DoubleSpace Err Msg: Drive Is Too Fragmented to Resize (96083)


The information in this article applies to:
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.21
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22
This article was previously published under Q96083
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.

SYMPTOMS

When you try to resize a DoubleSpace drive, you may receive the following error message

Drive <X> is too fragmented to resize. Before resizing drive <X>, defragment it by typing DEFRAG.EXE /H /Q <X>: at the MS-DOS command prompt.
where <X> is the drive letter of the compressed drive.

CAUSE

If running DEFRAG /H /Q <X>: does not correct this problem, one or more of the following statements apply to your system:
    • You have a system file located at the end of your DoubleSpace drive (possibly IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS, or a system file created by a delete- tracking, disk image, erase protect, or format protection program).
    • You have a bad sector on your host drive near the end of the DoubleSpace compressed volume file (CVF).
    • Software installed on your system uses a copy-protection schemes that use clusters marked as "bad" to store data.
The following programs write system files at the end of a drive and therefore commonly cause the error message noted above: 
   Program Name                  Program File Name      System File Created
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Microsoft MS-DOS Mirror           MIRROR.COM              MIRORSAV.FIL
   Central Point Mirror              MIRROR.COM              MIRORSAV.FIL
   Symantec Norton Image             IMAGE.EXE               IMAGE.IDX
   Symantec Norton Format Recover    FR.EXE                  FRECOVER.IDX
   Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 Undelete     MIRROR.COM              PCTRACKR.DEL
   Microsoft MS-DOS 6.0/6.2 Undelete
    - Delete Tracker                 UNDELETE.EXE            PCTRACKR.DEL
    - Delete Sentry                  UNDELETE.EXE            CONTROL.FIL
   Central Point Undelete
    - Delete Tracker                 UNDELETE.EXE            PCTRACKR.DEL
    - Delete Sentry                  UNDELETE.EXE            CONTROL.FIL

RESOLUTION

If you know some of your software is copy-protected, follow the instructions in the "Copy-Protected Software Is Installed on the Computer" section below.

If you are not using copy-protected software, use the following steps:

    • If you are running MS-DOS 6.2, run ScanDisk on your host drive. For example, type scandisk <host drive>: /surface at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER. If you are running MS-DOS 6.0, unmount the DoubleSpace-compressed drive and run a third-party surface scan product, such as Symantec's Norton Utilities Norton Disk Doctor (NDD.EXE) or Central Point Software's DiskFix.

    If the surface-scan program detects and corrects a bad cluster, you should be able to resize your drive. If you still cannot resize the drive, continue following this procedure.
    • Use the DIR command to search for hidden system files on the DoubleSpace-compressed drive. For example, if your DoubleSpace- compressed drive is drive C, type dir c: /s /as /p at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER.
    • Use ATTRIB to remove the file attributes on the system files you find in step 2. For example, if you have a Mirror file on drive C, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER:

    attrib -r -s -h c:\mirorsav.fil

    NOTE: If the system files you find are used by a delete-tracking program (refer to the table in the Cause section), you need to reboot your computer without loading the corresponding program file before you change the file attributes on the system file. To do so, reboot your computer and press F5 when the "Starting MS-DOS..." prompt is displayed.
    • Run Microsoft Defragmenter.
You should now be able to resize the DoubleSpace-compressed drive.

If you were able to successfully resize the DoubleSpace-compressed drive, reset the file attributes on the system file addressed in step 3. For example, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER:

attrib +r +s +h c:\mirorsav.fil

If you were not able to resize the DoubleSpace-compressed drive, edit the DBLSPACE.INI file and increase the MaxFileFragments setting by using the following steps:

    • Remove the Read-Only, System, and Hidden file attributes on the DBLSPACE.INI file. For example, if drive H is your host drive, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and press ENTER:

    attrib -r -s -h h:\dblspace.ini

    NOTE: To determine which drive is your host drive, type dblspace /list at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER.
    • Using MS-DOS Editor, edit the DBLSPACE.INI file and increase the value for MaxFileFragments; 2000 is a good number to try.
    • Save the DBLSPACE.INI file and exit MS-DOS Editor.
    • Restart your computer and try to resize the drive.

Copy-Protected Software Is Installed on the Computer

If you are using copy-protected software, you may be able to work around this problem by using a third-party disk-edit program, such as Symantec's Norton Utilities or Central Point Software's PC Tools, to change the cluster's status from "bad" to unused (that is, change the status from FFF7 to 0). However, this usually leaves the third-party copy-protected software unusable. If possible, uninstall the third-party copy-protected software, resize the DoubleSpace drive, and then reinstall the copy- protected software. For more information about removing your software's copy-protection scheme, contact the vendor of the software.

MORE INFORMATION

Decreasing the size of a compressed drive causes the file allocation table (FAT) to be truncated. If a FAT entry past the truncation point is marked as anything other than "free," DoubleSpace displays the error noted above. To maintain compatibility with copy-protection schemes and programs that use clusters marked as "bad" to store data, DoubleSpace does not shrink the FAT past a "bad" cluster.

The Symantec and Central Point products included here are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.
Modification Type: Major Last Reviewed: 11/21/1999
Keywords: KB96083
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.