Cacko Incorrectly Says /hdd3 Is Full

[hughsieman]

Hi

When I plug my SL-C3200 running Cacko full into my Windows XP machine via USB, with PC Link Mode setting to Storage - Internal HDD, Windows Explorer says that there is 580MB free.

However, Cacko thinks it is full, my df line for /hdd3 reads:-

/dev/hda   35968284   5935472    32812    99%    /hdd3

There has always been a difference between what Cacko and Windows reports but it has become a problem now as I cannot create a swap file even though I know there is space available.

Also, I am trying to bluetooth a file from my phone to the Zaurus and cannot as the Zaurus believes the disk drive is full.

Any assistance would be very much appreciated.

Cheers

[Meanie]

Hi

When I plug my SL-C3200 running Cacko full into my Windows XP machine via USB, with PC Link Mode setting to Storage - Internal HDD, Windows Explorer says that there is 580MB free.

However, Cacko thinks it is full, my df line for /hdd3 reads:-

/dev/hda   35968284   5935472    32812    99%    /hdd3

There has always been a difference between what Cacko and Windows reports but it has become a problem now as I cannot create a swap file even though I know there is space available.

Also, I am trying to bluetooth a file from my phone to the Zaurus and cannot as the Zaurus believes the disk drive is full.

Any assistance would be very much appreciated.

Cheers
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every tried running fsck or scandisk on it?

[mikew]

You should defrag the disk occasionally as Meanie suggests, especially if you keep the disk quite full.

Attach the Zaurus to your PC in storage mode
Right click on drive in Windows Explorer & select Tools
Select defragment disk
You may need to ignore the warning that there is not enough free space to defrag the disk properly.

You may also want to try the option to check/fix drive errors, it does take a long time to run, especially useful if the Zaurus can't find a file that you are sure you have not deleted!

Mike

[hughsieman]

Thanks for the replies

I tried fsck /hdd3 but get the following back:-

The superblock could not be read or does not describe a correct ext2 filesystem.......

Do I need to specify FAT filesystem and if so how?

I will give a defrag a go as well later on.

Cheers

[Jon_J]

I've had the same thing happen to me in the past
This is how I do it when I get corrupted files on my FAT partition.
Don't use defrag, it is much to slow over USB.
The below will check and fix all errors on your FAT partition.
This may take about an hour.
This method uses the emergency console accessed with the B+D option.
To do a file system check on /hdd3 use below command:
If you boot with the B+D option, login as root and use
fsck.vfat -a -f -t -v -V /dev/hda3

Below is an excerpt from some instructions to get to the emergency console:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To use the D+B option do as follows...

1. Remove power and battery from the SL-C3000.
2. Leaving the Battery Cover OFF, return the battery cover lock to the LOCKED position.

At this point examine the battery compartment.
On the edge that is closest to Zaurus Logo are a set of slots where the battery cover 'keys into' when closed.

If you look at the slot that sits almost exactly vertically central of the whole Zaurus (not the compartment),
you will notice that there is a reset button. Do NOT press it just yet.

3. Open the unit so the screen is at right angles to the base unit and sit the unit on the back of the screen so that the keyboard is accessible with one hand and the base of the unit is accessible with the other.

4. Hold down D+B on the keyboard and whilst these keys are held depress the reset button using the stylus.

5. Release the D+B keys and within a few seconds the unit should start to boot into Emergency Linux.

You can now login as root with no password (In other words, type "root" to login)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alternative method to get to D+B option and Also D+M option:

It makes things a LOT easier if you are already booted & running. You can simply select REBOOT from the popup menu, tap the YES box then hold down the DM or DB keys till the screen darkens & the system boots again. Can keep the Z flat & stable while using both hands to press the keys.

[hughsieman]

Cheers Jon

That's running now. I did start the checkdisk from my Windows machine but it was SLOOOOWWWWWW! so I cancelled it and ran fsck.

I don't need to worry that it says that FAT32 support is ALPHA do I?java script:emoticon(':unsure:')
smilie

Any idea how this happens? It seems that files added/deleted from HDD3 via Windows aren't always reflected by Cacko. My df line above shows 32MB free which is where I deleted my swapfile which I did on the Zaurus itself so that was shown. Very strange.

Thanks again

[Jon_J]

Cheers Jon

That's running now. I did start the checkdisk from my Windows machine but it was SLOOOOWWWWWW! so I cancelled it and ran fsck.

I don't need to worry that it says that FAT32 support is ALPHA do I?java script:emoticon(':unsure:')
smilie

Any idea how this happens? It seems that files added/deleted from HDD3 via Windows aren't always reflected by Cacko. My df line above shows 32MB free which is where I deleted my swapfile which I did on the Zaurus itself so that was shown. Very strange.

Thanks again
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I have always used fsck.vfat with no problems. I think I just ignored the ALPHA message.
As far as getting corrupted files on your FAT partition, this has happened to me if I unplug my USB cable from my windows machine too soon just after I transferred some files to my Zaurus.
Once you run fsck.vfat from the emergency console, your file size differences and remaining space issues should be cleared up.

EDIT:
One more thing, that you probably already know.
It's not good to fill up a partition to it's maximum capacity. I always like to leave at least 25% - 30% free space on all my partitions. (I think this has mostly to do with windows and FAT)

[Meanie]

it is a bad idea to completely fill up the disk on any type of filesystems. some space is needed for housekeeping, ie journalling or keeping references/links for defragmentation, and if you got no space, there is no way for your filesystem to stay unfragmented...