yap@me.utoronto.ca (Davin Yap) (11/13/89)
In article <6247@tank.uchicago.edu> ca_bt@gsbacd.uchicago.edu writes: > >After a recent system crash on my '286 clone, I ran CHKDSK on my >hard drive (C:) and it gave me the error message "Probable Non-DOS >disk, Continue (Y/N)?" The CHKDSK reported no errors with my >disk, and my files all seem to be intact. I also ran the Norton >disk check program and it didn't find any problems. Any idea >why I get this message about my hard drive when running CHKDSK? > Yup, I've got an idea what might be wrong. I had a similar problem last week with my Nec ProSpeed 286 (40 meg drive). At first I thought there was something wrong with my drive, but after exhaustive testing/(low-level formatting) I came to the conclusion that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the hardware - not a single bad sector on the drive, but then, you pay a premium price and expect a premium drive. What it boils down to is Norton Utilities, specifically 'nu' in combination with disk-caching software, in my case the disk cache that comes as part of the ROM utilities on my machine. This disk cache uses the extended memory in my machine, but this may or may not be a factor. When 'nu' first starts up, it reads the FAT(s), and if you use the caching software, the FAT(s) stay in memory. For some reason unknown to me, these copies of the FAT(s) are corrupt, and if used by 'nu' or any other program for writing a file, will cause you much grief. 'nu' is the only program I've used that has caused this problem, and this may not be a problem with newer versions of Norton Utilities, mine is circa 1987. I have nothing bad to say about Norton Utilities, aside from the fact that I no longer use them; pctools provides the same functionality and doesn't cause this problem. Regards, Davin Disclaimer: My opinions are my own, I am a student, so I have no employer for you to sue. Furthermore, as an individual I am entitled to my opinion, and under the constitutions of both the U.S. and Canada, I am also entitled to express them. Therefore, if you have any notion of suing me, I have but two words for you, "Eat Me!" _______________leave_nothing_to_the_imagination_of_those_without_______________ GOAL: To dance the light fan- |Davin Yap, Mechanical Engineering, U of Toronto tastic in the face of derision,| yap@me.toronto.edu yap@me.utoronto.bitnet from those bland at heart. | ...{pyramid,uunet}!utai!utme!yap
ca_bt@gsbacd.uchicago.edu (11/13/89)
After a recent system crash on my '286 clone, I ran CHKDSK on my hard drive (C:) and it gave me the error message "Probable Non-DOS disk, Continue (Y/N)?" The CHKDSK reported no errors with my disk, and my files all seem to be intact. I also ran the Norton disk check program and it didn't find any problems. Any idea why I get this message about my hard drive when running CHKDSK? I'm running generic DOS 3.3, and the drive is a 40 Meg Seagate 251-1 partitioned as 30 Meg in drive C: and 10 Meg in drive D:. The CHKDSK on drive D: doesn't give the error message. The system files are on drive "C:" and boots up fine. The BIOS is an AMI one. Any hints or clues are appreciated!!! Bill Tsang CA_BT@gsbacd.uchicago.edu
wyoung@ksuvax1.cis.ksu.edu (William J. Young) (11/15/89)
In article <89Nov12.213221est.18661@me.utoronto.ca> yap@me.utoronto.ca (Davin Yap) writes: > ... I > have nothing bad to say about Norton Utilities, aside from the > fact that I no longer use them; pctools provides the same ^^^^^^^ > functionality and doesn't cause this problem. > Note that PCTools in their documentation recommends using only their caching software when using COMPRESS for exactly this reason. -- ---------------------------- Bill Young Internet: wyoung@ksuvax1.cis.ksu.edu, wyoung%ksuvax1@harris.cis.ksu.edu BITNET: wyoung@ksuvax1.bitnet, wyoung%ksuvax1.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu