DoubleSpace Leaves \WINDOWS\SPART.PAR on Host Drive (103818)



The information in this article applies to:
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22

This article was previously published under Q103818

SYMPTOMS

This information applies to both Microsoft DoubleSpace and Microsoft DriveSpace. For MS-DOS 6.22, use DRVSPACE in place of DBLSPACE for commands and filenames.

Under some conditions, DoubleSpace may leave the Windows directory and the file SPART.PAR on the host drive after compressing an existing drive.

CAUSE

This situation occurs when you compress the drive that contains your Windows directory (typically drive C), but you have your permanent swap file on a different drive (for example, drive D). The Windows directory is copied to the DoubleSpace-compressed drive, and all files and subdirectories are moved, except the SPART.PAR pointer file. This file is left on the host in an otherwise empty Windows directory.

This does not cause a problem for Windows because it creates a new SPART.PAR file on the DoubleSpace-compressed drive.

RESOLUTION

You can safely delete the Windows directory on you host drive if you don't have any other files in the Windows directory. To do this:

    To determine which drive is your host drive, type dblspace /list at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER.
    Use the DIR command to determine which files are in the Windows directory on the host drive. For example, type dir h:\windows /a at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER. The /A parameter displays all hidden files.
    If the only file in your Windows directory on the host drive is SPART.PAR, or if you don't need any of the files in the Windows directory, you can delete the directory. To do this, use the DELTREE command. For example, type deltree h:\windows /y at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER.
NOTE: If you want to uncompress the drive that contains your Windows directory, and a duplicate Windows directory exists on the host drive, you will have to delete the Windows directory from the host drive.

Modification Type: Major Last Reviewed: 11/20/1999
Keywords: KB103818