DoubleSpace Err Msg: Drive Is Too Fragmented to Resize (96083)
The information in this article applies to:
- 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
This article was previously published under Q96083
This information applies to both Microsoft DoubleSpace and Microsoft
DriveSpace. For MS-DOS 6.22, use DRVSPACE in place of DBLSPACE for commands
and filenames.
SYMPTOMS
When you try to resize a DoubleSpace drive, you may receive the
following error message
Drive <X> is too fragmented to resize. Before resizing drive <X>,
defragment it by typing DEFRAG.EXE /H /Q <X>: at the MS-DOS
command prompt.
where <X> is the drive letter of the compressed drive.
CAUSE
If running DEFRAG /H /Q <X>: does not correct this problem, one or more of
the following statements apply to your system:
- You have a system file located at the end of your DoubleSpace drive
(possibly IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS, or a system file created by a delete-
tracking, disk image, erase protect, or format protection program).
- You have a bad sector on your host drive near the end of the DoubleSpace
compressed volume file (CVF).
- Software installed on your system uses a copy-protection schemes that
use clusters marked as "bad" to store data.
The following programs write system files at the end of a drive and
therefore commonly cause the error message noted above:
Program Name Program File Name System File Created
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft MS-DOS Mirror MIRROR.COM MIRORSAV.FIL
Central Point Mirror MIRROR.COM MIRORSAV.FIL
Symantec Norton Image IMAGE.EXE IMAGE.IDX
Symantec Norton Format Recover FR.EXE FRECOVER.IDX
Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 Undelete MIRROR.COM PCTRACKR.DEL
Microsoft MS-DOS 6.0/6.2 Undelete
- Delete Tracker UNDELETE.EXE PCTRACKR.DEL
- Delete Sentry UNDELETE.EXE CONTROL.FIL
Central Point Undelete
- Delete Tracker UNDELETE.EXE PCTRACKR.DEL
- Delete Sentry UNDELETE.EXE CONTROL.FIL
RESOLUTION
If you know some of your software is copy-protected, follow the
instructions in the "Copy-Protected Software Is Installed on the Computer"
section below.
If you are not using copy-protected software, use the following steps:
- If you are running MS-DOS 6.2, run ScanDisk on your host drive. For
example, type scandisk <host drive>: /surface at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER. If you are
running MS-DOS 6.0, unmount the DoubleSpace-compressed drive and run a
third-party surface scan product, such as Symantec's Norton Utilities
Norton Disk Doctor (NDD.EXE) or Central Point Software's DiskFix.
If the surface-scan program detects and corrects a bad cluster, you
should be able to resize your drive. If you still cannot resize the
drive, continue following this procedure.
- Use the DIR command to search for hidden system files on the
DoubleSpace-compressed drive. For example, if your DoubleSpace-
compressed drive is drive C, type dir c: /s /as /p at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press
ENTER.
- Use ATTRIB to remove the file attributes on the system files you find
in step 2. For example, if you have a Mirror file on drive C, type the
following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER:
attrib -r -s -h c:\mirorsav.fil
NOTE: If the system files you find are used by a delete-tracking program
(refer to the table in the CAUSE section), you need to reboot your
computer without loading the corresponding program file before you
change the file attributes on the system file. To do so, reboot your
computer and press F5 when the "Starting MS-DOS..." prompt is displayed.
- Run Microsoft Defragmenter.
You should now be able to resize the DoubleSpace-compressed drive.
If you were able to successfully resize the DoubleSpace-compressed drive,
reset the file attributes on the system file addressed in step 3. For
example, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press
ENTER:
attrib +r +s +h c:\mirorsav.fil
If you were not able to resize the DoubleSpace-compressed drive, edit the
DBLSPACE.INI file and increase the MaxFileFragments setting by using the
following steps:
- Remove the Read-Only, System, and Hidden file attributes on the
DBLSPACE.INI file. For example, if drive H is your host drive,
type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and press ENTER:
attrib -r -s -h h:\dblspace.ini
NOTE: To determine which drive is your host drive, type dblspace /list at the MS-DOS command prompt and then
press ENTER.
- Using MS-DOS Editor, edit the DBLSPACE.INI file and increase the
value for MaxFileFragments; 2000 is a good number to try.
- Save the DBLSPACE.INI file and exit MS-DOS Editor.
- Restart your computer and try to resize the drive.
Copy-Protected Software Is Installed on the Computer
If you are using copy-protected software, you may be able to work around
this problem by using a third-party disk-edit program, such as Symantec's
Norton Utilities or Central Point Software's PC Tools, to change the
cluster's status from "bad" to unused (that is, change the status from
FFF7 to 0). However, this usually leaves the third-party copy-protected
software unusable. If possible, uninstall the third-party copy-protected
software, resize the DoubleSpace drive, and then reinstall the copy-
protected software. For more information about removing your software's
copy-protection scheme, contact the vendor of the software.
MORE INFORMATION
Decreasing the size of a compressed drive causes the file allocation table
(FAT) to be truncated. If a FAT entry past the truncation point is marked
as anything other than "free," DoubleSpace displays the error noted above.
To maintain compatibility with copy-protection schemes and programs that
use clusters marked as "bad" to store data, DoubleSpace does not shrink the
FAT past a "bad" cluster.
The Symantec and Central Point products included here are manufactured
by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or
otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.
Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 11/21/1999 |
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Keywords: | KB96083 |
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