Fun with hard disks

[misi]

This week I was very busy with my hard disks.
Used to have my PC with 2 working hard disks in it.
One, the original 3TB HD with W8.1 on it and another SSD 500GB, with W10 on it.
W10 was very good as long as I didn't use Visual Studio 2015 with it.
Something was wrong with it.
Tried to repair it with no success. C++ was dead.
Removed it then reinstalled, no success.

Formatted the SSD, migrated everything to it from W8.1.
Disconnected the 3TB so the SSD became the main drive.
Working like magic.
Slower then W10 but reliable.

I have one more week to play with my PC, want to make one external HDD to be "Windows To Go".

 

[aye-aye-Chris]

This is how I play with HDDs these days.

 

[misi]

This is how I play with HDDs these days.

That 's fun!

You can tell your Arduino what to do by writing code in the Arduino programming language and using the Arduino development environment.

Huh??? They no understand Inglish?

 

[aye-aye-Chris]

Sortof.... it's based on C++

 

[misi]

it's based on C++

Is the syntax similar?
cin >> variable_name ;
cout << variable_name ;

 

[aye-aye-Chris]

Sortof...

The open-source Arduino Software (IDE) makes it easy to write code and upload it to the board. It runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. The environment is written in Java and based on Processing and other open-source software.
This software can be used with any Arduino board.
Refer to the Getting Started page for Installation instructions.

But reading this....

I still do not get the relationship between Arduino IDE and C/C++: does programming in the Arduino IDE equals plain C programming or not ? In the latter case, what's the difference and what are the advantages to program in C/C++ ? Is it possible within the IDE ? Is there a tutorial somewhere ?

Which is answered with...

I still do not get the relationship between Arduino IDE and C/C++
The IDE is a development environment that combines a text editor and access to the compiler, linker, and uploader in an easy to use method.

The language used to program the Arduino is C++. C++ is a superset of C, adding classes and changing the behavior of strcuts in subtle ways.

does programming in the Arduino IDE equals plain C programming or not ?
Yes, and no. There are things that the IDE does for you, like creating a main() function, calling init(), setup(), and loop(), adding include statements, and creating function prototypes for your functions. Other than that, the IDE does not alter your C/C++ code.

what are the advantages to program in C/C++ ?
The biggest advantage is that C/C++ is the only language you can program the Arduino is (except assembler, if you are really strange).

Is it possible within the IDE ?
Is what possible?

Is there a tutorial somewhere ?
Probably

 

[misi]

I have one more week to play with my PC, want to make one external HDD to be "Windows To Go".

Wasn't a good project.
Thumb stick has been wiped clear.

The new project is: copying my current SSD to a 2.5" 1GB hard disk.
(I hope six days will be enough to do it)

 

[misi]

The biggest advantage is that C/C++ is the only language you can program the Arduino is (except assembler, if you are really strange).

Assembler? That's for babies.
Machine language is the real thing.

Yes, and no. There are things that the IDE does for you, like creating a main() function, calling init(), setup(), and loop(), adding include statements, and creating function prototypes for your functions. Other than that, the IDE does not alter your C/C++ code.

Eccellente!

Especially adding include statements.
To search for what to include for your functions is a killer with C++.

 

[aye-aye-Chris]

Atmel must be doing well with Arduino. 328P-PU chips are the chip of choice although there is others. They can be obtained individually, in multiple amounts, different packages and on different board designs. eBay has the chips for around the $3 mark but don't go to Jaycar.

ATMEGA328P MCU IC with Arduino UNO Bootloader
$12.95
Bulk Pricing:
1-9 $12.95

10-24 $11.65

25+ $9.05

Okies, they include a crystal but 10 of them on eBay costs about $1

 

[misi]

Is it possible with Arduino to to do anything - to control my HDDs?
I have a nice collection of them...

 

[misi]

The new project is: copying my current SSD to a 2.5" 1GB hard disk.
(I hope six days will be enough to do it)

Done in one day!
Wanted to copy everything from the SSD to the HDD.
Acronis did not recognise it.
Aomei recognised it but complained that:
The disk is offline because it has a signature collision with another disk that is online. (No surprise because there was an earlier copy of C: )
Could not copy because of that.
That was an easy task in windows to put it back online.
Bang!!!
Time for the migration.
Success!
Swapped them and tried to boot up the PC.
No luck with it. No surprise. When I put it online earlier, Windows assigned to it the letter G:
OK had to do something.
Back to Aomei, let it wipe clear of everything.
Took 3 hours.
No drive letter for it.
Copy C: to *: took only an hour.

Replacing the SSD with the HDD took only 10 minutes.
Booting from it was painfully slow.
Everything was working well just slooooo!!!

Time to put back the SSD.
Done in ten minutes.
Booting from it: took only seconds.

Just a question: Is there an easy way to wipe almost clear a disk without writing over everything?
Similar to a quick format? I'm not hiding anything so if the KGB or FBI wants to recover the previous content then let them do it.

 

[aye-aye-Chris]

Is it possible with Arduino to to do anything - to control my HDDs?
I have a nice collection of them...

It depends on what you want to do with them, BLDC Motors and Voice Coil movements, yes, magnetic data recording/reading, no.

 

[aye-aye-Chris]

Just a question: Is there an easy way to wipe almost clear a disk without writing over everything?

Remove and rebuild the partition?

 

[misi]

Remove and rebuild the partition?

The drive letter would be still G:
Change the drive letter to C: ?
Can't because there is already a drive C: in the PC.

Wiping the whole HDD clear with Aomei is the only solution currently.(3 hours)
After that it copies the whole C: drive including the drive name C: to it.
Cannot see it but it's there. (Can see only an asterisk)
Placing it into the PC, it happily boots from it.
(BTW one million + 1 thanks for Aomei)

 

[aye-aye-Chris]

The drive letter would be still G:
Change the drive letter to C: ?
Can't because there is already a drive C: in the PC.

Try changing it to H:

I use H: as usually I don't have 7 or more drives.

Change it to C: or whatever later on.

 

[misi]

Try changing it to H:

It would be possible under Windows but

Change it to C: or whatever later on.

Can't boot with H: so can't change it back to C:.

While searching for solutions I've found something interesting, I'll let you know if it's working or not.

 

[misi]

While searching for solutions I've found something interesting,

Here it is: Macrium Reflect Free:

I'll let you know if it's working or not.

I didn't click on "OK" yet.
I have another 5 days to find out...

 

[misi]

I have another 5 days to find out...

This morning already found out.
"Run into a problem. We will restart your computer"
They did not restart it, I had to reboot.

 

[misi]

More fun.
Time to throw out my old PC with Windows XP on it.
Bought a brand new Phillip screwdriver with a magnetic tip on it.
Can't lose screws anymore!
Took out the harddisk.
OMG! A 120 GB Samsung ATA HDD. 40 pins!!!
Heavy as hell. (Too many bloody screws)
Beautiful inside.

The machine is in pieces.
It was a hard day...

 

[Guess]

It was a hard day...

for a hard drive...