How to format a drive to ext3 using GParted

[chris57]

This guide is meant ONLY for additional HDD's to the main HDD. The main HDD should be formatted via the NMT as it creates partitions for the Apps and a Swop Space partition.
You can also use this to fdsk your internal HDD via USB slave.

If you connect via IFS then read the USB slave guide as there are problems/tips/workarounds in it for the problems that Windows users incur when accessing Ext formatted drives.

[jamos]

I got it working with gParted using Vista 64 and Ex2Fsd!

mounted it and can acess ext3 partition from vista..nice!

[chris57]

It is all down to Vista Digital signature checks to anyone thinking great but how did you solve it as I have the same problem.

Ext2fsd has now got the vista required signature and works well.

[happypig]

My A-110 already installed an internal HDD with ext3 partion formatted via the A-110, and can be mounted and copied files in WinXP with A-110's USB slave port.

However, the second 1TB USB HDD with ext3 partion was for additional HDD's to the main HDD, and this additional HDD can be mounted but can't copied files in WinXP. That's really wired!?!?

[jamos]

(09-13-2009 10:26 AM)happypig Wrote:  My A-110 already installed an internal HDD with ext3 partion formatted via the A-110, and can be mounted and copied files in WinXP with A-110's USB slave port.

However, the second 1TB USB HDD with ext3 partion was for additional HDD's to the main HDD, and this additional HDD can be mounted but can't copied files in WinXP. That's really wired!?!?

use Ext2fsd instead of Ext2IFS (uninstall Ex2IFS first). it works fine now with the method shown above because the latest version has digital signitures. You just need to go into the program the first time find the ext3 drive and mount it (which will give it a drive letter).
I think even XP SP3 needs signitures now patched to its latest version.

[happypig]

Cool......Ext2fsd works fine......thanks!!!

[chris57]

If you read the Guide you would see it tell you to use ext2fsd for XP.

[happypig]

(09-13-2009 11:58 PM)chris57 Wrote:  If you read the Guide you would see it tell you to use ext2fsd for XP.

Indeed, it's better to use extfsd for XP.

Since Chris's guide works for my internal drive of A-110 and that's the pictures go...so I stop reading the rest and thought Ext2IFS should also for my external USB HDD, . Now I learned. Thanks!!!

[Suge_K]

Good Guide Alex, month or so too late for me but you helped at the time so i'll let you off. GParted really is a doddle - big fan myself too.

Driver-wise, whilst IFS and FSD both work, i find the drive letter assignment very flakey on both - to the point where even selecting the option to remember mounts, it does not keep the same drive letter. Not a huge problem as im NASing it soon, but for ad hoc YAMJ runs, its a pain.

S

[chris57]

Have you recently updated Ext2Fsd, I ask as it was only on 1 August 2009 that they achieved Digital Driver Signature with v0.48:-

Modifications from V0.46:

1. Acronis TrueImage compatible issue solved: Verified with Acronis True Image Home 2009. Also verified with FreeOFTE 3.0, TrueCrypt 6.2a.
2. Driver code-signed for Vista and Server 2008
3. Bo Branten’s 5+ patches merged, lots ifstest failures resolved
4. Code improvements for FastIo routines and drive letter & mount points management
5. Mount point automatic assignment for USB key and other removable
disks or removable media devices

You can download Ext2Fsd at: http://sourceforge.net/projects/ext2fsd/files/

I am thinking of re-writing the USB slave with Ext2Fsd now instead of ext2ifs.

[choochoo7777]

so to rehash this in laymans terms .. can the c200 format brand new OEM drive? if not ..can the c200 be attached to a mac or pc via usb and can it be formatted that way?

[halfelite]

Yes the c200 will format a new drive you stick in as long as its the first. If you pop in a second drive. I could not get it to format. I dont know if this is not in the firmware or if its going to be. But yet plugging it into another computer. Formatting it fat32. ext3. hfs will work fine.

[choochoo7777]

thank you halfelite

[chris57]

The only issue to make sure of with brand new drives is that the drive is initialised. None of the NMT's can initialise a HDD. If the drive is not intialised then it won't show in sources/NMT Setup will not appear in maintenance. In this case intialise on a PC first.

If you already have a HDD with NMT Apps on and are asking about a seocnd HDD then no the NMT cannot format the whole drive to Ext. It could install the NMT Apps on the seocnd HDD but that would give two lots of NMT Apps!! Use this guide for any second HDD in a C200.

[Bazrah]

Cheers for the guide Gibbo - I've just done a Samsung 1.5TB ecogreen in the Icybox (which is your fault I bought )

I remember first time round I struggled for ages to get this right...