driskill%asylum.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Hank Driskill) (05/16/91)
I was using a program I got from sumex called DeskPict for awhile, but when I got System 7b4 it started acting up. Whenever the desktop got redrawn (for instance, when I emptied the trash or put something into it), icons out on the desktop would disappear if they were in the same vertical line as the trashcan (or whatever). If I moved fonts onto the desktop, then moved them into the system folder, they would cause ALL the icons on the desktop to disappear! Well, I got the "Real" System 7 today, and was hoping it would fix that prob, but no dice. What I want to know is... what other PD/Shareware programs do the same thing as DeskPict? (for those who don't know, DeskPict lets one put a color picture in the root window...) Thanks in advance, Hank.
jackb@MDI.COM (Jack Brindle) (05/17/91)
In article <1991May15.165022.13635@hellgate.utah.edu> driskill%asylum.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Hank Driskill) writes: > >I was using a program I got from sumex called DeskPict for awhile, but when I >got System 7b4 it started acting up. Whenever the desktop got redrawn (for >instance, when I emptied the trash or put something into it), icons out on the >desktop would disappear if they were in the same vertical line as the trashcan >(or whatever). If I moved fonts onto the desktop, then moved them into the >system folder, they would cause ALL the icons on the desktop to disappear! > >Well, I got the "Real" System 7 today, and was hoping it would fix that prob, >but no dice. What I want to know is... what other PD/Shareware programs do >the same thing as DeskPict? > >(for those who don't know, DeskPict lets one put a color picture in the root >window...) > WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T REBUILD THE DESKTOP! There is a problem in the file system for just about ALL Beta versions of system 7. It was fixed in the fc versions. The problem manifests itself in several ways, mostly in disallowing access to files on the disk. Essentially, the system makes a faulty write when updating the index nodes of the catalog tree, thus disconnecting a portion of the tree, and essentially wiping out access to the files after the disconnection. The Finder can actually subvert the problem because of information in the Desktop file. You should still have access to the files through the "Find File" DA. Be sure to copy them off (the entire subfolder structure is copiable once you get to the top folder of the disconnected subtree). After you have everything copied off, reformat the disk. The trees are blown, they can't be repaired! :-(. If you rebuild the desktop (like I did), you have lost access to the files. Your next step is to run over to the local software shop and pick up a copy of Norton's Utilities. They actually do work with System 7 (Aliases give them problems). When the program reports that you are using System 7, hold down the option key and click OK. Norton will recover your files quite nicely, after which you should reformat your disk. Apple DID tell us to keep everything backed up. In my case this gave me the opportunity to really learn how the catalog and extent trees work (in depth). There are also new debugging features within the new Disk First Aid that will help you figure out what has happened (use the one from the release copy). By the way, you should also notice how much space is missing from your disk. This is due to the strange situation the trees are in. The space may only be recovered by a fresh format. If you have a beta version of system 7, you will have problems. The really good news is that the problem has been fixed, and the released version does not have the problem. Now if the developer CDRoms would only get here with REAL system 7... Jack Brindle ham radio: wa4fib/7