Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!turnkey!orchard.la.locus.com!prodnet.la.locus.com!lando.la.locus.com!dana From: dana@lando.la.locus.com (Dana H. Myers) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: hard disk stumpper Message-ID: <15649@.la.locus.com> Date: 17 Aug 90 19:23:31 GMT References: <3967@newton.physics.purdue.edu> <1291@gold.GVG.TEK.COM> Sender: news@locus.com Organization: Locus Computing Corporation, Inglewood, CA Lines: 27 In article hobbit@remus.rutgers.edu (*Hobbit*) writes: >I installed a switch in my PC to deliberately open the write gate signal, >and damned if it doesn't prevent the controller from scribbling on the disk. >Anyway, >the fun thing about this hack is that the controller has no clue whether >the write succeeded or not, and due to disk buffering, MSLoss really thinks >the new file is there, and you can even type it; but the next time you do a >DIR or something the buffers get flushed and the file mysteriously disappears. On MS-DOS, the shell (command.com) normally provides a command to enable or disable verification of disk writes. This is the 'verify' command. At the DOS prompt, issue the command 'verify'. You will be notified of the current state of verification ('on' or 'off'). If it is off, try setting it on; enter the command 'verify on'. When verify is on, DOS informs the device driver that it wishes verfication on write; a device driver, at the whim of the implementor, may not actually verify the data, but generally will. I'd suggest trying this with write gate disabled, to see if your implementation of DOS does perform this checking. ***************************************************************** * Dana H. Myers KK6JQ | Views expressed here are * * (213) 337-5136 (ex WA6ZGB) | mine and do not necessarily * * dana@locus.com | reflect those of my employer * *****************************************************************