Windows 3.0 and Third-Party Hard Disk Partitioning Software

• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a

SUMMARY

The Microsoft Windows development team, working closely with several hardware and software vendors, has identified two rare situations that could result in loss or corruption of data. These situations involve using third-party disk-partitioning software with Microsoft's SMARTDrive disk- caching utility. We have shipped several hundred thousand copies of Microsoft Windows version 3.0 and have only 12 customers with verified problems.

Microsoft Windows 3.0 itself works correctly on these systems. The conflict arises between the disk caching-utility SMARTDrive included with Windows and the listed third-party disk-partitioning software. Windows 3.0 is fully functional without the optional disk-caching utility.

SYSTEMS THAT MIGHT BE AT RISK

Situation 1

Your system IS at risk if the following is true:

   You are using third-party disk-positioning software, such as those
   listed below; a hard disk on your system has more than 1024
   cylinders; and you are using the Microsoft Windows SMARTDrive
   disk-caching utility.

Situation 2

Your system MAY be at risk if the following is true:

You are using third-party disk-positioning software, such as those listed below; your system contains a hard disk that is not directly supported by the system's ROM BIOS; you are using Microsoft Windows' SMARTDrive; and you are using DOS version 3.30 or later.

The risk probability is greater if your system was customized with off-the-shelf parts. Name-brand computers ship with ROM BIOS versions that support the hard drives installed by the manufacturer.

DETERMINING THE RISK

Below is a list of known disk-partitioning systems that pose a risk when used in conjunction with SMARTDrive.

Each software package uses a device= line in the CONFIG.SYS file in your root directory. The device= entry tells your system that the software exists.

Open your CONFIG.SYS file with any text editor and see if one of the following device= lines exists:

   Software:     Disk Manager from Ontrack Computer Systems
   CONFIG.SYS    device=DMDRVR.BIN

   Software:     SpeedStor from Storage Dimensions
   CONFIG.SYS:   device=SSTOR.SYS or device=HARDRIVE.SYS

   Software:     innerSpace from Priam Systems
   CONFIG.SYS:   device=EDVR.SYS

   Software:     Vfeatures Deluxe from Golden Bow Systems
   CONFIG.SYS:   device=FIXT_DRV.SYS

Removing the Risk

If you've identified your system to be at risk, you can either remove SMARTDrive or repartition your hard disk using the MS-DOS FDISK utility instead of third-party disk-partitioning software.

To remove SMARTDrive from your system:

1. Open your CONFIG.SYS file with any text editor.

2. Delete the following line:

         device=smartdrv.sys
   

3. Save the changes to CONFIG.SYS.

4. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to reboot your system (or turn off your system and then turn it back on).

IF YOU USE DISK MANAGER

The following procedure applies to Disk Manager users only. Use it to determine if your system is at risk.

To determine if you have a hard drive with more than 1024 cylinders. do the following:

1. At the MS-DOS prompt, invoke Disk Manager in manual mode by typing "DM /M" (without the quotation marks).

2. Type "C:" (without the quotation marks) to display the disk configuration.

3. If any of the disks displayed have an Actual Cylinder Count over 1024, you are at risk when using SMARTDrive.

1. At the MS-DOS prompt, type "VER" (without the quotation marks) to display the version of DOS you are running. If it is earlier than version 3.30, you are not at risk. Otherwise continue.

2. At the MS-DOS prompt, invoke Disk Manager in manual mode by typing "DM /M".

3. Type "C:" to display the disk configuration.

4. If the display says "Parameters Are Standard," you are not at risk. If it says "Parameters Are Replaced," continue this process.

5. For each disk in your system, compare the Setup Parameters to the Actual Parameters displayed. If all of the disks displayed have a Setup Head Count that matches the Actual Head Count, and a Setup Sector Count that matches the Actual Sector Count, then you are not at risk. Otherwise, that drive is referred to as nonhomogeneous, and you need to continue.

6. From the Disk Manager Main menu, type "S" to select the nonhomogeneous drive.

7. Type "P" to see the partition table for this drive.

8. If the drive contains a partition with the Type "DOS", and one of the following

         Type "Write-Read" or "Read-Only" partitions
   

   then you are at risk.

9. Repeat Steps 6 through 8 for each nonhomogeneous drive in your system.