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From: Chris_F_Chiesa@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: SDX 'ATARIDOS.SYS' bugs/quirks
Message-ID: <36196@cup.portal.com>
Date: 24 Nov 90 08:01:58 GMT
References: <9011230327.AA04231@cwns11.INS.CWRU.Edu>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 25

We've all heard vague reports of SpartaDOS X corrupting or deleting files,
but I for one have never heard a CLEAR description of a distinct, repeat-
able problem.

However, I believe I have begun to characterize a misbehavior of SDX when
used with disks in Atari DOS 2.0 format.  

To wit, I find that SDX's ATARIDOS.SYS handler misunderstands file sizes
as compared with "real" Atari DOS 2.0.  SDX's "DIRS" command reports files
as occupying ONE SECTOR MORE than Atari DOS 2.0 will list for the same files,
and -- worse yet -- files CREATED in Atari DOS format under SDX get ONE FEWER
than the right number of sectors recorded in their directory entry field.

This can lead, at the very least, to a great waste of disk space, not to
mention the possibility of file corruption if sector usage and allocation 
information gets too far out of agreement with itself...

A friend and I have, however, managed to copy the programs from the SDX 
cartridge and put them on a disk where we can get a look at 'em.  Perhaps
we can figure out how the ATARIDOS.SYS driver works, how it hooks into SDX,
and perhaps we or someone else can eventually FIX it!


(Which suggests that I'd better ask: have there been different releases of
SDX?  What's current, and how do I tell what I have?)