FECO 3000 # 44

	FECO:	3000 # 44
	MODIFICATION No:	N/A
	PRODUCT:	NCR 34XX/35XX REFERENCE DISKS
	SUB-ASSEMBLY	N/A
	ESTIMATED MAN HOURS	N/A
	CLASS OF CHANGE:	INFORMATIONAL
	REASON FOR CHANGE:	WINDOWS 95 ALTERS REFERENCE DISKS TO THE POINT WHERE THEY WILL NOT PERFORM BACKUP FUNCTIONS.

1.         Introduction

            Windows95 will change the contents of any floppy inserted into a Windows95
            system including the reference disks for our 34XX/35XX systems. Windows95
            alters the information in sector 0 of the diskette to update the file system on the
            floppy to accept long names.

2.         This problem will only affect a flex disk if one inserts it into a Windows95 system
            and performs any function that will read the file allocation table (FAT) on the disk.
            This includes running a directory command from the command line or from file
            manager, or scanning the disk for a virus.

3.        if you use a system with Windows95 installed on it to create a reference disk from
           an image file, or if you read a reference disk on a system with Windows95 installed
           on it, after doing so, the reference disk will not perform backup up or restore
           functions. This includes backing up CMOS settings to the reference disk as well as
          creating a backup copy of the disk. Upon trying to perform any of the previously
          mentioned functions from the reference disk menus, the system will repeatedly
          prompt you to insert the reference disk even though the reference disk is already
          inserted into the flex disk drive.

          (tech serv ref: 25/3/2)

          (CSSB-BU96-0081-T)

4.       When Windows95 reads the fat on a diskette, one of the characters which it
          changes is the oem-id of a disk, offset 3 in the boot-sector, specifically character
          number 11 of sector 0. On our reference disks, this should be a value of 79 for a
          printed value of y. This y is what lets our systems know that the disk is a reference
          disk.

5.      Solution

5.1.   write protect any floppies before putting them into a Windows95 machine.
         (unfortunately, this is not a solution if you need to write something to the disk but
         it will protect your original disk from being damaged).

5.2.   don't use Windows95 file manager or "dir a:" on our reference disks.

5.3.   don't create, copy or scan reference disks on systems with Windows95 as the o/s.

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