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From: gettys@regent.enet.dec.com (Bob Gettys N1BRM)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Why do large devices need SHARE?
Message-ID: <17407@shlump.nac.dec.com>
Date: 18 Nov 90 14:07:00 GMT
Sender: newsdaemon@shlump.nac.dec.com
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Lines: 31


In article <28733@shamash.cdc.com>, slc1290@hare.udev.cdc.com (steve chesney x4662) writes...
>Under DOS 4.01, SHARE is loaded automaticly if you have a disk partition 
>greater than 32 MB.  When I tried out 4DOS to replace COMMAND.COM, this 
>did not happen, but I did get an error message informing me that SHARE
>is needed for large devices.  THe MS-DOS documentation seems to imply that
>SHARE is needed mostly for file concurrency with networks and (my inference)
>multi-tasking or application switching.  If I don't do networks or use the 
>same file from two applications at the same time do I need it?  My disk is 
>66 Meg.
> 
>I wouldn't care except SHARE uses 6k + and it seems to force Super PCKWIK 
>disk cache to grow 9k! (Anybody know why PCKWIK grows with SHARE)???
> 
>Thanks.
> 
>Steve Chesney       Control Data Corporation      slc1290@hare.udev.cdc.com



	SHARE does a number of things (such as those you iterated), but the reason
 you need to load it with 4.01 is that some older programs still use the old FAT
routines and these don't know about the newer FAT that can accomodate >32 meg partitions.
This can result in a corrupted FAT and severe loss of data. It is very prudent to foolow
the reccomendation of 4.01 and load it.





	/s/	Bob Gettys