[QUESTION]Partitioning HDD

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06-09-2010, 07:01 AM
ps2ps2

[QUESTION]Partitioning HDD

I have some question about partitioning the HDD.
Because im planning to buy a Maxtor 750Gig HDD and i want to partition it into 2.
First partion will be 500gig for games that use Winhiip installation for HDL and OPL format.
Second partition will be the 250gig or less for Movies/Music/etc.

Here is my questions.
1. Will it work for HDL and OPL if I partition the HDD into 2?
2. What format should I use for SMS to read the second partition?because i have external HDD that use Fat32 format.

I have 160Gig Seagate Barracuda that I use in my V9 ps2 with Network Adapter but its full so I'm planning to buy a much larger HDD.

Thank you for your help in advance.
Have a nice day.
06-09-2010, 07:23 AM
Hajile

Quote:

Originally Posted by ps2ps2

I have some question about partitioning the HDD.
Because im planning to buy a Maxtor 750Gig HDD and i want to partition it into 2.

is that a SATA drive? I say this because the PS2 network adapter only has an IDE port, and the only 750 GB HDD in IDE was produced by Seagate. if you want to use a SATA drive in a PS2 then you'll need to perform some modifications with a SATA to IDE adapter, such as in the discussion over here: http://www.psx-scene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61272

Quote:

Originally Posted by ps2ps2

First partion will be 500gig for games that use Winhiip installation for HDL and OPL format.
Second partition will be the 250gig or less for Movies/Music/etc.

Here is my questions.
1. Will it work for HDL and OPL if I partition the HDD into 2?

no. HDLoader and OPL's HDD core load individual games installed into separate custom HDL format partitions, not from one big parition like you may assume. to clarify, this means that each game is installed in its own partition. so if you want to dedicate 250 GB to SMS media then you simply create a 250 GB partition before hand, and leave the rest of the space alone, since the HDL games will occupy the remaining unpartitioned space with their own game partitions once you have installed them. the PS2 HDL format doesn't use one big partition to store everything as you would expect on a PC, and you can have up to 255 HDL game partitions on the PS2 (therefore a maximum of 255 installed games too).

the limits as far as i know for HDL are a 2 TB drive size when patched to 48 bit LBA, and the aforementioned 255 games. i'm not certain about OPL's limits however, but sicne they use the same filesystem i'd assume that ti would be subject to the same limitations.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ps2ps2

2. What format should I use for SMS to read the second partition?because i have external HDD that use Fat32 format.

you will need to create a partition with some tool such as uLE, but regardless of which tool you use to do so it will always be created in PFS (PlayStation file system), since this is the standard PS2 file system. the only other oent hat i am aware of is the custom HDL type, but thats only relevant to games installed on an HDD. so just use the HDD manager of uLE to create a 250 GB partition.

FAT32 in the PS2 is only used for USB devices, not the internal HDD, so there is no relevance when discussing the internal HDD.
06-09-2010, 07:26 AM
dlanor

Quote:

Originally Posted by ps2ps2

I have some question about partitioning the HDD.
Because im planning to buy a Maxtor 750Gig HDD and i want to partition it into 2.
First partion will be 500gig for games that use Winhiip installation for HDL and OPL format.

It does not work that way.

HDL (same as OPL) game format for the internal PS2 HDD does not store the games as normal files inside a big partition. Instead a separate partition is created from unallocated space of the HDD, for each one of your HDL-format games as part of its installation process.

So the proper way to provide space for future HDL-type game installs is simply to leave that amount of space unpartitioned.

Quote:

Second partition will be the 250gig or less for Movies/Music/etc.

That should work fine, though most tools will not let you make so big a partition to begin with. So you will need to make a smaller one and then use an 'Expand' command to make it grow to that big size you mentioned.

Quote:

Here is my questions.
1. Will it work for HDL and OPL if I partition the HDD into 2?

No. With only 2 partitions on the HDD it will not be suitable for any PS2 usage.
And if the entire HDD space is partitioned it will be impossible to install any HDL-style games on it.
Such installations can only work using free unpartitioned space (by making a new partition for each game).

There is also a set of standard partitions that SHOULD exist, in order to maximize compatibility with various software, which assume a partitioning scheme related to that used by Sony.

