Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!bu-cs!dartvax!eleazar.dartmouth.edu!erics From: erics@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Eric Schlegel) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: Problem copying files to hard disk Keywords: crash, mac II, 150MB disk Message-ID: <10044@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU> Date: 11 Sep 88 22:38:04 GMT References: <2373@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu> Sender: news@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU Reply-To: erics@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Eric Schlegel) Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH Lines: 43 In article <2373@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu> bmartin@uhccux.UUCP (Brian K. Martin, M.D.) writes: >My system now crashes whenever I try to copy a new program from a floppy to >the hard disk. The system just freezes in the middle of a copy operation, >and I have to hit the re-boot switch. The problem is temporarily solved by >archiving a few programs to floppy then rebuilding the desktop. I've heard >that there's some sort of limit to the number of files that can be stored on >a hard disk. I hope not, since I was planning to upgrade to a 620MB disk in >the near future. > >Configuration: > ... > Jasmine Direct Drive 160 (150MB) > 135MB in use, about 3600 files on the hard disk There is a limit, although it isn't specifically a limit on the number of files. The problem is with the desktop file, which stores several resources for every application on your disk. The resource map which specifies where the resources are in the resource file has a limited size, which I think is ~2700 resources. There's a technote about the problem, ~140 I think. With 3600 files on your hard disk you could easily be exceeding the 2700 limit. Solutions: 1. Partition the hard disk. You can do this in software, using partitioners such as the one included with Symantec Utilities; or you can also reformat the disk to physically divide it into partitions. Reformatting requires a SCSI driver smart enough to understand partitions; most don't, but Jasmine's drivers for their newest hard drives supposedly do. You can probably get a new driver from Jasmine if you don't already have one. 2. AppleShare comes with an INIT call Desktop Manager which uses B-trees and other <> data structures to replace the Desktop file. The resource manager never gets into the act, and the old Desktop file goes away. If you can get ahold of this you can use it on your hard disk. Caveats: Apple has stated that this INIT is for use only with AppleShare; neither they nor I will be held responsible if it trashes your disk, ruins your life, or creates other natural or unnatural catastrophes. Hope this helps. Eric ------ Eric Schlegel | DISCLAIMER: I'm just a poor college student, eric.schlegel@dartmouth.edu | which means I'm not responsible for what I | say and I can't pay you if you sue me anyway.