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Topic: Limits in ESXDOS system

What are limits in ESXDOS ?

- maximal supported cluster size is 32kB as I know
- maximal number of supported partitions on disc = 4 ?
- maximal length of file path is 128 characters ?
- file name length is 8+3 chars = without LFN
- maximal length of each COMMAND code is 7 kB ?
- esxdos can boot only from master device, or test also slave device ?
- esxdos syntax work only in USR0 mode ?

Will this limits removed on DIVIDE with big ram memory ?

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Re: Limits in ESXDOS system

velesoft wrote:

What are limits in ESXDOS ?

- maximal supported cluster size is 32kB as I know
- maximal number of supported partitions on disc = 4 ?
- maximal length of file path is 128 characters ?
- file name length is 8+3 chars = without LFN
- maximal length of each COMMAND code is 7 kB ?
- esxdos can boot only from master device, or test also slave device ?
- esxdos syntax work only in USR0 mode ?

Will this limits removed on DIVIDE with big ram memory ?

Let me try and answer all your questions:

1. Max. cluster size: 64kB cluster size isn't strictly standard (it doesn't work on non-NT Windows, DOS, some cameras, etc), it was used to be able to have 4GB volumes on FAT16. As esxDOS supports FAT32, you can have a 4GB (or bigger) FAT32 volume (and FAT32 is the preferred filesystem to use with esxDOS). Nevertheless, I haven't actually tested a 4GB FAT16 volume, can you tell me what is the behaviour?

2. Max. number of supported partitions on disk: esxDOS currently only supports primary partitions and not extended ones. Support for extended partitions might be added if there is enough demand for it. Also, the maximum number of "Logical Drives" in esxDOS is 12 (for now).

3. Max. length of filename/filepath: The limit for any filename or filepath is set to 127 bytes, due to memory restrictions. It may be possible to increase this to 255 bytes on interfaces with more RAM. The 8.3 chars limit is a FAT filesystem one (until a LFN version is implemented), internally esxDOS does not have this restriction.

4. Max. Length of .commands: A .command can be bigger than 7K by streaming from disk (this technique is used extensively by the esxDOS kernel). In order to use more physical RAM, paging will have to be used and then the .command won't be compatible with 32kB DivIDEs.

5. System boot: For now esxDOS tries to boot from the first detected device, but it is planned to try and boot from the first device on which ESXDOS.SYS is found.

6. Syntax: Support for 128k BASIC has been tested (briefly), but it will most likely need hardware support or a patched 128 ROM.

lordcoxis

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Re: Limits in ESXDOS system

lordcoxis wrote:

Let me try and answer all your questions:

1. Max. cluster size: 64kB cluster size isn't strictly standard (it doesn't work on non-NT Windows, DOS, some cameras, etc), it was used to be able to have 4GB volumes on FAT16. As esxDOS supports FAT32, you can have a 4GB (or bigger) FAT32 volume (and FAT32 is the preferred filesystem to use with esxDOS). Nevertheless, I haven't actually tested a 4GB FAT16 volume, can you tell me what is the behaviour?

I format my 4GB CF card to FAT16 (one big 4GB partition) and esxdos work, trd support work, save to SNA/TAP also work.

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Re: Limits in ESXDOS system

velesoft wrote:

I format my 4GB CF card to FAT16 (one big 4GB partition) and esxdos work, trd support work, save to SNA/TAP also work.

Did you try loading/saving files bigger than 64kB?

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Re: Limits in ESXDOS system

lordcoxis wrote:
velesoft wrote:

I format my 4GB CF card to FAT16 (one big 4GB partition) and esxdos work, trd support work, save to SNA/TAP also work.

Did you try loading/saving files bigger than 64kB?

Yes. I make very long TAP file and load back without problems.

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Re: Limits in ESXDOS system

lordcoxis wrote:

Did you try loading/saving files bigger than 64kB?

velesoft wrote:

Yes. I make very long TAP file and load back without problems.

Great, I think the "no 64K clusters" text was a remnant of esxDOS v0.5. We will update the info to remove this.

Thanks.