Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Any other questions about the software?

Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby blutarsky » Mon Dec 17, 2012 12:00 am

I own an old hard disk inherited from my old mysky (italy) decoder, containing old recordings. I have plugged the disk to the PC and checked out contents with copy+ : working.
At this point I have made an attempt to connect the hard disk to my current (newer) decoder.
Once the decoder has completed boot, it showed an empty recordings section... so I took out the disk and plugged it back on the PC and.... surprise: copy+ stated that it could not read disks with new "darwin" system.
I suspect the new decoder has updated the disk in a way to make it usable for the new decoder, creating a new "Index" of the disk, however exploring disk contents within Windows Explorer, shows that folders and recordings are still on the disk.

1) How can I restore old indexing system?

2) Maybe I could let the new filesystem/index read contents and upgrade contents?

Any hint?
blutarsky
Newbie
 
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:28 pm

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby pcbbc » Mon Dec 17, 2012 11:41 am

Sorry, but once this has happened I do not believe there is any way to recover your recordings. :(

The Planner file (JOPA) has been deleted or cleared down. Without the data this contained it is impossible to recreate it and recover your recordings. This file contains proprietary information relevant to the playback of the recordings that can not, to the best of my knowledge, be recovered from elsewhere.
It is possible there is also other damage, for example while the recordings may appear to be present on the disk they could well have been removed from the VFAT file allocation table when the new Darwin software was unable to transfer them. This is less serious, but would still need to be fixed before the disk would be usable again.

Before moving a disk to a new receiver, especially so one with a different firmware, I would strongly recommend making a backup with Copy+ first - so as not to risk loss of your recordings. :oops:
User avatar
pcbbc
Site Admin
 
Posts: 1802
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:08 am
Location: London, UK

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby blutarsky » Mon Dec 17, 2012 11:53 am

In each folder there are 6 files:

Code: Select all
<foldername>.eft
<foldername>.str
meta_man.xma
meta_man.xmd
meta_man.xmi
meta_man.xmv


Maybe there is some info that can be recovered from here in such a way the index (jopa?) can be updated again?
blutarsky
Newbie
 
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:28 pm

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby kos129 » Mon Dec 17, 2012 11:57 am

Is the JOPA file still in the root folder of the drive? Unless it has changed I think that the newer Darwin versions just ignore the legacy files and just creates a new set of databases in the Darwin format (FSN_DATA). If JOPA is still there then your recordings should be easily recoverable.
kos129
Newbie
 
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:20 pm

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby pcbbc » Mon Dec 17, 2012 12:02 pm

kos129 wrote:Is the JOPA file still in the root folder of the drive? Unless it has changed I think that the newer Darwin versions just ignore the legacy files and just creates a new set of databases in the Darwin format (FSN_DATA). If JOPA is still there then your recordings should be easily recoverable.
But also the EXT files appear to be missing from the recording folders?
That data would need to be recovered also. And if the VFAT has also been cleared, it is unrecoverable...

Edit: Or maybe the EFT is a mistype for EXT? As I don't recognise the EFT extension? :oops:
User avatar
pcbbc
Site Admin
 
Posts: 1802
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:08 am
Location: London, UK

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby blutarsky » Mon Dec 17, 2012 12:02 pm

These are the root contents:

Code: Select all
Volume in drive F has no label.
Volume Serial Number is 1234-5678

Directory of F:\

21-07-2010  05:37            86.016 OTVERT.MAP
01-01-1980  00:01         2.344.460 JOPA
20-07-2010  20:05               532 XSETUP.DBF
01-01-1980  00:01             4.976 PMAN.DBF
01-01-1980  00:01             4.346 XCLIENT.DBF
01-01-1980  00:01             2.116 CMD.DBF
16-07-2010  01:29           102.320 CRID.DBF
01-01-1980  00:01            52.224 _CMD.DB3
21-07-2010  05:37            86.016 OTVERT2.MAP
01-01-1980  00:01            16.384 _XCLIENT.DB3
20-07-2010  20:05             1.536 _XSETUP.DB3
01-01-1980  00:01            16.384 XCLIENT.DB3
01-01-1980  00:01         2.562.048 _JOPA.DB3
20-07-2010  20:05             1.536 XSETUP.DB3
01-01-1980  00:01            52.224 _PMAN.DB3
16-07-2010  01:29         1.025.024 _CRID.DB3
01-01-1980  00:01            52.224 PMAN.DB3
01-01-1980  00:01            52.224 CMD.DB3
01-01-1980  00:01            52.736 SIGNUP.DB3
01-01-1980  00:01            52.736 _SIGNUP.DB3
01-01-1980  00:01            38.906 SIGNUP.DBF
16-07-2010  01:29         1.025.024 CRID.DB3
01-01-1980  00:01         2.562.048 JOPA.DB3
blutarsky
Newbie
 
