Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!yee
From: yee@aix01.aix.rpi.edu (Crimson Avenger)
Subject: Re: HPFS on a Floppy -  Totally Impossible ???
Message-ID: <s3!lkmk@rpi.edu>
Nntp-Posting-Host: aix01srv.aix.rpi.edu
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY
References: <13206@aggie.ucdavis.edu>
Date: 17 Jun 91 02:54:46 GMT
Lines: 28

>> It is not possible,.  I think That they wanted to keep the Floppies Standard
>> so that you didn't think that the disks are blank and re-format them when
>> you are running DOS.  It probably also has something to do with the buffering 
>> system for HPFS that makes it work well, and the number of buffers used woud
>> basicly make it read the entore floppy when you first put the disk in and read 
>> it.   Then you get the fun of dealing with systems that don't properly do the
>> disk change lead thing.
>> 

Someone wrote that, sorry, I didn't get the author's name.  That talk about
worrying about formating HPFS and DOS thinks they are blank diskette is *SILLY*.
The problem is that IBM/MS-DOS doesn't recognized HPFS format.  It's JUST a 
simple matter of putting the recognition of the HPFS format on MD-DOS, (
maybe MS-DOS 5.01) and then the files can be seen.    Someone at Microsoft/IBM
can just insert a routine to say  if diskette can't be read, then check 
for HPFS.  IF not HPFS then disk format unknown.  

Disk buffering is just reading consecutive number of tracks into memory 
(memory buffer) and hope that the next read will come from memory instead of
going to the track.  It has no bearing on HPFS.  

There should be no reason, technically that I see for not having HPFS floppies.


-- 
-- Robert aka Crimson Avenger      (yee@rpi.edu or crimson_avenger@mts.rpi.edu)
   Once a hacker, always a hacker. (usere3jp@rpitsmts.bitnet)

