File Limit for DIR Command Sort Options (100842)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0a
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.21
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22
- Microsoft Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q100842 SYMPTOMS
When you use the DIR command with the /O switch at a command prompt,
you may receive the following error message:
Too many files, directory not sorted
The directory listing is then displayed, but it is not sorted as you
requested.
CAUSE
There are more files in the directory than the command interpreter
(COMMAND.COM) can sort. The maximum amount of memory that COMMAND.COM can
allocate for a DIR operation is 64 kilobytes minus 512 bytes. Each file
displayed by the DIR command requires 22 bytes for its entry, making the
total number of files that can be displayed in a sorted directory equal to
2295 files [(65536-512)/22].
STATUS
Microsoft is researching this problem and will post new information here
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.
MORE INFORMATION
The MS-DOS DIR command is internal (built-in) to COMMAND.COM. The DIR
command uses memory allocated by COMMAND.COM for its processing.
REFERENCES
For more information about the DIR command and its sorting options, type
dir /? at an MS-DOS command prompt.
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 5/6/2003 |
|---|
| Keywords: | KB100842 |
|---|
|