dc2

[jusmee]

Odd to put stuff directly in /home. Usually each user (except root user) has a subdirectory

i.e.

/home/username

but you can certainly mount to any point where you have permissions, and it's not a rule, just a convention.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by jusmee

Odd to put stuff directly in /home. Usually each user (except root user) has a subdirectory

i.e.

/home/username

but you can certainly mount to any point where you have permissions, and it's not a rule, just a convention.

Hey! Don't shoot the messenger ,
I am just reporting what I dumped from the file.
I believe the SD card is a/
remember, there is jus 2 users root and the normal PEz

I wonder if you could

md ../home

[jusmee]

Originally Posted by theducks

Hey! Don't shoot the messenger ,
I am just reporting what I dumped from the file.
I believe the SD card is a/
remember, there is jus 2 users root and the normal PEz

I wonder if you could

md ../home

Not shooting the messenger

How did you find out there were 2 users? I mean, on a device like this, everything might be running as root, so only one user, root, would be needed.

Anyway, interesting as it is to figure out things like this, I fear we are no closer to solving the OP's problem

[theducks]

Originally Posted by jusmee

Not shooting the messenger

How did you find out there were 2 users? I mean, on a device like this, everything might be running as root, so only one user, root, would be needed.

Anyway, interesting as it is to figure out things like this, I fear we are no closer to solving the OP's problem

WAG

root home dir, runs from /root on Ubuntu

So how does one image (restore) a file system on a device like the PEz? The device can't be running normally....The drive is in use.

[Aptosreader]

To All:

Astak support is stumped and wants me to send them the unit. I'll get it off on Monday. Thanks for all your help in this. This group alone is justification for choosing Astak over all of those others. Now if the support group can just get their hands on a Mac all would be well.

[Solicitous]

Originally Posted by theducks

WAG

root home dir, runs from /root on Ubuntu

So how does one image (restore) a file system on a device like the PEz? The device can't be running normally....The drive is in use.

I think you might find that the hidden partition is actually two partitions, (1) for the the Hanlin Flash Util, and (2) for the actual bootable Pez system. User accounts don't come into it. So when you bootup holding the page turn button, partition 1 is booted leaving partition 2 unmounted, not in use, this able to be flashed (given the firmware doesn't appear to recreate the partitions, only write new data to the existing partitions, this seems to work).

The reason I say that user accounts don't come into it as when flashing you aren't using user accounts to amend the existing system, it is just a complete re-write so user authentication / file permissions are not used (think of using Norton Ghost, you can reimage a partition and doesn't require the use of authenticated users)

[jusmee]

Originally Posted by theducks

WAG

root home dir, runs from /root on Ubuntu

So how does one image (restore) a file system on a device like the PEz? The device can't be running normally....The drive is in use.

When flashing the operating system you are either booted from somewhere else, or have launched a process that runs completely from memory. To be safest, it should be a completely separate read-only boot partition somewhere that cannot easily get corrupted. As Solicitous says, users/homes/permissions don't come into play. I was only talking about users and mount points from the point of view of accessing data on the internal book storage when the system was running normally.

[Aptosreader]

I think the reason that this problem has not surfaced more often may be that the Mac OS allows a great deal of control of partitioning devices (maybe much more so than Windows) and I was allowed to wipe everything and reformat. The standard format command allowed in Windows may not touch hidden or read-only partitions. I'm not familiar with the system level capabilities in either OS but it's just a thought.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Aptosreader

I think the reason that this problem has not surfaced more often may be that the Mac OS allows a great deal of control of partitioning devices (maybe much more so than Windows) and I was allowed to wipe everything and reformat. The standard format command allowed in Windows may not touch hidden or read-only partitions. I'm not familiar with the system level capabilities in either OS but it's just a thought.

Windows XP would not even allow me a reformat of the internal storage, only the SD card
Windows did allow a Scan and repair errors (lots )

[Sunspark]

ARGH this happened to me too.

Now all I have is a stupid small usb flash drive that I can move files in and out of, but the device itself cannot see the files, only computers can see the files. Windows, Mac, etc.

I tried flashing in the firmware again, it doesn't erase the internal memory and recreate the tables.