Q121058: DIR Results in Strange Characters When Using SCSI Drive

Article: Q121058
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): 95
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): diskmem win95 kbDiskMemory
Last Modified: 28-JUL-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows 95 
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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

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Keywords          : diskmem win95 kbDiskMemory 
Technology        : kbWin95search kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : 95

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