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:28 pm

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby blutarsky » Mon Dec 17, 2012 12:04 pm

pcbbc wrote:Edit: Or maybe the EFT is a mistype for EXT? As I don't recognise the EFT extension? :oops:


Yes, sorry the correct extension is .ext
blutarsky
Newbie
 
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:28 pm

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby pcbbc » Mon Dec 17, 2012 12:05 pm

You have several copies of JOPA, but most likely they are empty (as the old box is not showing any planner contents now).
You could mail them to me and I could confirm that. Please ZIP first, as they are large otherwise!
If you do not have my mail address, submit a support request and I will reply with my mail address.
User avatar
pcbbc
Site Admin
 
Posts: 1802
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:08 am
Location: London, UK

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby blutarsky » Mon Dec 17, 2012 12:07 pm

- What files should I zip and where should I email contents?

Thanks for helping
blutarsky
Newbie
 
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:28 pm

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby blutarsky » Mon Dec 17, 2012 12:12 pm

I have zipped the root contents, I will send them your email, once given :)
blutarsky
Newbie
 
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:28 pm

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby pcbbc » Mon Dec 17, 2012 3:37 pm

On first glance there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the JOPA files present on this disk?
About 80 or so recordings in each.

Can not see why these would not be displaying on return the the non-Darwin box.
Have asked for the Copy+ log file, as this may have some clues in it. Unless of course kos129 has some suggestions...
TBH I haven't looked at what happens when the disk gets partially converted to Darwin and then moved back again.
User avatar
pcbbc
Site Admin
 
Posts: 1802
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:08 am
Location: London, UK

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby pcbbc » Mon Dec 17, 2012 3:57 pm

Sorry, I misunderstood.

As kos says, the new Darwin data is in the folder called: FSN_DATA

This is how Copy+ recognises a Darwin upgraded disk. It doesn't expect you to go back to using Copy+ after upgrading to Darwin, and indeed it is somewhat pointless in doing so (as Copy+ can not correctly handle any new recordings made since the migration to Darwin).

You could remove the FSN_DATA folder, and Copy+ would then be able to read the disk - or at least the old pre-Darwin recordings that are on it.

However the disk would no longer work in the Darwin/HD box.

Also you must be careful how you remove stuff, as Windows will create a recycle bin if you just delete - usually not fatal, but highly undesirable. Use the DOS "DEL" command to achieve this.

But how you proceed depends on what are you trying to achieve here?
Sorry - But I'm still not clear on that.
User avatar
pcbbc
Site Admin
 
Posts: 1802
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:08 am
Location: London, UK

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby blutarsky » Mon Dec 17, 2012 4:19 pm

pcbbc wrote:But how you proceed depends on what are you trying to achieve here?
Sorry - But I'm still not clear on that.


I'd like to merge old disk contents into the active hard disk currently attached to the new decoder!

This is what I shall do:
- delete the FSN_DATA folder
- once Copy+ lists correctly the contents, I will backup to an XTV image (using Copy+)
- then I will detach the new hard disk currently used by the new decoder and merge contents from the acrive disk with a restore from the XTV image (using ExPVR)

Correct?

BTW How do I delete the FSN_DATA folder, as the disk is being mounted as read-only in Windows?
blutarsky
Newbie
 
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:28 pm

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby pcbbc » Mon Dec 17, 2012 4:38 pm

Merging of disks is only possible under Darwin using ExPVR! Copy+ definitely does not support merging of any disk types, and as far as I know ExPVR can't handle the legacy non-Darwin planner format.
But please note - I do not write, maintain, support, and nor have I ever used, ExPVR.

But as I understand it:
ExPVR only supports Darwin disks, and so any disk you use this on needs to have been converted to Darwin first and can then only be used on a Darwin box.
So I conclude that you definitely do NOT want to be deleting ANYTHING off this disk. Doing so will just make it unreadable by ExPVR - which is the only thing that allows merging.

The fact that the Sky box does not seem to be able to convert the recordings (or at least successfully and make them visible in the Darwin planner) seems to be a bit of a non-starter here.
Any chance of resolving that will require support from the ExPVR team, because I do not really have a clue where to start with Darwin.

Sorry.
User avatar
pcbbc
Site Admin
 
Posts: 1802
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:08 am
Location: London, UK

Re: Old disk connected to Darwin decoder: Lost Index!

Postby pcbbc » Mon Dec 17, 2012 4:42 pm

PS: The soft read only attribute is stored in the local registry for MBR disks.
If you are really sure you want to remove it you can use the WriteProt tool.
User avatar
pcbbc
Site Admin
 
Posts: 1802
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:08 am
Location: London, UK

Next

Return to Copy+ General Support

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests