Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!rochester!pt.cs.cmu.edu!b.gp.cs.cmu.edu!Ralf.Brown@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU
From: Ralf.Brown@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: screwed up directories on floppies
Message-ID: <22f0757a@ralf>
Date: 29 Jul 88 12:54:18 GMT
Sender: netnews@pt.cs.cmu.edu
Lines: 25
In-Reply-To: <1060@ndsuvax.UUCP>

In article <1060@ndsuvax.UUCP>, ncperson@ndsuvax.UUCP (Missing Person) writes:
}Can anyone tell me why DOS will sometimes overwrite the directory of 
}obe floppy with that of another? I've had this happen several times in the 
}last week. 
} it seems to simply be replacing the directory information with a copy of 
}what was on the previously inserted disk. I've heard of this happening before, but have never heard why it happens. Can somwone enlighten me?

What is happening is that you are switching disks while there are still files 
open on the first disk.  As long as files are open, DOS will not flush its 
disk buffers and update the directory and FAT.  When you then put in a 
different disk, DOS doesn't read the new directory and FAT (since it thinks it 
already has them), and the next directory update writes out the directory of 
the old disk onto the new one.

The cure is to make sure that all files are closed before switching disks.  
Note that some programs which use overlays keep files open until the program 
terminates.  ProComm 2.4.2 is one such program, and it uses the Plink overlay 
linker, so presumably all programs linked with that linker will show the 
problem.  Running 'strings' on the file should show you the Plink copyright 
notice on programs using it.
--
UUCP: {ucbvax,harvard}!cs.cmu.edu!ralf -=-=-=- Voice: (412) 268-3053 (school)
ARPA: ralf@cs.cmu.edu  BIT: ralf%cs.cmu.edu@CMUCCVMA  FIDO: Ralf Brown 1:129/31
Disclaimer? I     |Ducharm's Axiom:  If you view your problem closely enough
claimed something?|   you will recognize yourself as part of the problem.