DOCUMENT:Q139474  17-DEC-2000  [win95x]
TITLE   :Cannot Access Floppy Drive When Backup Program Is Running
PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
PROD/VER:95
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:win95

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The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Windows 95 
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SUMMARY
=======

When you are running Microsoft Backup (or another 32-bit Windows-based backup
program) you may receive the following error message if you try to access a
floppy disk drive from My Computer or Windows Explorer:

   <drive>:\ is not accessible

You may also receive the following error message:

   device is not ready

These error messages can occur even if there is a formatted disk in the drive.

In addition, if you are performing a backup, restore, or compare operation, the
operation may be canceled if you try to access the floppy disk drive from a
command prompt.

MORE INFORMATION
================

This behavior occurs when you have a tape drive connected to the same floppy
disk drive controller as the floppy disk drive you are trying to access.

When a 32-bit Windows-based program is accessing one of the drives connected to
the floppy disk drive controller, all other drives on the controller are
unavailable. When you attempt to access a floppy disk drive from a command
prompt, any active backup, restore, or compare operation is canceled because
Windows 95 cannot prevent floppy disk drive access from occurring when the drive
is accessed from a command prompt.

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Keywords          : win95 
Technology        : kbWin95search kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : 95

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