DOCUMENT:Q121058 28-JUL-2001 [win95x] TITLE :DIR Results in Strange Characters When Using SCSI Drive PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product PROD/VER:95 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:diskmem win95 kbDiskMemory ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows 95 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== When you are running MS-DOS version 6.0 or higher and you press the F4 or F8 key at the Starting Windows prompt, running the DIR command causes strange characters rather than a directory listing to be displayed. CAUSE ===== This problem occurs if your hard disk is a SCSI drive that requires double buffering and the following line is loading in the CONFIG.SYS (CONFIG.DOS) file: DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS X=D800-DFFF RESOLUTION ========== To correct this problem, insert the command doublebuffer=1 in the MSDOS.SYS file. To insert this line, do the following: 1. Start Windows 95. 2. Click the Start button on the taskbar and then click Run. 3. In the Open box, type the following: " attrib -s -h -r c:\msdos.sys " (without the quotation marks) 4. Click the Start button on the taskbar and then click Run. 5. In the Open box, type the following: " notepad c:\msdos.sys " (without the quotation marks) 6. In the [Options] section, add the following line: " doublebuffer=1 " (without the quotation marks) NOTE: The doublebuffer=1 setting is a conditional setting that enables double buffering for controllers that need it. 7. Click Save on the File menu. If the above steps do not correct the problem, you may need to use the doublebuffer=2 setting instead of the doublebuffer=1 setting. To do so, follow these steps: 1. Click the Start button on the taskbar and then click Run. 2. In the Open box, type the following: " attrib -s -h -r msdos.sys " (without the quotation marks) 3. Click the Start button on the taskbar and then click Run. 4. In the Open box, type the following: " notepad c:\msdos.sys " (without the quotation marks) 5. In the [Options] section, modify the doublebuffer=1 line that you added in step 6 above so that it appears as follows: " doublebuffer=2 " (without the quotation marks) NOTE: The doublebuffer=2 setting is an unconditional setting that enables double buffering regardless of whether the controller needs it or not. 6. Click Save on the File menu. MORE INFORMATION ================ This is a MS-DOS 6.x configuration problem, not a problem in Windows 95. When you boot under Windows 95, double buffering is automatically provided if needed. This is not the case with MS-DOS versions 6.0 and higher. This problem is known to occur with the following SCSI hard disks: Seagate ST1200N external drive Additional query words: 1.0 1.00 6.00 6.2 6.20 6.21 6.22 garbage trash settings double-buffering scuzzy 3rdparty ====================================================================== Keywords : diskmem win95 kbDiskMemory Technology : kbWin95search kbZNotKeyword3 Version : 95 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.