Cannot Start Computer After Running DriveSpace on IBM Computer

• Microsoft Windows 98
• Microsoft Windows 95
• Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you use DriveSpace to compress a drive on an IBM Aptiva or PS/1 computer, you may receive the following message when you start your computer after the compression process is finished or when DriveSpace restarts your computer during the compression process:

   Windows has disabled direct disk access to protect your long file-
   names. To override this protection, see the LOCK /? command for more
   information. 

   The system has been halted. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart your computer. 

CAUSE

This problem can occur when you are running Ps1pfile.exe from your Autoexec.bat file. This program attempts to bypass the operating system and system ROM BIOS and write to the hard disk directly. When programs attempt to access the hard disk in this manner, Windows prevents the program from doing so and displays the message.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods:

• If the message is displayed when you attempt to start your computer after the compression process is finished, configure your computer so that Ps1pfile.exe is allowed to write to all hard disks on your computer directly. To do so, follow these steps:
  
  
  1. Start Windows in Safe mode and then use any text editor (such as Notepad) to open the Autoexec.bat file.
  
  
  
  2. Before the line that contains Ps1pfile.exe, insert a line similar to the following for each hard disk on your computer
     
     echo y | lock <drive>:\ > nul
     
     where <drive> is the hard disk letter. For example, if your computer contains drive C and drive H, insert the following lines before the line that contains Ps1pfile.exe:
     
     echo y | lock c:\ > nul
     echo y | lock h:\ > nul
     
     Note that lines for the hard disks on your computer may already exist in the file. To determine which hard disks currently exist on your computer, run DriveSpace and view the physical drives, compressed drives, and host drives that appear in the list of drives. To run DriveSpace, click the Start button, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click DriveSpace.
  
  
  
  3. After the line that contains Ps1pfile.exe, insert a line similar to the following for each hard disk on your computer
     
     unlock <drive>: > nul
     
     where <drive> is the hard disk letter. For example, if your computer contains drive C and drive H, insert the following lines after the line that contains Ps1pfile.exe:
     
     unlock c: > nul
     unlock h: > nul
     
     Note that lines for the hard disks on your computer may already exist in the file.
  
  
  
  4. Save and then close the Autoexec.bat file.
  
  
  
  5. Restart your computer.
  
  
  



• If the message is displayed when DriveSpace restarts your computer during the compression process, remove or disable the line in the Autoexec.bat file that contains Ps1pfile.exe. To do so, follow these steps.
  
  NOTE: The Ps1pfile.exe file may be necessary to use some of the Advanced Power Management (APM) features of Windows 95 and your IBM computer. If you are unable to use APM features reliably after removing the line that contains Ps1pfile.exe, insert the line again. If the message is displayed again after you insert the line, perform the steps listed above to work around the problem.
  
  
  1. Start a Windows Safe-mode command prompt and then use any text editor (such Edit.com) to open the Autoexec.bat file.
  
  
  
  2. Remove or disable the line that contains Ps1pfile.exe. You should also remove or disable any lines that contain the LOCK or UNLOCK command that precede or follow the line that contains Ps1pfile.exe. For example, you may need to remove or disable lines similar to:

       
              echo y | lock c:\ nul
              c:\ps1tools\ps1pfile.exe
              unlock c: nul
          

     NOTE: To disable the first line above, you should modify the line so that it appears as follows (note that the second REM command is required):

     
              rem echo y | rem lock c:\ nul
          

  
  
  
  3. Save and then close the Autoexec.bat file.
  
  
  
  4. Restart your computer. When you restart your computer, DriveSpace should automatically continue the operation that it was performing when the message appeared.
  
  
  

MORE INFORMATION

When you install Windows on a computer on which Ps1pfile.exe is running from the Autoexec.bat file, the Windows Setup program automatically configures your computer so that Ps1pfile.exe is able to write directly to the hard disk. Configuring your computer in this manner prevents the message from appearing when you start your computer.

However, the Windows Setup program is able to configure your computer so that Ps1pfile.exe is able to write directly to only the hard disks that currently exist. If a new drive is added, Ps1pfile.exe is unable to write directly to the new drive until you reconfigure your computer.

When you use DriveSpace to compress a drive, an additional logical drive is created. Because the new drive did not exist when you installed Windows, your computer is not configured so that Ps1pfile.exe can write directly to the drive. Therefore, if Ps1pfile.exe attempts to write directly to the drive when you start your computer, Windows prevents it from doing so and displays the message.

The third-party product discussed in this article is manufactured by a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or other- wise, regarding this product's performance or reliability.

Additional query words:

Keywords          : winplus drvspace diskmem win95 
Version           : WINDOWS:95
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : 

Last Reviewed: January 29, 1999