Most formatting tools intended for a PS2 HDD will provide a minimum set of partitions for you, and provide the rest of the space on the HDD as unpartitioned free space. That is just what you need to later create your own custom partitions or to make HDL/OPL game installs.

NB: For an internal HDD of a PS2 and the utilities that manage it, the "Format" command always refers to formatting of the entire HDD. The partitioning method used does not require any additional formatting before using the partitions. So the "Format" command is only to be used with a brand new drive, or one where you really want all existing partitions to be erased, as that is what the "Format" command will do before creating the new partitions (always starting with a standard minimum set).

Quote:

2. What format should I use for SMS to read the second partition?because i have external HDD that use Fat32 format.

This is like a total change of topic.

Suddenly you are talking about using an external HDD and FAT32 (as then required), while a moment ago you were talking about using HDL-style installed games, which is impossible on such an HDD.

The HDL game format is only usable with an internal HDD, never with an external one.

OPL can be used with both, but the game installation methods are radically different depending on whether you use an internal or an external drive.

Quote:

I have 160Gig Seagate Barracuda that I use in my V9 ps2 with Network Adapter but its full so I'm planning to buy a much larger HDD.

And here we are clearly back on the other topic of using an internal HDD again.

But now you have completely confused me as to what you want to do here...

Please be aware that it is impossible to use the same HDD format both for internal use and external use with a PS2.

An internal HDD MUST use a custom format defined by Sony (and later extended by homebrewers). And that formatting MUST be done by a PS2-specific program (though some of them are made to run on a PC).

An external HDD MUST use FAT32 and nothing else. And that formatting can be done by any tool in any OS which is capable of creating a 'proper' FAT32 format without adding unwanted 'garbage'.

Best regards: dlanor
06-09-2010, 08:10 AM
ps2ps2

Sorry for the confusion i made,I will expalin it again.

First is the 750Gig Maxtor IDE HDD,"im just planning to buy it" then partition it into 2,i know how to make/expand/resize HDD. First is I will Format the whole drive into Fat32 then resize it to 250Gig so it will leave me a 500gig Unallocated Space that i will format using Winhiip.

My question is:
1. If I format using Winhiip,so in Winhiip "Select Drive" i will choose the unallocated space,will it format the whole drive?or it will only format the unallocated space i chose and ignore the Fat32 partition?
2. With 2 partition, can HDL/OPL read the games on partition that I made using Winhiip? then just ignore the other Fat32 partition.
[Offtopic: Because i own a 320 External HDD which I partition into Fat32 and NTFS format,OPL and SMS has no problem reading my games/movies/music on the Fat32 and just ignore my Ntfs Partition]
3. Will SMS read the FAT32 partition that i made and display both partiton above SMS Drive selection screen?I know it will read the Winhiip partition.

The 320Gig External HDD[Sata] and 160Gig Seagate [IDE] is the one that I ''Owned'' and use now, the 750Gig is I'm just planning to buy it.

Hope I explain it properly and sorry again for the confusion.
Have a nice day. Thank you.

Edit:Okay after reading again and again and again your answers i think I know how to do it properly.
My last question is for my Fat32 Partition that i made,will SMS read it because it is faster for me to copy movies/music/etc using a computer and we all know that for now Winhiip only install games but doesn't support copying files into it, instead we use Ule or other Filebrowser on ps2.

According to maxtor website:http://www.maxtor.com/home-en-us.html

Quote:

Maxtor is now Seagate.

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You want top-of-the-line hard drives — for backup, for portability, for networking. You've got it, now more than ever.

We've combined the best of Seagate and Maxtor to create the ultimate portfolio of hard drives. You'll recognize some old favorites and get to know some new ones. The very best of the very best. That's what's waiting for you — at the new Seagate online store.
06-09-2010, 09:36 AM
dlanor

Quote:

Originally Posted by ps2ps2

Sorry for the confusion i made,I will expalin it again.

First is the 750Gig Maxtor IDE HDD,"im just planning to buy it" then partition it into 2,i know how to make/expand/resize HDD. First is I will Format the whole drive into Fat32 then resize it to 250Gig so it will leave me a 500gig Unallocated Space that i will format using Winhiip.

