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       STACKER NOTE                                         STACKER NOTE
                       FORMATTING FLOPPIES FROM WINDOWS
                  (Applies to Stacker 3.1 for Windows & DOS)
       STAC FAX 31203  (09/15/93)
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       BACKGROUND
       
       On some systems, Windows File Manager may not be able to format
       floppy disks after Stacker 3.1 is installed.  Formatting usually
       fails at either the 99% mark or when Windows attempts to create
       the root directory.  The failure usually indicates a conflict
       with Stacker's base drive feature which specifies the drive
       letter from which Stacker drive letters start.
       
       
       SOLUTIONS
       
       There are two ways to resolve this conflict.  Procedure I gives
       you an alternate means for formatting floppies from Windows while
       preserving Stacker's use of the base drive feature.  Procedure II
       disables Stacker's use of the base drive feature altogether.
       Read both procedures before deciding which one to use.
       
       PROCEDURE I:  RUN FORMAT FROM A WINDOWS DOS SESSION
       
       You can format floppies from the MS-DOS Prompt from within
       Windows.
       
        1. Double-click the MS-DOS Prompt icon.
        2. When the MS-DOS command prompt appears, type the appropriate
           FORMAT command.  See MS-DOS Help for FORMAT syntax.
            
       PROCEDURE II:  DISABLE THE BASE DRIVE FEATURE
       
       Disabling the base drive feature will restore your ability to
       format floppies from File Manager.  However, it will also change
       the ordering of your device-driven drive letters.
       
        1. Edit the STACKER.INI file.  Editing instructions are in the
           Stacker 3.1 supplement and in the Stacker README.TXT file.
        
        2. Locate the base drive switch:
                 
                 /BD=X
       
           where X is the base drive letter.
        
        3. If this switch is not in the STACKER.INI file, then press
           ESC to exit the editor without making modifications.
           Stacker's base drive feature is not enabled and cannot be
           the cause of the conflict.  Consult your Windows
           documentation for troubleshooting information.
           Otherwise, disable it by inserting a semicolon as the first
           character on the line:
                 
                 ;/BD=X
       
        4. Press Ctrl-Z to save the file, then restart your computer.
            You can resume formatting floppies from File Manager.
       
        5. Some of your drive letters will have changed as a result of
            disabling the base drive feature.  This usually has no
            impact on how you use your computer.  To become familiar
            with the new drive letter assignments, from the DOS prompt,
            type:
                
                stacker <Enter>
           
           If you ever want to reenable the base drive feature, repeat
           the STACKER.INI editing procedure and remove the semicolon
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       Copyright 1993, Stac Electronics                      
