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Q124558: DriveSpace Err Msg: MINI.CAB File Is Missing or Damaged…

Article: Q124558
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
========

You receive the following error messages when you run DriveSpace to perform an
operation that requires full restartability:

- Files required to manage your compressed drive(s) are missing on drive
  <x>. To restore these files, copy the MINI.CAB file from your Windows
  95 Setup Disk 1 or CD-ROM into your Windows directory. The next time you run
  DriveSpace, the missing files will be restored.

  ID Number: DRVSPACE575

  -and-

- Windows might not be able to restart this operation if it is interrupted.
  Check to make sure drive x is not full; you may need as much as 1.5 MB of
  free space to continue.

  ID Number: DRVSPACE311

CAUSE
=====

These errors occur when the files in the hidden FAILSAFE.DRV\FAILSAFE directory
on drive C (or the host for drive C) are missing and DriveSpace cannot find the
MINI.CAB file in your Windows 95 SYSTEM subdirectory.

These errors can also occur if there is a file named Failsafe.drv in the root
folder of drive C (or the host for drive C).

RESOLUTION
==========

Copy the MINI.CAB file from your original Windows 95 distribution media to your
Windows 95 SYSTEM subdirectory.

NOTE: MINI.CAB is located on the standard 1.44-megabyte (MB) disk 1 of the
3.5-inch distribution media format (DMF) disk set and can be copied using
Windows Explorer or at an MS-DOS prompt (using EXTRACT is not necessary). On
CD-ROM installation media, MINI.CAB is located in the WIN95 directory.

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

DriveSpace operations that can prevent Windows from restarting properly if
interrupted by a power loss or accidental reboot are fully restartable. To
ensure restartability in these cases, DriveSpace uses a mini-version of Windows
(a subset of Windows 3.1 also used by Setup).

DriveSpace extracts the mini-version files (from the MINI.CAB file in your
Windows 95 SYSTEM subdirectory to a hidden FAILSAFE.DRV directory on the
physical boot drive) before beginning an operation that requires full
restartability. This ensures that DriveSpace can complete its operation in the
event of a power loss or accidental reboot.

DriveSpace requires the mini-version of Windows during the following operations:

- Compressing an existing drive that contains Windows files (including the swap
  file).

- Uncompressing a DriveSpace- or DoubleSpace-compressed drive that contains
  Windows files (including the swap file).

- Changing the size of a DriveSpace- or DoubleSpace-compressed drive that
  contains Windows files (including the swap file).

- Changing the estimated compression ratio (ECR) for a DriveSpace- or
  DoubleSpace-compressed drive that contains Windows files (including the swap
  file).

You should not delete the FAILSAFE.DRV directory created by DriveSpace unless you
have a MINI.CAB file in your Windows SYSTEM subdirectory. DriveSpace does not
delete FAILSAFE.DRV after successfully completing a restartable operation. This
allows future restartable operations to be completed more quickly.

Additional query words: err msg dxxspace

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

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