Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!hellgate.utah.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!ginosko!usc!polyslo!vlsi3b15!vax1.cc.lehigh.edu!sei.cmu.edu!krvw From: damon@umbc2.umbc.edu (Damon Kelley; (RJE)) Newsgroups: comp.virus Subject: Kim's question concerning FATs (PC) Message-ID: <0008.8909051137.AA16953@ge.sei.cmu.edu> Date: 1 Sep 89 19:41:00 GMT Sender: Virus Discussion List Lines: 26 Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu In response to Kim: I'm no expert at MS-DOS or software-stuff, but I've been poking around in my computer's memory long enough to believe that what you are describing may be normal with MS-DOS. Often I see that within memory, data stays in its assigned spot until something moves or writes over it. I notice this effect with a certain software word-processing/graphing/spreadsheet package I have. Sometimes when I am retreiving data with my package, I place a data disk first before putting in the main program disk. The program needs to do something with the disk with the main program first, so the package asks for the main program disk. Whe the directory pops up for the main program disk, it shows a conglomeration of the files on the curent disk PLUS the files that were on the removed data disk and some random garbage. Nothing grave has happened to my files with this package (It came with my computer. It wasn't PD/Shareware, either.), so I feel that this may be either a DOS bug (not writing over completely the FAT) or something normal. Of course, I've never really had an opportunity to look at the directory track on any disks, so I can't confirm that this is absolutely true. I can find out. Has anyone out there found mixed FATs affecting the performance of their disks? jnet%"damon@umbc" damon@umbc.bitnet damon@umbc2.umbc.edu "Would anyone dare let me represent their views? I think not!!!"