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Q142914: Error Reading Magneto Optical Drives in Windows NT

Article: Q142914
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.50 3.51
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you attempt to access a magneto optical drive in Windows NT, the following
error message appears:

  The drive cannot find the sector required.

The drive is recognized during the boot sequence; however, Windows NT is not able
to determine the file structure of the media when accessing the drive.

CAUSE
=====

This problem occurs if the magneto optical drive has been formatted using the
Adaptec EZ-SCSI or CorelSCSI format utilities in DOS.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, do one of the following:

- Install the magneto optical drive on another computer running Windows 95 or
  Windows for Workgroups 3.11. Then create a network share for the drive. In
  Windows NT, connect to the network share and access the drive.

  -or-

- Back up the contents of magneto optical drive and format the drive using
  Windows NT Disk Administrator. Restore the drive.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT versions 3.5 and
3.51. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

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

In Windows NT, removable drives are recommended to use one partition. This means
that sector zero on the drive must be a Master Boot Record (MBR). In DOS,
removable drives can be formatted this way or as a floppy drive (this means that
sector zero contains a BIOS Parameter Block for the file system). The Adaptec
EZ-SCSI and CorelSCSCI utilities format the removable drives as floppies.
Windows NT currently does not support this format.

Additional query words: prodnt fat ntfs

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search
Version           : 3.50 3.51

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