Cannot Use DIR or File Manager to Read Fastback Disks

 Last reviewed: May 8, 1997
Article ID: Q102408

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1

SYMPTOMS

You cannot read floppy disks from Fifth Generation Systems's Fastback or Fastback Plus using the Windows NT File Manager or the DIR command.

CAUSE

Backup disks made by Fastback have abnormal BIOS parameter blocks (BPBs) because:

  • The BPB indicates there are two file allocation tables (FAT), when there is only one on the disk.
  • The "Media Type ID" is always 0xFF no matter what the disk type is.

These discrepancies confuse the Windows NT file system. The Windows NT file system treats these disks as "raw" media, and therefore you cannot read or write to the disks on a file-by-file basis.

Fastback can read the disks because it does so on a sector basis.

Additional query words: prodnt "number of fat"
Keywords : kb3rdparty kbbug3.10 ntdosap
Version : 3.1
Platform : WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: May 8, 1997
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