Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!ncc!alberta!att-ih!ihnp4!ihlpg!tainter
From: tainter@ihlpg.ATT.COM (Tainter)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: The DANGERS of TURBO-DOS
Message-ID: <5218@ihlpg.ATT.COM>
Date: 18 Apr 88 20:14:01 GMT
References: <8804131634.AA17900@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> <451@nikhefh.hep.nl> <756@sun.mcs.clarkson.edu>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Naperville, Illinois
Lines: 24

In article <756@sun.mcs.clarkson.edu>, mrd@sun.mcs.clarkson.edu (Michael R. DeCorte) writes:
>In article <1687@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu> wolf@csclea.UUCP (Thomas Wolf) writes:
>>>>speed-up, BUT: It spoilt a disk. Apparently it did not recognize
>>>>a disk change, and copied the old disk's FAT to the changed new disk.
>>This wouldn't be a problem on a hard-disk (inkling of ignorance showing
>>through) would it?

>OH YES IT WOULD!  How about when shutting down the system? Do you happen to
>have an equivalent of /etc/shotdown on your atari? Please recall what such a
>beast does! > 	   sync; sync; sync;

Actually, what Thomas posted is correct.  The FAT corruption from failing to
handle media change is not a problem on hard disks (no media change events!).

On the otherhand, the sync problem Michael is talking about (and Allan was
talking about) is a delayed write problem of another colour.
Yes, if you do delayed write cacheing you are subject to loss on freezeup and
power down, or media change.

Note:  UNIX has the same problems if you pull the cord or otherwise
power down in an uncatchable manner. Ever wonder why AT&T machines don't
really turn off when you turn the switch off?  That's right sync time.

--j.a.tainter