MiniTool Partition Wizard can create multiple partitions on SD cards

dodald

11

« on: 07 / December / 2010, 21:37:02 »

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I just downloaded this: http://www.partitionwizard.com/download.html (there is a FREE home version!)

It warns you when you create multiple partitions that Windows cannot see anything other than the first partition, but it let me create 2 partitions on a 16gb SDHC card (don't forget to unlock the card

)

I can't get my camera to see the second partition but I don't even know if it supports partitions. I'm curious to know if someone who knows their camera supports 2 partitions would be willing to give this a shot?

(I still had to use Card tricks to make the FAT16 partition bootable.)

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reyalp

14082

Re: MiniTool Partition Wizard can create multiple partitions on SD cards

« Reply #1 on: 07 / December / 2010, 23:27:57 »

Quote from: dodald on 07 / December / 2010, 21:37:02

I can't get my camera to see the second partition but I don't even know if it supports partitions.

If you tell us which camera, we can probably tell you whether it has multiparition support.

edit:
I see in your other posts you have an a470. All the required code appears to be in place. The development thread, which you've also posted in, should have further information.

« Last Edit: 07 / December / 2010, 23:33:27 by reyalp »

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dodald

11

Re: MiniTool Partition Wizard can create multiple partitions on SD cards

« Reply #2 on: 08 / December / 2010, 07:02:19 »

Quote from: reyalp on 07 / December / 2010, 23:27:57

If you tell us which camera, we can probably tell you whether it has multiparition support.

Heh, yeah I probably should have mentioned my camera type (A470, 101b). My intention was mostly to tell the group about this tool.

My PC wont boot the Ubuntu live cd for some reason (ubuntu crashes), so I've been trying to find another way to partition the card using Windows 7 x64...

I tried the following with the MiniTool program:
ATTEMPT 1:
1. Created a 8mb FAT partition, and a FAT32 partition that uses the rest of the card. (and applied the changes)
2. Installed CHDK on the FAT partition
3. Ran CardTricks to make it bootable
Result: CHDK started! However, it didn't see the big partition

(Clicked "Swap partitions" in the CHDK menu, and the card was unusable in the camera "Memory Error", and PC)

ATTEMPT 2:
1. Created a FAT32 partition on the card
2. Installed the CHDK folder (minus the DISKBOOT.BIN and PS.FI2 files)
3. "Resized the FAT32" partition. (the tool claims it can move the data as necessary)
4. Created a Small FAT partition before the FAT32 partition.
5. Made the FAT32 partition "Logical" and the FAT partition Primary & Active
6. Installed DISKBOOT.BIN and PS.FI2 on the FAT partition (the only one I can access from the PC now)
7. Card tricks to make the SD card bootable.
Result: CHDK started, but it looked different (the logo was different, and the menus looked "simpler")
Still no large partition :'(
(Clicked "Swap partitions" in the CHDK menu, and the card was unusable in the camera "Memory Error", and PC)

As far as I can tell both attempts resulted in a card that was configured correctly (I was referencing http://init.sh/?p=140 and http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Bootable_SD_card )

I also tried the various "Hide/Show" and "Set Inactive/Active" options, I couldn't get the card to auto-boot AND show me the large partition.

I finally gave up (using Firm Update) and figured I'd post the tool here hoping that someone would either figure out how to make it work or say "that'll never work!"

(Side Note: is this the right forum for this discussion?)

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fe50

3147
IXUS50 & 860, SX10 Star WARs-Star RAWs

Re: MiniTool Partition Wizard can create multiple partitions on SD cards

« Reply #3 on: 08 / December / 2010, 08:00:07 »

@dodald

Use the SDM-Installer tool to partition your card, read more here:
* http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,3910.msg36763.html#msg36763
* http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,2468.msg30911.html#msg30911

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-->FIRMWARE DUMPS<-- * Manual * Lua * me

achillies

227
SX130IS

Re: MiniTool Partition Wizard can create multiple partitions on SD cards

« Reply #4 on: 31 / March / 2011, 12:48:19 »

SDM installer works wonderfully for standard installations. (create partitions, format partitions, swap partitions all from one place)

I have not tried Minitool for partitioning, but for winXP there is also a free program called "easeus partition manager" that I have used. It works well. *** BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL USING ANY PARTITIONING SOFTWARE***

For smaller SD cards (<8G) you can actually set up two FAT16 partitions of equal size, make both of them bootable, and then use "swap partitions" to boot into your other fully functional CHDK. THis is currently how I am using it (with different settings/scripts ready in each partition). I used SDMInstaller to make them bootable and I also use it to swap between them if I'm copying a new CHDK version to the card.

The "trick" to make sure CHDK can boot is the FAT16 partition and format. Whatever partition you boot from MUST be FAT16. CHDK can use and save files to FAT32 filesystems, but it can't boot from them.

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