mha@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Mark H. Anbinder) (04/05/89)
This may sound like a silly question, but is there any way that the Set Startup option could become set to MultiFinder instead of Finder through any way OTHER than the user doing so manually? One of our users has experienced a problem where MultiFinder was set as the startup option. She KNOWS that she didn't turn it on, and she's VIRTUALLY CERTAIN that no one else would have done it (she's the only one who has physical access to the computer most of the time, as it's in a locked enclosure). Could this happen any other way? Is there a procedure that would allow software to change this setting? If so, does anyone know of any software that's rude enough to do so? This is just the latest in a string of problems she's been having with this computer, including Excel reporting file locked errors when the files were definitely NOT locked or otherwise busy, and Excel setting the Save As format to SYLK all by itself. Is there a connection among these things? Anyone recognize these Excel problems? Are we the victims of a cosmic April Fools joke? :-) -- Mark H. Anbinder ** MHA@TCGould.tn.cornell.edu NG33 MVR Hall, Media Services Dept. ** THCY@CRNLVAX5.BITNET Cornell University H: (607) 257-7587 ******** Ithaca, NY 14853 W: (607) 255-1566 ******* Ego ipse custodies custudio
bob@accuvax.nwu.edu (Bob Hablutzel) (04/05/89)
> One of our users has experienced a problem where MultiFinder was set > as the startup option. She KNOWS that she didn't turn it on, and > she's VIRTUALLY CERTAIN that no one else would have done it (she's > the only one who has physical access to the computer most of the time, > as it's in a locked enclosure). Could this happen any other way? Is > there a procedure that would allow software to change this setting? If > so, does anyone know of any software that's rude enough to do so? Well, the Installer _might_ be, not sure. Or if you don't use the installer, but have upgraded the system recently by dragging, this could definately cause problems. The deal is that copying a system file and finder from one disk to another causes the boot blocks from the first disk to be copied to the second. Some if the information in the boot block (at offset $5A, btw), is the startup application - Finder or Multifinder on Apple system disks. Of course, there could just be disk gnomes running wild. Bob Hablutzel Wildwood Software BOB@NUACC.ACNS.NWU.EDU
jackiw@cs.swarthmore.edu (Nick Jackiw) (04/06/89)
In article <7671@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu> mha@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (Mark H. Anbinder) writes: > This may sound like a silly question, but is there any way that the > Set Startup option could become set to MultiFinder instead of Finder > through any way OTHER than the user doing so manually? Of course it IS possible, but (VERY) highly unlikely. MultiFinder is an application, but its file-type is set to System Software (instead of the normal application's type of APPL); consequently it will not appear in lists of applications provided by most transfer menus, auto-application- executives, etc. Furthermore, the format of the "Finder Startup" file (which determines which applications--and what Finder environment--are executed initially) is not publically documented. While certain 3rd-party products may access or alter its function (having obtained the format from Apple), these products are all "finder-substitutes" which your user would be aware of had she one installed. > She KNOWS that she didn't turn it on, and > she's VIRTUALLY CERTAIN that no one else would have done it (she's > the only one who has physical access to the computer most of the time, > as it's in a locked enclosure). Could this happen any other way? Is > there a procedure that would allow software to change this setting? If > so, does anyone know of any software that's rude enough to do so? No no and no. At this point, I would either suspect the system file of being corrupted or begin to doubt the expertise of the user as a bug- reporter / recaller-of-her-former-actions. > This is just the latest in a string of problems she's been having with > this computer, including Excel reporting file locked errors when the > files were definitely NOT locked or otherwise busy, and Excel setting > the Save As format to SYLK all by itself. I have seen FileLocked errors appear sporatically in place of both "File Damaged/Busy" and "File Open Elsewhere" contexts. Remember that in the event of a crash, certain files may be left open; and consequently in- accessible until the user or some observant program choses to shut them. (The DeskZap da has an explicit CLOSE option, for instance. Use it with caution.) Many programs set the Save As format to the format of the last opened file ... could this be Excel's "problem?" These are just stray thoughts. "User debugging" is so much more a heuristic endeavor than "program debugging (:->." Hope it helps. > Mark H. Anbinder ** MHA@TCGould.tn.cornell.edu -- _ _|\____ Nick Jackiw | Visual Geometry Project | Math Department / /_/ O> \ ------------+-------------------------+ Swarthmore College | O> | 215-328-8225| jackiw@cs.swarthmore.edu| Swarthmore PA 19081 \_Guernica_/ ------------+-------------------------+ USA
austing@Apple.COM (Glenn L. Austin) (04/08/89)
In article <7671@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu> mha@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (Mark H. Anbinder) writes: > This may sound like a silly question, but is there any way that the > Set Startup option could become set to MultiFinder instead of Finder > through any way OTHER than the user doing so manually? Yes, if a System and Finder have been moved to the hard disk, the boot blocks are written on the hard disk. I'm not sure, but I think that Installer will also write the boot blocks on an upgrade to the System. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Glenn L. Austin | The nice thing about standards is that | | Apple Computer, Inc. | there are so many of them to choose from. | | Internet: austing@apple.com | -Andrew S. Tanenbaum | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | All opinions stated above are mine -- who else would want them? | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
brecher@well.UUCP (Steve Brecher) (04/08/89)
In article <2646@carthage.cs.swarthmore.edu>, jackiw@cs.swarthmore.edu (Nick Jackiw) writes: > [T]he "Finder Startup" file ... determines which applications--and what > Finder environment--are executed initially... The name of the startup application in the boot blocks is what determines the initial evvironment. Finder's Set Startup command, when invoked with the MultiFinder radio button on, writes "MultiFinder" into the boot blocks as the name of the startup "application." On startup, MultiFinder is launched, installs itself, and quits. The shell application (normally Finder) is then launched. Finder uses the Finder Startup file to determine what applications and DAs, if any, to automatically open. Finder Startup is not used unless MultiFinder is on. -- brecher@well.UUCP (Steve Brecher)