KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q111639: Conner AT IDE Hard Drives and Disk Scan Software

Article: Q111639
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:6.2
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): msdos
Last Modified: 20-NOV-1999

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system version 6.2 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

Microsoft has identified a potential problem in certain Conner AT IDE hard disk
drives that can occur in very limited circumstances. If you have never set the
MS-DOS or PC DOS VERIFY command to ON, you will not be affected by this problem.
The default VERIFY setting on all PCs is OFF.

If the MS-DOS or PC DOS command VERIFY is turned ON while the ScanDisk disk
repair utility shipped with MS-DOS 6.2 is scanning, data loss may occur with
these certain Conner AT IDE hard drives. Central Point Software has determined
that the same obscure problem occurs with these Conner drives and the Surface
Scan capability found in the Central Point's PC Tools for DOS DiskFix program.

NOTE: This problem does not occur when you use MS-DOS 6.21 ScanDisk.

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

If you are unsure what drive type you have, Microsoft and Central Point
recommend that you take the steps outlined below to ensure that the VERIFY
command is always turned OFF before you run ScanDisk or DiskFix's Surface Scan.

NOTE: Leaving VERIFY in the default OFF or setting this command to OFF in no way
reduces the functionality or performance of MS-DOS or other utilities and
applications installed. Very few users change the setting to ON.

1. Type "VERIFY" (without the quotation marks) at the MS-DOS command prompt
  (usually c:\>).

2. If "VERIFY is off" is displayed, there is no risk of losing data when
  scanning due to this problem.

3. If "VERIFY is on" is displayed, type "verify off" (without the quotation
  marks) at the MS-DOS command prompt.

  This restores the default setting of VERIFY and prevents the problem. You can
  now safely run ScanDisk or DiskFix's Surface Scan.

After you run your disk repair utility, you can reset the VERIFY command to ON by
doing one of the following:

- If VERIFY=ON is in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, you can reboot your system to
  restore the setting.

- If VERIFY=ON is not in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file or you don't want to reboot,
  type "verify on" (without the quotation marks) at the MS-DOS command prompt.

Both Microsoft and Central Point are updating their respective programs to switch
VERIFY to OFF if it is set to ON before running the disk scan. When the scan is
complete, the programs will turn VERIFY ON if that is the way it was set prior
to the scan. Both companies plan to make these updates available on the online
forums in the near future.


The products included here are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft;
we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance
or reliability.

Additional query words: 6.22 connor hardware diskscan 6.20

======================================================================
Keywords          : msdos 
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS620
Version           : MS-DOS:6.2

=============================================================================

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.