Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!apple!oliveb!amdahl!pacbell!cpro!asgard
From: asgard@cpro.uucp (J.R. Stoner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: File creation error
Summary: File creation in *root* directory
Keywords: 224 File(s) copied; slow; Compaq; MS-DOS 3.3
Message-ID: <82@cpro.UUCP>
Date: 2 Mar 89 16:37:46 GMT
References: <7852@ihlpf.ATT.COM>
Distribution: usa
Organization: COG Gateway, Hayward, CA
Lines: 27

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

You just kinda answered your own question.  The flop12 *format* lays only
that many directory entries in the *root* directory, which is a fixed-size
resource.  In order to make the flop12 store more than that many files you
must copy them into a subdirectory, not the root.  Subdirectories are laid
out using indirect blocks allocated from the FAT.

> "DIR A:" indicated there are still plenty of space left.  The PC is a
> Compaq Portable-III running MS-DOS 3.3 (from Compaq).

I don't doubt it.  Space don't enter into it.  You might have plenty of room
to *store* files but you don't have enough root directory entries to
*allocate* them.

> Also, why the copying process is VERY slow (over 5 minutes)?

That is an issue you must take up with Little Billy.
-- 
"To prevent having to tell fools to RTFM don't let on you WTFM in the first
place." - J.R. (May the Source be With You) Stoner
asgard@cpro.uucp	asgard@wotan.uucp	asgard@well.uucp
...decwrl!pacbell!cpro!asgard