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From: fetrow@entropy.UUCP (David Fetrow)
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc
Subject: Hard-disk protection
Message-ID: <244@entropy.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 20-Jan-86 20:31:08 EST
Article-I.D.: entropy.244
Posted: Mon Jan 20 20:31:08 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 22-Jan-86 04:32:02 EST
Organization: UW MathStat, Seattle
Lines: 63
Keywords: Prevents accidental formats

<Prevents accidental Erasure by Line-Eater>


 The following proceedure has proven useful in preventing accidental
erasure of hard disks in MS-DOS systems. 

	1: Rename FORMAT.COM in your DOS directory to KILLDISC.COM
	2: Place the following file as FORMAT.BAT in the DOS directory

 This little ".bat" file has saved more than a few hard-disks from
premature distruction. It is transparent to the user except:

	1: Drive C: cannot be formatted by the "format" command
	   (Note that killdisc IS the old format command so the)
	   (capability isn't lost: "killdisc c:" works.        )

        2: There must be a space between the drive name and the
	   switches (e.g. "format a: /s" works but "format a:/s"
	   doesn't).

 It is simple and somewhat inelegant. It is also extremely
useful! Any modifications needed for your system should be
clear. It is configured for a one floppy (A:), one hard-disk
(C:) machine.

  -Dave Fetrow

=========================== Cut here ==============================
echo off
cls

rem Non-standard FORMAT command to help prevent accidental erasure
rem of the fixed disc.  -Dave Fetrow 9/16/85
rem This is in the Public Domain, do what you will with it -df-

rem List of authorized FORMAT drives goes here (both case letters)
IF %1 == A: GOTO OK
IF %1 == a: GOTO OK

GOTO NOWAY

:OK
killdisc %1 %2
goto DONE

:NOWAY

echo  ERROR! You are attempting to FORMAT a disk which is either 
echo             non-existant or vitally important!
echo   
echo                    **** ABORT FORMAT ****

:DONE

============================ End of FORMAT.BAT =======================
-- 
 
  - Dave Fetrow

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