# Guide to consolidating a dual drive Series 3 to one drive without losing recordings



## Thom (Jun 5, 2000)

I have now consolidated 3 different Series 3 machines from a 250GB+750GB configuration to a single 1TB configuration without losing any recordings.

To do this, you will need a version of the MFSLive v1.3b backup utility that has been patched to allow it to work properly with a Series 3 dual drive set.

I've attached a patched backup utility to this message. Unzip it and copy the file *s3backup* to a cd or a floppy disk.

In my examples below from my Series 3 backups and restores, my system uses the following drive assignments:

hdg = cdrom
sda = destination A drive (1TB)
sdb = source A drive (250GB)
sdc = source B drive (750GB)

Attach all your drives to your computer and boot from the MFSLive CD.

Once booted, you will need to mount and copy the s3backup utility into */usr/sbin* on your computer. In my case, I removed the MFSLive cd from my cdrom drive, and put in a cd that I had burned the s3backup utility onto. Then I used the commands:

*mount /dev/hdg /cdrom*
*cp /cdrom/s3backup /usr/sbin*

Personally, I like to run a couple of quick tests before I begin the actual copy process, which took about 8 hours on my machine.

My first quick test to make sure I can read the source hard disks:

*s3backup -o /dev/null /dev/sdb /dev/sdc*

If successful, my second quick test to make sure I can write the destination hard disk:

*s3backup -qo - /dev/sdb /dev/sdc | restore -i - /dev/sda*

If successful, my actual full copy command (which took about 8 hours):

*s3backup -qTao - /dev/sdb /dev/sdc | restore -zi - /dev/sda*

At the end of the copy process, I received a message *Attempt to write across partition boundary!*, but it didn't affect anything. {EDIT: I've added a "z" to the restore command above. It should prevent the "Attempt to write across partition boundary!" message, although I have not tested this yet.}

Once the copy is complete, the new drive is still not ready for use. If you were to install it now, you would get a *Wrong External Storage Attached* message on your Series 3.

Use pdisk on the hard disk to modify the partitions:

*pdisk /dev/sda*

Press lowercase *p* to display the partitions on the hard disk. You should see 16 partitions, with Apple_Free being the 16th partition.

Write down the length of the Apple_Free partition (partition 16). This will be referred to as length16.

Now delete partitions 15, 14, and 13:

*d 15 d 14 d 13*

You can delete them all on one line like above, or you can delete them individually. Start with 15 and work your way to 13.

Now display your partitions with lowercase *p* again. The Apple_Free partition is now partition 13.

Write down the new length of the Apple_Free partition (partition 13). This will be referred to as length13.

Subtract length16 from length13, and write it down. This will be referred to as length14.

Press uppercase *C* to create a new partition. Do not use lowercase *c* as it will not allow you to specify the partition type.

*13p* will be the starting block. (*13p* just means use the start block currently assigned to partition 13.)

The length will be the length14 number you calculated.

*"Second MFS media region"* will be the name of the partition, INCLUDING the quotation marks. If you don't include the quotation marks, only the word Second will be used, and the rest will be discarded.

*MFS* in uppercase letters will be the type of partition.

Now press *p* to display your new partition info.

Compare the length of the current Apple_Free partition (should be partition 14) to the length16 number. They should be identical. (Basically, you are checking to make sure that you made the new partition 13 exactly the same length as the old partitions 13, 14 and 15 combined.)

If they are not identical, you made a mistake somewhere. Exit pdisk with a *q* command, then start pdisk again and try again.

If they are identical, then press lowercase *w* to write the new partition layout to the hard disk. You will have to answer *y* to the warning message.

Press *q* to exit pdisk.

You are done with the hard disk. Install it in your Series 3.

When your Series 3 boots for the first time on the newly consolidated and repartitioned hard disk, you will see a *Missing External Storage* message. This is expected. Simply follow the on-screen prompts to press the *clear* button, then to press the *thumbs up* button three times and to press the *enter* button.

It will take about 5 minutes to remove all reference to the external drive and reboot.

You will not lose any recordings. They are are still on the newly expanded partition 13 of the A drive.

To add a second drive at a later time, run *fixdivorce* on the A drive, then use *mfsadd* to add the second drive.

- Thom


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## blicken (Nov 25, 2001)

I used this technique yesterday, and my S3 looks to be working great with the new drive. Hopefully, I'll get the 9.4 update soon; it was stalled because I was using a FreeAgent Pro as my external.


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## spike2k5 (Feb 21, 2006)

blicken said:


> I used this technique yesterday, and my S3 looks to be working great with the new drive. Hopefully, I'll get the 9.4 update soon; it was stalled because I was using a FreeAgent Pro as my external.


Try to make a backup using mfstools. I don't think you can anymore.


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## Thom (Jun 5, 2000)

spike2k5 said:


> Try to make a backup using mfstools. I don't think you can anymore.


Provided you use *fixdivorce* first, the patched version of backup appears to continue to work. I did a quick test and it ran without errors, although the size of the backup file was going to be large, so I aborted it with Ctrl-C.


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## spike2k5 (Feb 21, 2006)

If you consolidate partitions, mfstools does not know how to handle that. I don't think WinMFS does either.



> I did a quick test and it ran without errors, although the size of the backup file was going to be large, so I aborted it with Ctrl-C.


You don't have to make a full copy. You can try making truncated backup. Mfstools will fail at some point or you won't be able to restore that image.

In your procedure, you've consolidated partitions 13,14,15 and now partition 13 includes all three zones (app, media, inode). That's another no no from what I can gather.

You can certainly do whatever you'd like but you won't be able to create a reliable backup file after doing your procedure. If you want to do this, make sure you make a good backup file before doing it.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

Thom said:


> I have now consolidated 3 different Series 3 machines from a 250GB+750GB configuration to a single 1TB configuration without losing any recordings.
> 
> To do this, you will need a version of the MFSLive v1.3b backup utility that has been patched to allow it to work properly with a Series 3 dual drive set.
> 
> ...


I took a look at you patch with WordPad and learned about as little as I figured I would.

Does it just make it possible to use drives other than hda, b, c, and d?

Where I'm going with this is version 1.4 does allow other drives, and I'm wondering if your technique to "consolidate" MFS partitions can be used on S1s and S2s with a "stock" MFS Live v1.4 cd? If so, it would let me salvage some recordings.


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