<<< WELCOME TO AFS >>> Using the Ami-FileSafe on your harddisk ======================================= Features of Ami-FileSafe ======================== - AFS has much faster disk access than FFS. - AFS will store (On average) more data than FFS on the same disk. - AFS gives vastly improved directory scanning. - AFS is SAFE - If you crash your machine whilst writing Ami-FileSafe partitions will not (unlike OFS & FFS) become invalidated or corrupt. Restrictions and requirements ============================= The demonstration version of Ami-FileSafe will not handle partitions of more than 10MB. It can be installed and automouted in the RidgidBootBlock. Standard mountlists are also supported. Autobooting is supported. Memory usage depends on the number of buffers selected. The full version of Ami-FileSafe is available from Fourth Level Developments (See the end of this file for details). Warning to Hackers ================== This version of AFS does not contain the code to handle large partitions. If you try to remove the 10MB limit AFS will seem to work but the partition will become unstable and you _will_ lose your data. Do not risk it, if you want to use AFS then buy the full version. Preparing installation ====================== Select or make a suitable partition. All the data in the selected partition will be destroyed when installing Ami-FileSafe, so make sure you make a backup. Ami-FileSafe must be installed in the l: directory. You can do this by double clicking on the Install or Install020 (For 68020+ machines) icon. Installing Ami-FileSafe on the partition ======================================== Now you can install Ami-FileSafe on the RidgidDiskBlock. You can use Commodore's HDToolbox, which is supplied with the Workbench software, for this purpose. With the same tool you can install AFS on a partition. We assume here that you will use HDToolbox. If you use another tool you should refer to its documentation. Select 'advanced options' in the the partitioning window. A number of extra buttons appear. Click on 'add/update...' and then click 'Add New File System...'. Type in 'L:HardDiskAFS' for the name of the file system. Set the dostype field to '0x41465301' and then select ok. Go back to the partitioning window, select the desired partition and select the 'change...' button. Select the just added Ami-FileSafe (AFS\1). Use all the default options: automount on, block size 512, 2 reservered blocks. If you are using an older version of HDToolBox and the is not a 'change' button then click on 'Custom File System' and then type '0x41465301' into the dostype field. Change the 'buffers' field to a value between 50-200 depending on how much memory you have free (1 Buffer = 1K). If you are using an IDE drive then set the maxtransfer value to 0x1ffff Now select ok and the partioning menu will appear again. Fill in the name you want the device to have in the 'Partition Device Name' field, e.g. 'DH1'. If you want to boot from the disk you have to set the the bootable flag. Go back to the main screen and save the changes. If HDToolBox reports that there is not enough space in the RDB then you can either: a) Get a program called RDBPrep (aminet: disk/misc/rdp391.lha) and use that instead. b) Install Ami-FileSafe using mountlists (See the AmigaDos manual for details). Ami-FileSafe should be installed on the partition now. Reboot and format the partition from workbench. If you have done something wrong then go back and start again. Un-delete ========= AFS now includes an un-delete feature. Located off the root is a subdirectory called ".deldir". It stores the last 31 deleted files. To list the currently valid deleted files (from cli) type: list :.deldir You will notice the filenames have a number called a "slot number" appended after them to prevent duplicate file names. To undelete a file simply copy it from the .deldir onto another drive e.g:- copy :.deldir/NewsBatch@022 ram: Will un-delete the NewBatch@022 file and store it in ram disk. N.B. While it is possible to un-delete files onto the same volume, if you do this you may overwrite the file you are trying to un-delete. Misc Notes ========== - Do not try to use Gigamem/VMM swap _files_ on an AFS partition. - If you are using a cache program disable write cache for any AFS partitions. - If you are having problems with AFS please email: afssupport@flevel.demon.co.uk Differences with FFS/OFS ======================== When you use the c:list command the 'blocks used' information will be too high. The list command assumes every file consumes a block of free space to use as headerblock. AFS uses blocks much more efficiently. Usually the real number of blocks used is the given amount minus the number of files listed. You can check this with the "info" command, which will report the correct amount. Directory tools like Directory Opus have the same problem with their spaceleft figure during a copy session. You'll notice that after copying is finished the figure will go up to the correct