.-
-
A
bIockiJ
a
tis!<
lnIT
01
nlormo',on
COI'\S:$tng
of
512
bytes
[).sk
oper-
otng
systems
allocate
dolo
10
bloco<s
on a
dsk.
Ahhough
it
ukes
a few
extra
minutes
at
the
OUlSCC,
form:l.lting a
box
of
disks in
one
sluing
saves
time in
the
long run. More important,
you won't rltld yoorsclf
ought
with a Disk full
fllCSS2ge
and
no
{orm:l.t(cd disk. (Although you can format disks from within some
programs, wiLh most you have
to
quit the program
10
formal disks.
11115
could
mean
a loss
of
data.)
A
few
nOles. First, the Duplicate a Disk utility
(described
in
the
next
section) automatically
formaLS
a disk
before
copying. SCcond,
formauing
crases all data
on
a disk.
El"3Sing
data
becomes
a
consi<k:n.tion
when
you
Mnt
10
'recycle" a disk
on
which you have
stored
d1.l.a.
Alw;ays
check the
aulag
of
any
used
disk before you
{arm,R
TIle format
command
alv.rays gives
)'00
a choice
of
not
formatting.
Cataloging
a disk
One
of
yOUf
most
common
questions
may
become,
·""'hal's
on
Ihis
disk?"
wtut
you
arc asking for
is
!he
disk's
catalog
Of
dlrecto~.
1hc
utility program that docs this
Is
Identify
and
Catalog a Disk. A
cat310g includes:
•
lhe
disk or volume
name
•
lhe
name
of
cach
mc
on
the disk
(the
flJenamcs)
•
11K:
type
of
fllc (text, binary,
BASIC,
and
so
on)
•
lbc
flle size
in
bLocks
•
Other
disk information.
V File
f)pes:
Application programs often tcll you wh2t kind
of
file
you'vc created by
adding:l
suffix to
!he
filename. For example,
a
word
processor
file might
add
the
suffix
DOC
(for
document); a s;>readsheet .WKS (for worksheet); a data base
DBF
(for
data
base
file). Some applicatiOn
programs
also
make
backup
files aUionuticaUy
and add
the suffix
.BAK
Copying
a disk
Although disks are relatively sturdy, they can
be
damaged, lost,
or
stolen,
To
protcct important information, make copies
of
your
disks. Some people
nuke
multiple copies and store
one
sct
of
disks
in
another room
or
building for
extra
protection.
WOl'khg with
dsk
utitles
57
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