Date: Mon, 2 Jun 1997 23:48:08 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Mike A. Harris" <mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz AT is DOT elta DOT co DOT il>
cc: Brennan Bas Underwood <brennan AT mack DOT rt66 DOT com>, djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject: Re: Exclusive access to drive
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SUN.3.91.970602110226.26674B-100000@is>
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.95.970602233527.608F-100000@capslock.com>
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On Mon, 2 Jun 1997, Eli Zaretskii wrote:

> > > I suspect that, as usual, Microsoft tries to save me from myself a bit too
> > > well, because the same considerations apply when I run CHKDSK from DOS
> > > 6.x.  However, the version from 6.x doesn't say a word to that effect, and
> > > nothing bad really happens to my drive after running CHKDSK. 
> > 
> > Yes, but DOS 6.x is not a multitasking operating system with 50
> > different programs simultaneously accessing the hard disk, and
> > having open files, write caching, etc... either.  Window's '95
> > *IS*.
> 
> Then how would you explain the amazing fact that CHKDSK from Windows 95
> runs without any complaint from the DOS box under Windows, and only
> refuses to run from within a DJGPP program?

Possibilities:

1) CHKDSK is WRITTEN specifically to work WITH W95, by
syncronizing with 95's internal drive caching, etc and locks
parts of the disk.

2) CHKDSK or W95 is broken and will eventually trash your disk.

Which one do I vote for?  #1 (although #2 doesn't sound far off
either :o)

> (It probably won't run from
> non-DJGPP programs also, but I didn't check.) Isn't Windows multi-tasking
> when you run it from DOS box?  Sure it is.  Isn't DOS box and COMMAND.COM 
> just another program that runs under Windows?

Command.com runs in Windows '95 - which runs on TOP of DOS 7.0.
(before the arguments come out - boot into DOS 7, run a
filemanager like norton commander, while *IN* norton, run WIN.
Windows 95 starts up.  Use it for a while, then exit.  Presto,
you're back in DOS right where you left off in Norton Commander).

If CHKDSK runs in W95 it is either broken, or it is specifically
designed to do so.  If it doesn't run from within a DJGPP app,
then Windows is either protecting it for some reason (probably a
very valid one) or else it or windows has a problem with the fact
that a DPMI program is running it, or the DPMI program has a
problem with it itself.

> Sure they are.  Then why 
> won't Microsoft let me do what they apparently do themselves without any 
> hesitation?

See above.  Running any program that accesses the RAW hard disk
in WRITE mode under a multitasking operating system - wether the
program was written for it or not, and you are asking for
trouble.  I'd say that whatever is causing the problem is doing
you a favour. 

Mike A. Harris        |             http://blackwidow.saultc.on.ca/~mharris
Computer Consultant   |                  Coming soon: dynamic-IP-freedom...
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