Interlnk Client Cannot Access Drives on Server (98635)

SUMMARY

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

An Interlnk client computer running MS-DOS version 3.3 or earlier cannot access a partition on a server machine if either of the following are true:

The partition is larger than 32 megabytes (MB)
The partition is compressed with DoubleSpace

From the client computer, you can change to the drive letter assigned to the server's drive; however, after you do, you receive the following error message:

Non-DOS disk error reading drive G:
Abort, Retry, Fail?

For example, if the letter G is assigned to the server's compressed drive (for example, drive C), you can change to the "G:\>" prompt, but when you try to access the drive with an MS-DOS command (DIR, MD, CD, and so on), you receive the error noted above.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because Interlnk functions as a redirector. The client's version of MS-DOS is allowed to access drives on the server as if they were local drives. MS-DOS 3.x simply doesn't know how to access these drives.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, do the following:

Upgrade the client to MS-DOS version 4.01 or later. -or-
Reverse the Interlnk client/server configuration (that is, make the MS-DOS 6 or 6.2 machine the client and the MS-DOS 3.x machine the server).