"Frank Gilliland" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 23:16:36 GMT, Lancer wrote in
. com:

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 15:45:23 -0700, Frank Gilliland
wrote:

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 22:33:01 GMT, Lancer wrote in
s.com:

snip
Windows 98 runs on a DOS kernel, so all windows 98 systems run on a
"valid" DOS disk. Edit your msdos.sys and turn your GUI off. Or
just
make yourself a boot disk and format the drive.


Doesn't it still run on virtual FAT even without the GUI?


No, it shouldn't. There are no VFAT or virtual drivers loaded.


What I mean is, the disk is configured for use with a VFAT driver.
Doesn't that cause compatibility problems when working under the FAT
under DOS?



Frank;
The way I understand it, is that the disk is configured or uses
FAT. VFAT serves as an interface between applications and the FAT.
So there shouldn't be any compatibilty problems when running DOS
programs.


Ok.... but if the FAT is set for short (8.3) filenames while the VFAT
uses long filenames, there are going to be short filenames that are
identical in the same directory; i.e, under VFAT;

Frank, the FAT doesn't have anything to do with the long or short file
names. The Windows OS does it by first building a standard DOS directory
entry for any file. After this is one or more directory entries where the
attribute bits have an invalid setting are built. That's how the Windows OS
can tell the difference between the two. DOS just ignores the invalid
directory entries. Each of these directory entries holds 11 characters of
the long file name. The reason for this is the directory entry is still a
DOS directory entry with room for only a 8 dot 3 file name. For example if
the long file name has a total of 45 characters in it you would have the
normal DOS directory entry with it's 8 dot 3 file name followed immediately
by 5 more DOS directory entries with the special invalid attribute bits
settings. You would need 5 because 4 would only hold a total of 44
characters. The OS also keeps a count of how many of these special DOS
directory entries there are. If this gets messed up that's when the OS
complains about a miss association between the long and short file names.
This is a real hack job by Microsoft, waste full of space, and elegant it's
not, but it does work.

--
Leland C. Scott
KC8LDO

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