From: djackson@axion.bt.co.uk (Dave Jackson)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.apps
Subject: Re: FAT vs. HPFS ...
Date: 12 Jan 93 08:02:18 GMT
Reply-To: djackson@axion.bt.co.uk (Dave Jackson)
Distribution: comp.os.os2.misc
Organization: British Telecom Research Labs


In article <LUBKT.93Jan11153837@synergy.CC.Lehigh.EDU>,
lubkt@synergy.CC.Lehigh.EDU (Binod Taterway) writes:
|> 
|> Fellow OS/2 users,
|> 
|> I want to create OS/2 programs and folders on a 1.44M
|> floppy diskette.
|> I formatted the diskette from an OS/2 Window and created a
|> folder by
|> dragging the Folder template to Drive A icon. The folder
|> was properly
|> created. Then I wanted to copy an OS/2 program to this
|> folder in the A
|> drive. That didn't work.
|> 
|> I recalled that there are two types of file systems: HPFS
|> and FAT. I
|> changed the IFS line to read
|> 
|> 	IFS=C:\OS2\HPFS.IFS /CACHE:64 /CRECL:4

Change it back again, all you are doing is wasting around
500K of RAM if
you aren't using HPFS (and you're not, see below)
|> 
|> and rebooted the system. I reformatted the floppy and
|> tried again. I
|> still get the same problem. When I did the format, I was
|> told that the
|> file system on the floppy is FAT. Could this be the
|> problem?

No, this message is normal, it isn't why the copy didn't
work.

|> Do I need to use HPFS on the floppy?

Floppies can't be formatted to HPFS.

|> I am not sure how. I also loaded FDISKPM to
|> see what kind of partition is the C drive. It is FAT. Why
|> is FAT?  I
|> have a PS/ValuePoint preinstalled OS/2 2.0. I didn't do
|> anything to
|> make it FAT.

IBM preformatted the drive as FAT, this makes it more
compatible with the
DOS and Windows programs you're undoubtably going to install
on the drive
(For example Norton Desktop For Windows needs some ini file
editing before
it works on an HPFS partition, there are no problems with FAT
(okay, backup 
and disk doctor won't work with OS/2, but this is OS and not
filesystem
dependent)). 

|> Is there anyway I can use HPFS? 

Yes, you can reformat the drive as HPFS, but not until you
have a set of 
operating system diskettes so as to be able to reinstall
OS/2. It really
isn't worth the effort of doing this until more applications
are HPFS aware.
To most people the main benefit of HPFS is being able to use
long file names,
however any DOS application won't "see" any file which
doesn't conform to
the 8.3 filespec, so by giving you FAT IBM have made sure you
won't create 
files which your DOS programs won't see, and hence can't
use.

|> If so, would I be able to use DOS programs?
 
Yes, but see above.

|> Too many questions, I know.  |> Answer whatever you
|> can.
|> --
I think that what you are trying to do is to copy an object,
and not a file,
to your A: drive. To copy files open the "Drives" object, you
should be able
to drag files from this to your A: object (The A: object on
your desktop is
just a shadow of one of your 'drives' anyway). If this
doesn't work try copy
from an OS/2 command line.

E_Mail me if you need any more than this.

Hope this helps,


David J Jackson   Telephone +44 473 645805
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