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Q99533: DIRECTORY Command Returns Incorrect 0 Bytes Free Message

Article: Q99533
Product(s): Microsoft LAN Manager
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 30-JUL-2001

SYMPTOMS
========


For high performance file system (HPFS) drives with partitions larger than 2 GB,
the MS-DOS Directory command sometimes shows 0 bytes free even if plenty of free
space is left. You can read, write, restore, and backup, but some applications
that write automatically to the hard disk crash if there is no free space.

CAUSE
=====

This problem is not completely understood, but possible causes are:

- MS-DOS may simply return a zero because it is incapable of dealing with
  numbers larger than the 2 GB its local partitions are limited to.

- The program may miscalculate the free disk space from the numbers provided by
  MS-DOS; this is a very common problem.

RESOLUTION
==========

If the problem persists, try to get a register dump of the MS-DOS function Int
21h, AH=36h, DL=drive (1 based), and contact Microsoft.

Additional query words: 2.00 2.10 2.10a 2.20

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Keywords          :  

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