It's LFNs = Long File Names. Starting with Win95, the operating system was
not restricted by the DOS 8 Dot 3 format. So if you use a DOS utility to
manipulate files, you lose the LFN, e.g. Program Files becomes Progra~1.
Many people have gotten bit <G> by this un-thinkingly, by using a DOS
program to make backups tapes, for example, because they knew if they used
the Win9x program, they would first have to load Win9x on the hard drive,
then the backup program, if other than the Win9x version, and then restore.
But when they needed the backup and restored from a DOS boot disk (or even a
Win9x startup disk to DOS), all LFNs were lost. So when Win9x, tried to run,
MS word in Program Files/Microsoft Office/WinWord/WinWord.exe, it could not
find it because now it was in Progra~1/Microso~1/WinWord/WinWord.exe.

Therefor, running xcopy (the 16 bit program) from any DOS, e.g. 6.0 or Win9x
7.0 (not as a window in Win9x), looses the LFNs. However, running xcopy from
inside of Win9x, as a DOS window, uses xcopy32 automatically whether you
type the "32" part or not and therefor, saves the LFNs and runs at least 10
times faster since it is a 32 bit program and uses the 32 bit hard drive
drivers. If you do not believe this, i.e. the automatic running part, from
DOS type in xcopy /? and see what switches are available and then in a DOS
window type xcopy /? and notice that the switches have changed and are the
same as if you typed xcopy32 /?.

Why use programs to clone? A couple of reasons. First, the person does not
know DOS programming (since Win9x has been out for several years now, there
are many newer users that when you say DOS, you might as well say send a
message via telegraph <G>) or will not take the time or frustration to type
in the command with all the switches correctly. As I said I have created a
batch file because, even I who grew up on DOS, would get a switch incorrect
occasionally (okay, more than occasionally, God, DOS~can~be frustrating <G>)
and DOS is not very forgiving with syntax errors. Secondly it has to be run
from Win9x as stayed before. I believe when I investigated the utilities
myself, I think (don't quote me on this one) that at least Ghost can be used
from DOS boot up and will still maintain LFNs somehow. Not sure about the
speed aspects though. Some old DOS programs actually ran in a 32 bit mode
using a shell type program, e.g. AutoCAD, but these were very high end
expensive programs, e.g. AutoCAD = $5000. They would sort of create their
own operating system to run from that some how "ran around" the DOS O/S.
(Very basic, layman explanation.)

Daniel Wysocki
Twin*.*Star Computers
770-498-2582 /800-816-0663
[log in to unmask]
Fast - Reliable - Wallet Friendly


-----Original Message-----
From: Chuck Finnigan <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Saturday, December 19, 1998 9:09 PM
Subject: LNF's??


>Daniel,
>    What is an 'LNF?'
>
>you said:
>
>...windows will actually run xcopy32 so as to keep LFNs and use 32 bit
>process.
>
>thanks,
>
>chuck finnigan
>
>and while I'm on the topic, if xcopy works for cloning hard drives, why are
>utilities such as Drive Copy and Ghost necessary?
>
>
>
>

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