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From: emb978@leah.Albany.Edu (Eric M. Boehm)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: File creation error
Summary: Physical limit on the number of files in the root directory
Keywords: 224 File(s) copied; slow; Compaq; MS-DOS 3.3
Message-ID: <1637@leah.Albany.Edu>
Date: 1 Mar 89 23:11:56 GMT
References: <7852@ihlpf.ATT.COM>
Distribution: usa
Organization: The University at Albany, Computer Services Center
Lines: 22

In article <7852@ihlpf.ATT.COM>, pcl@ihlpf.ATT.COM (pcl) writes:
> I encountered the following error when trying to copy 300 files (small size)
> from harddisk to A: (1.2 meg floppy drive):
> 
> File creation error
>       224 File(s) copied
> 

Since the root directory is located on specific tracks on the disk, there is
a *PHYSICAL* limitation to the number of files that are allowed in the root
directory. For 360K diskettes, this is 112 files; for 1.2M, 224 files; most
hard disks, 512 files (some partitioning software allows you to adjust
this).

The answer is to create a subdirectory and put your files in that. A
subdirectory is just a special kind of file. Its size is only limited by the
available space on the disk. You should be able to put all 300 files in a
subdirectory as long as you don't exceed 1.2M.

Eric M. Boehm
EMB978@ALBNY1VX.BITNET
EMB978@LEAH.ALBANY.EDU