figure. This means that an AFS disk stores more data than an FFS disk. Ami-FileSafe uses a larger proportion of blocks for data storage. There is a feature of AFS which tells programs asking the filesystem information about a Ami-FileSafe disk that it is an FFS disk. This is done to prevent those programs from saying it's not a dos disk without giving the information requested to the user (e.g. the "info" command). AmigaDos compatibility ====================== All Amiga-Dos features are implemented and you shouldn't have any problems with OS-Legal programs. Some programs such as games and disk utilities which are not OS-legal will not work with Ami-FileSafe. N.B. If you use Directory Opus 4 then we suggest you disable the progress indicator to speed up file operations. Benchmarks ========== Test FFS AFS Units DirScan 409 1780 Files/Second Create 227 1073 K/Second Read 244 1363 K/Second The DirScan, Create and Read tests were done with DiskSpeed V4.2 SeekTest (x100) 53.6 4.4 Seconds SeekTest was done using a custom program (Source code available on request). It performs the following sequence: Seek Start of file Write 4 Bytes Seek to End of file Write 4 Bytes Repeat Reviews ======= A review of Ami-FileSafe is available from Aminet and comp.sys.amiga.reviews. If you would like this review sent to you then please ask. Ami-FileSafe V2.1 Pro - Basic Features ====================================== AFS V2.1 Pro includes: Notification Hard and soft links Support for large disk drives (Upto 4GB) Auto-Booting Add Buffers Sophisticated Cache Routines Max transfer and DMA masking Very Large Directory Support Setowner A New FreeBlock Management System International Support MultiUser FileSystem Support On the fly AFS to FFS conversion. Hundreds of minor fixes and improvements have been made which amount to a major rewrite of the filing system. Ami-FileSafe V2.1 User ====================== Ami-FileSafe User is a budget version of AFS and has the follow limitations:- - It may only be used on one hard drive of upto 650MB. - It does not include the MultiUser FileSystem version of AFS. It does however include the FFS to AFS converter. Support ======= A new mailing list has been setup for AFS users. If you want to join then send an email to: emailurl@flevel.demon.co.uk With the following lines in the body of the message: subscribe afs me@my.domain end ^^^^^^^^^^^ Replace me@my.domain with your email address. Contacts ======== Fourth Level ------------ Tel: 0117 985 4455 (6 Lines) Fax: 0117 955 9157 Email: support@flevel.demon.co.uk Mail: Fourth Level Developments 31, Ashley Hill Montpelier Bristol BS6 5JA Distributors ============ Germany: Stefan Ossowski's Schatztruhe Veronikastr. 33 45 131 Essen Germany Tel: +49 201 788 788 Fax: +49 201 798 447 Sweden: Orebro Videireklam Stottsgatan 12 703 91 Orebro Sweden Tel/Fax: +46 19 123 807 South Africa: ML Systems 86 Queen Wilhelmina Avenue Bailys Muckleneuk Pretoria South Africa Tel: +27 12 346 1160 Fax: +27 12 346 1334 Italy: DB Line V.le Rimembranze 26/c 21024 Biandronno VA Italy Tel: +39 332 767270 Fax: +39 332 768066 Belgium: JPC Schietboomstraat 7-9 B-3600 Genk Belgium BE 638 535 261 Tel: +32 89354 123 Spain: Info Technologies S.L. 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If you are outside the EEC you may deduct 17.5% Amount £______ (Please add 3.50UKP for P&P). Name _________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Tel ________________ Fax ________________ Email ________________ [ ] I enclose a cheque for the full amount. Cheques should be made payable to Fourth Level Developments and can be made out in DM, US Dollars or UKP. [ ] I enclose a EuroCheque for the full amount (Made out in UKP). [ ] I enclose UKP (in cash) for the full amount. [ ] I wish to pay by my Access/Visa credit card: Number _____________________________ Expiry Date ________________ Name _____________________________ [ ] I enclose evidence of my STUDENT status. Signed ________________________ **************************************************************************** Conditions for student discount: 1. Some evidence of your student status must be submitted with your order form. A copy of your student union card is usual. 2. If you decide to sell your copy of Ami-FileSafe to someone who is not a student they must pay the difference between the student price and the full commercial price. You must advise us of this. 3. The student copy may not be used for commercial purposes or for any purpose other than the private use of the purchaser. **************************************************************************** PGP KEY - Should be used for credit card orders ----------------------------------------------- -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: 2.6 mQBNAjAs7NIAAAECANl419CnR9N/rRQjYlGciKCr89Nd4XpT7n76UWdAdiKoIUma zSfHjiaoRlhlK9icZPGM5/xRFOchNZYOg1drK+0ABRG0NEZvdXJ0aCBMZXZlbCBE ZXZlbG9wbWVudHMgPHNhbGVzQGZsZXZlbC5kZW1vbi5jby51az4= =uLbk -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----