jkimmelm%bbn-vax@sri-unix.UUCP (04/24/84)
From: Jeff Kimmelman <jkimmelm@bbn-vax> I just ran into what I think is a definite bug (feature) of MS-DOS. I was performing an operation which required a disk write to a floppy drive which (accidentally) had a write protected diskette inserted. I got the usual message and the question Abort, Retry, or Ignore? I immediately got out the (backed up) diskette I had intended the write to go to and inserted it. Was I ever suprised--after the write my directory had an exact copy of the directory from the write protected diskette!!!! Now come on guys, I know that the directory is just a file which must be read, updated, and rewritten, but is it so difficult to reread after a diskette error? Is there a philosophy behind all this or did they just make a boo-boo? Perhaps someone has a patch to avoid crashing the directory of the disk in such a simple, straightforward manner. If so I would be very appreciative if you would help me out. By the way, I was using Kermit on an Eagle PC-Plus when the bug bit if that is of any use. Cheers --Jeff Kimmelman (=JKIMMELMAN@BBN-UNIX) [Ed: This has happened to me, and I for one make it a practice to never let DOS or any program retry a write under these circumstances. I don't know if this is a bug or a "feature"]
jph@whuxle.UUCP (05/14/84)
#R:sri-arpa:-19800:whuxle:22700031:000:458 whuxle!jph May 10 08:40:00 1984 Your problem was that you `changed' floppies while you had a file OPENed. There are words in the manual that sya if you do this, your directory can get messed up. Now true, after an error, maybe things shoudl be re-read, but what if you have a program executing that had several files open on the floppy at once. What happens in this case. So a word to the `wise' is not to change disks in the middle of an operation. Instead, restart it from the beginning.