Prepare SD Card for MiSTer - OSX

[SegaMan]

Hi!

I have a problem to prepare the SD Card with the SD Installer (error message "a wrong data media is in the drive") on my Windows 10 Partition on my MAC. Testet it with two different SD Cards.



Is there a way to prepare the SD Card on OSX without using the Windows Tool?

[NML32]

Hi!

I have a problem to prepare the SD Card with the SD Installer (error message "unable to create...") on my Windows 10 Partition on my MAC.

Is there a way to prepare the SD Card on OSX without using the Windows Tool?

I sent you a PM.
Edit: I just noticed you are using a MAC. My PM may not help. Sorry...

[SegaMan]

I have Win 10 on my Mac (Bootcamp).

Your Video link did not help.
https://youtu.be/lPObjJvPeW0

Always the same message as in my 1st posting.

Are there no other options to get a working SD Card prepared for MiSTer?

[slowmo310]

I'm assuming your using bootcamp? I know VMware Fusion will do it no problem.

[Sorgelig]

Cyclone V SoC requires a special boot partition on SD card, so special tool is required to prepare the SD card.

MiSTer needs developers who will be able to write such tool for OSX and Linux.

[SegaMan]

Cyclone V SoC requires a special boot partition on SD card, so special tool is required to prepare the SD card.

MiSTer needs developers who will be able to write such tool for OSX and Linux.

Thats really disappointing.
I am sitting here with my new De10 Nano and can do nothing with it because there is only a windows tool that did not work to me.

Testet now with several SD Cards ans with intern and extern Card Reader..... always the same message.

There should be really Options for Linux and OSX like on Raspberry Pi (etcher, pimaker...).

[Sorgelig]

Cyclone V SoC requires a special boot partition on SD card, so special tool is required to prepare the SD card.

MiSTer needs developers who will be able to write such tool for OSX and Linux.

Thats really disappointing.
I am sitting here with my new De10 Nano and can do nothing with it because there is only a windows tool that did not work to me.

Testet now with several SD Cards ans with intern and extern Card Reader..... always the same message.

There should be really Options for Linux and OSX like on Raspberry Pi (etcher, pimaker...).

You always can sell your DE10-nano and come back to RPi. MiSTer is non-profit project and there is no such thing as "should". If you think it's needed then write such tool and contribute to project.

[alanswx]

This should work on linux:
https://github.com/alanswx/SD-installer_MiSTer

I can try to port it to OSX

[Sorgelig]

This should work on linux:
https://github.com/alanswx/SD-installer_MiSTer

I can try to port it to OSX

i see you've modified my script for new format.
I will create a new repo for linux installer with your modification and readme.

There is a one problem with this script: it requires sfdisk with version not less than something in order to work.

[SegaMan]

This should work on linux:
https://github.com/alanswx/SD-installer_MiSTer

I can try to port it to OSX

Hi alanswx!

I have got an image file from another user that worked with etcher, so my MiSTer is now ready

But for the furture, it would be great if there are options for OSX

[alanswx]

My script needs a couple of fixes. I will check for the version of sfdisk and I will also put in a check in case the partition is not /dev/sdxx but /dev/mmcblkxp1

[ijor]

Again, IMHO, providing a simple VHD/IMG as an alternate SD install method would solve all these problems.

[alanswx]

I haven’t seen a resize program for exfat - that is the difference between this and the pi image. I saw a repo of exfat utilities but the resize was on the wish list.

If we write the exfat resize tool then the image would be the preferred method.

[ijor]

I haven’t seen a resize program for exfat - that is the difference between this and the pi image. I saw a repo of exfat utilities but the resize was on the wish list

You probably missed my reply about that a few days ago on the other thread: http://atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... 94#p356719

If we write the exfat resize tool then the image would be the preferred method.

I understand. But in the meantime, a single fixed size image (be it 8Gb or 4GB) could be used as an alternate failsafe method (not the preferred main one) that it's almost guaranteed to work on any OS with standard tools. This would at least provide a temporary workaround to anybody that has problems with the SD installer tool.

[Sorgelig]

Github doesn't allow to keep files over something like 50MB, neither in code nor in release.
So, image file won't be on github. So, it's possible to pre-create the multipartition image by linux tool and upload to some file sharing service and keep the link in one of thread on forum. Of course i won't do it myself as i already have enough tasks.
So, if anyone is willing to create and keep it in-sync with MiSTer SD card releases, then he is welcome.

[olin]

Maybe if the existing tool allowed to create the SD card image file as an option (as well as writing to the SD card directly) - that would be an alternative solution without requiring a sharing service space. Something like "write to a file 4GB, 8GB" options. In that case users could run it on Linux under wine and also it might solve some corner case issues on Win OS. Just a thought.

[Sorgelig]

There is already such tool. Official MiSTer SD card installer.

[olin]

There is already such tool. Official MiSTer SD card installer.

Of course there is, that's why we have this thread here.The card installer is limited and does not work on all PC configurations. I know, nobody stated it is perfect and will work an every possible combination of hardware and OS and I'm not complaining about it. I fully understand and support the idea that if something does not work for me, it's up to me to fix or improve it or create something better. No issue with that.

Back to the topic: I've re-checked the Official MiSTer SD card installer and there is no option to create an SD card image (as I got an impression from your reply that such option exist in the installer). The only option (on my Win 8.1 computer right now at least) is to close the program because (possibly) it did not find the drive to write to - this is only a guess because there is no indication about why it disabled all the visible options. Again, this is not whining, I'm just stating the fact. Btw. running version 2.0.2.0. I also do not expect anybody to fix it for me, I managed to use the installer after some fiddling. But I understand how frustrating it could be for somebody to buy a new DE10nano board to run MiSTer, but have no way how to prepare the SD card, because the installer does not work for him/her.

[Sorgelig]

Windows doesn't like to let the apps access the drive directly. Also having more than one partition on SD card is unusual for windows. So, it's hard to prepare SD card in such format.

If anyone can improve the installer - welcome!

At first sight, the task is simple and doesn't require FPGA knowledge. But so far no much help here.

[Sorgelig]

I've re-checked the Official MiSTer SD card installer and there is no option to create an SD card image

There is no such option. I've misunderstood you.