[← Home](../README.md) · [AmigaDOS](README.md) # Filesystem — FFS/OFS Block Structure ## Overview AmigaOS supports two native filesystem types: **OFS** (Old File System, OS 1.x) and **FFS** (Fast File System, OS 2.0+). Both use a block-based layout with 512-byte blocks. FFS differs by storing data blocks without headers, improving throughput. --- ## Block Types | Block | Type ID | Description | |---|---|---| | Boot block | `"DOS\0"` / `"DOS\1"` | Blocks 0–1; OFS=`DOS\0`, FFS=`DOS\1` | | Root block | `T_HEADER` (2) | Always at middle of partition; directory root | | File header | `T_HEADER` (2) | Metadata for one file | | Directory header | `T_HEADER` (2) | Metadata for one directory | | Data block | `T_DATA` (8) | OFS: header + data; FFS: pure data | | File extension | `T_LIST` (16) | Overflow pointer table for large files | | Hash chain | — | Root/dir blocks have a 72-entry hash table | --- ## Root Block Layout (Simplified) | Offset | Field | Description | |---|---|---| | 0 | `type` | Always 2 (`T_HEADER`) | | 4 | `header_key` | Own block number | | 8 | `high_seq` | Number of data blocks in hash table | | 12 | `ht_size` | Hash table size (usually 72) | | 16 | `first_data` | Unused | | 20 | `checksum` | Block checksum | | 24–312 | `ht[72]` | Hash table: block pointers for directory entries | | 420 | `bm_flag` | Bitmap valid flag (`-1` = valid) | | 424–472 | `bm_pages[25]` | Pointers to bitmap blocks | | 484 | `last_altered_days` | Modification date | | 504 | `disk_name` | BSTR: volume name | --- ## Hash Function File/directory names are hashed into the 72-slot table: ```c ULONG hash_name(const char *name, int table_size) { ULONG hash = strlen(name); for (int i = 0; name[i]; i++) { hash = hash * 13 + toupper(name[i]); hash &= 0x7FF; } return hash % table_size; } ``` Collisions are resolved by chaining: each file/dir header has a `hash_chain` pointer to the next entry in the same slot. --- ## OFS vs FFS | Feature | OFS (`DOS\0`) | FFS (`DOS\1`) | |---|---|---| | Data blocks | 24-byte header + 488 bytes data | Pure 512 bytes data | | Max filename | 30 chars | 30 chars | | International | No | `DOS\2` (INTL OFS), `DOS\3` (INTL FFS) | | Dir cache | No | `DOS\4` (FFS + dir cache) | | Throughput | ~488/512 = 95% efficiency | 100% efficiency | --- ## Checksum Algorithm ```c LONG compute_checksum(ULONG *block, int longs) { LONG sum = 0; for (int i = 0; i < longs; i++) sum += block[i]; return -sum; /* stored in the checksum field to make total = 0 */ } ``` --- ## References - NDK39: `dos/filehandler.h` - Ralph Babel: *The AmigaDOS Manual* (3rd edition) — definitive FFS reference - Laurent Clevy: *The Amiga Filesystem* — http://lclevy.free.fr/adflib/