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Q100842: File Limit for DIR Command Sort Options

Article: Q100842
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:5.0,5.0a,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22; Win95:
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 18-DEC-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22 
- Microsoft Windows 95 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you use the DIR command with the /O switch at a command prompt, you may
receive the following error message:

  Too many files, directory not sorted

The directory listing is then displayed, but it is not sorted as you requested.

CAUSE
=====

There are more files in the directory than the command interpreter (COMMAND.COM)
can sort. The maximum amount of memory that COMMAND.COM can allocate for a DIR
operation is 64 kilobytes minus 512 bytes. Each file displayed by the DIR
command requires 22 bytes for its entry, making the total number of files that
can be displayed in a sorted directory equal to 2295 files [(65536-512)/22].

STATUS
======

Microsoft is researching this problem and will post new information here in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

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

The MS-DOS DIR command is internal (built-in) to COMMAND.COM. The DIR command
uses memory allocated by COMMAND.COM for its processing.

REFERENCES
==========

For more information about the DIR command and its sorting options, type "dir
/?" (without the quotation marks) at an MS-DOS command prompt.

Additional query words: 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20 6.21 6.22

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin95search kbZNotKeyword3 kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS500a
Version           : MS-DOS:5.0,5.0a,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22; Win95:

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