None of this makes any sense to me. I am not aware of a possibility to format only part of a drive with WinHiip. And when HDLoader scans a drive it does not take any FAT32 partitions into account. And I fail to see the point of this in any case.

Do you really plan to move that HDD in and out of the PS2 drive bay all the time, connecting it by Network Adaptor only for HDL/OPL, but connecting it by USB port for all other PS2 applications (with the horrible slowdown that this would cause) ???

Quote:

My question is:
1. If I format using Winhiip,so in Winhiip "Select Drive" i will choose the unallocated space,will it format the whole drive?or it will only format the unallocated space i chose and ignore the Fat32 partition?

To my knowledge it will always format the whole drive.

I believe someone managed to create a hybrid drive, useable (but IMO still not useful) as both internal and external drive. But this required use of some special tools (some weird Linux-based HDD manager I think).

Quote:

2. With 2 partition, can HDL/OPL read the games on partition that I made using Winhiip? then just ignore the other Fat32 partition.

I'm not sure if that is possible, though I think it might be, though you'd probably have to use some special trickery with partitioning methods and partition order to make it work right. But even if it works I see no real point in doing it.

Quote:

[Offtopic: Because i own a 320 External HDD which I partition into Fat32 and NTFS format,OPL and SMS has no problem reading my games/movies/music on the Fat32 and just ignore my Ntfs Partition]

Yes, when an HDD is connected externally then SMS can use a FAT32 partition it contains, and for recent SMS versions it will also avoid crashing if the first partition is not a FAT32 partition. But such results with other software varies greatly, with most of them capable of accessing only the first partition of any USB drive. (To my knowledge only uLE can access multiple FAT32 partitions on the same drive.)

Quote:

3. Will SMS read the FAT32 partition that i made and display both partiton above SMS Drive selection screen?I know it will read the Winhiip partition.

That is absolute nonsense.

When connected by USB port, as required for access to FAT32 partitions, no software is capable of accessing any Sony-style HDD partitions. In order to do that the drive must be connected by a Sony-style IDE interface, not by any USB adaptor. So whenever SMS is capable of accessing a FAT32 partition it is unable to access any PFS partitions (whether created by WinHiip or uLE), and the same also goes in reverse. Whenever the HDD is mounted internally, so that SMS can access PFS partitions on it, it is then completely unable to either access or even recognize any FAT32 partitions on that HDD.

Quote:

The 320Gig External HDD[Sata] and 160Gig Seagate [IDE] is the one that I ''Owned'' and use now, the 750Gig is I'm just planning to buy it.

Regardless of what HDDs you use, the basic rules for that use are as described above.

FAT32 is only useful for external drives connected by USB, and these do require FAT32
APA/PFS formatting by WinHiip or uLE HddManager is only useful (and is required) for HDD connected by internal IDE interface of a Sony network adaptor for a fat PS2, or similar interface of HDCombo or similar add-on kit for v12/v13 PSTwo.

Quote:

Edit:Okay after reading again and again and again your answers i think I know how to do it properly.

Unfortunately I have my doubts about that...

Quote:

My last question is for my Fat32 Partition that i made,will SMS read it because it is faster for me to copy movies/music/etc using a computer and we all know that for now Winhiip only install games but doesn't support copying files into it, instead we use Ule or other Filebrowser on ps2.

And for internal IDE-connected HDD that is still what you need to do.

Quote:

According to maxtor website:

----- re: Maxtor/Seagate ad link removed
I fail to see what bearing a link to the maxtor 'home page' has on this thread.

The rules for HDD usage with a PS2 have nothing to do with any specific manufacturer other than Sony, who designed some of the limitations we have to live with.

Best regards: dlanor
06-09-2010, 12:52 PM
Hajile

Quote:

Originally Posted by ps2ps2

First is the 750Gig Maxtor IDE HDD

mind giving the drive model code? like i already told you, there are NO 750 GB IDE HDDs made by anybody other than Seagate (of which they produced two, the ST3750640A with a 16 MB cache, and the ST3750840A with the 8 MB cache), and that is the biggest that IDE HDDs go up to...

Maxtor only ever produced 750 GB HDDs for the SATA interface...
06-09-2010, 01:05 PM
loki7777

Looking at this there is such hdd
http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/com...rnal&os=32-bit :)
But this is not true - maxtor was bought by Seagate few years ago.