Raw disk access

TECH198 · ‎09-08-2014

Hi all..

II wish to use Spinrite for raw disk access to an external drive on Mac 10.9

I'm using VMWare Fusion 6.0.4, and from Terminal I do the following :-

- cd "/Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Library/"

- ./vmware-rawdiskCreator create /dev/disk1 fullDevice ~/external-hdd ide

It give me external-hdd.vmdk file in /home folder, which i need to move into VM image "Show Package Contents", in order to add two lines to VM image..

However, the problem is i'm unable to move it.. I get the following error: "You can't open the application <VM> because it may be damaged or incomplete."

How can i move to this folder ? or isn't it possible ?

There is nothing wrong with the disk image .. it runs fine in Fusion.

TECH198 · ‎09-08-2014

Problem solved.

I just used path instead to point outside VM folder.

TECH198 · ‎09-08-2014

I have run into another problem.

I get the following error :

2014-09-09T12:54:48.551+08:00| Worker#0| I120: DISKLIB-SPARSE: "/Users/jared/Documents/Virtual Machines/MS-DOS.vmwarevm/Virtual Disk-s001.vmdk" : failed to open (14): Disk needs repair.

2014-09-09T12:54:48.552+08:00| Worker#2| I120: DISK: Disk '/Users/jared/Documents/external-hdd.vmdk' has UUID '60 00 c2 95 70 a5 65 34-9d ed 46 46 38 96 96 67'

2014-09-09T12:54:48.552+08:00| Worker#2| I120: DISK: OPEN '/Users/jared/Documents/external-hdd.vmdk' Geo (121600/255/63) BIOS Geo (121600/255/63)

2014-09-09T12:54:48.552+08:00| Worker#0| I120: DISKLIB-LINK : "/Users/jared/Documents/Virtual Machines/MS-DOS.vmwarevm/Virtual Disk.vmdk" : failed to open (The specified virtual disk needs repair).

2014-09-09T12:54:48.552+08:00| Worker#0| I120: DISKLIB-CHAIN : "/Users/jared/Documents/Virtual Machines/MS-DOS.vmwarevm/Virtual Disk.vmdk" : failed to open (The specified virtual disk needs repair).

2014-09-09T12:54:48.552+08:00| Worker#0| I120: DISKLIB-LIB : Failed to open '/Users/jared/Documents/Virtual Machines/MS-DOS.vmwarevm/Virtual Disk.vmdk' with flags 0x1a The specified virtual disk needs repair (14).

I'm guessing the disk needs repair, but it shows up when plugged into USB port on a regular PC running Disk wiping utilities from UltimateBootCD (it's based on Feedos)... yet i get the above error when running the HD in Fusion this way. This kinda explains why it would show up on a regular PC, but it wouldn't explain why this error appears in Fusion. I'm guessing it has to to with the external-hdd.vmdk file ??

WoodyZ · ‎09-08-2014

It's one thing to copy and paste a few lines of a log to highlight an issue and that's acceptable however it's extremely rude and unacceptable copying and pasting nearly two thousand lines!

NOTE: DO NOT copy and paste the contents of the .log (or other files) into the body of a reply! Use the "Use advanced editor" link in the upper right corner of the normal reply window to bring up the Advanced Editor where you'll be able to attach files via the Choose File button or Browse button (depending on the Browser) above the Post Message button!

TECH198 · ‎09-08-2014

Sorry, but it appends (.zip) to log files...

WoodyZ · ‎09-08-2014

That's right and it's supposed to so as not to waste both space on the server and bandwidth in transmission!

WoodyZ · ‎09-08-2014

Okay, lets review... you want to run Spinrite on an external disk using a Raw Disk in VMware Fusion and you created the Raw Disk .vmdk file named external-hdd.vmdk and added it to an MS-DOS Virtual Machine. How are you running Spinrite in this MS-DOS VM, from Floppy Disk Image, CD or CD Image? You shouldn't need any additional virtual hard disk in the VM other then the external-hdd.vmdk and booting from either Floppy Disk Image, CD or CD Image. So why not just remove the Virtual Disk.vmdk from the Virtual Machine?

TECH198 · ‎09-08-2014

I'm running Spinrite from CD image.

ya, come to think of it it would have made sence, however the reason why i have it in place, is because u need to add the ide:0 ... and the parth to your external-hdd file in the vmdk. otherwise fusion wouldn't know where it is or bus ..

And isnce i ca't copy it into the package, since i get an error, it must live outside.. so it's a workaround by specifying the complete path

Would the Virtual Disk.vmdk have inferred ?

WoodyZ · ‎09-08-2014

The Raw Disk .vmdk file can be either inside or outside the Virtual Machine Package, really doesn't matter although my personal preference is to have everything inside the Package and I have no problems putting it inside the Package. All you need for the virtual disk in the .vmx configuration file is as follows and if the "RawDisk.vmdk" file (external-hdd.vmdk) is outside the Package then ide0:0.fileName should have the FQP to it.

ide0:0.present = "TRUE"

ide0:0.fileName = "RawDisk.vmdk"

ide0:0.deviceType = "rawDisk"

ide0:0.mode = "independent-persistent"

ide0:0.redo = ""

TECH198 · ‎09-09-2014

Thanks, but this didn't work : Mine as :

ide0:0.present = "TRUE"

ide0:0.fileName = "/Users/jared/Desktop/SpinRite.iso"

ide0:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"

ide0:0.mode = "independent-persistent"

ide0:0.redo = ""

ide0:1.present = "TRUE"

ide0:1.fileName = "/Users/jared/Documents/external-hdd.vmdk"

ide0:1.redo = ""

If i it it exactly like yours, i got an error saying the "move cd rom...."

Either way, it still doesn't work, i still get same error.

Note : i've done the above on a USB flash drive, and it works perfect in fusion, but not from the WD elements... So, i have no idea why, because the .vmx file doesn't change.

WoodyZ · ‎09-09-2014

First of all the CD/DVD should never be the Primary Device on the Primary BUS when a HDD is also on the BUS. The HDD should always be the Primary Device on the Primary BUS. So set the RawDisk.vmdk as follows and then the CD/DVD.

ide0:0.present = "TRUE"

ide0:0.fileName = "RawDisk.vmdk"

ide0:0.deviceType = "rawDisk"

ide0:0.mode = "independent-persistent"

ide0:0.redo = ""

ide1:0.present = "TRUE"

ide1:0.autodetect = "TRUE"

ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"

ide1:0.fileName = "SpinRite_.iso"

ide1:0.startConnected = "TRUE"

Again, setting the FQP for either as necessary.

If you are still having issue with this configuration then with the external HDD connected to the MAC and the Virtual Machine shutdown, not suspended the use the Collect Support command and attach the Support bundle it creates.... In other words... To help figure out what is what, the best way to provide comprehensive diagnostic information is to use the "Collect Support Information" command from the VMware Fusion (menu bar) > Help > Collect Support Information and then attach the .zip file (or .tgz file if pre-version 6) it created on your Desktop to a reply post.

Note: Use the "Use advanced editor" link in the upper right corner of the normal reply window to bring up the Advanced Editor where you'll be able to attach files via the Choose File button or Browse button (depending on the Browser) above the Post Message button!

TECH198 · ‎09-09-2014

Attached.