Re: HFS.FST patch w/Kohn addons

[bird@MCS.COM (J. L. Walters)]

In article <Pine.A32.3.93.960609123937.21256C-100000@freenet4.afn.org>,
Donald 'X-caiver' Pattee Jr  <afn45687@afn.org> wrote:

> What is this patch? I have just about all of my harddrive formatted
> under HFS (An entire 105meg SyQuest removable is HFS and about 90%
> of my 540meg harddrive is HFS partitioned). I haven`t run into
> problems...as far as I have noticed.

Somewhere in the FST there is an algorithm that deals with how a file
is stored is wrong under certain circumstances. (When it was a hot
topic here my sense of the issue was that the problem didn't show up
until you crossed some (fairly large), boundry of files &/or folders.

>Is this something that is going to need to be installed even if i haven`t
>noticed anything yet...

I think that everyone should have it. I believe that there is a three
step process one should do (and I have not so far - sigh):

1. Run the patch on your installed FST
2. Change the name of the System original disk FST to ...OLD
3. Copy the installed FST to your 6.0.1 disks. This way, if you
   reinstall 6.0.1 you pick up the fix automatically.

Step 2 could be replaced by copying your system disks to a working
copy and making the changes there.

On GEnie, Harold Hislip had the view that prior to installing this
patch you should:

1. Copy each file to some sort of backup media. Do NOT copy the entire
   folder as a unit. File by file is what he espouses.

2. Delete all files from the HFS FST

3. Install the patch

4. Copy all files from the backup media to the HFS FST.

His view is that "perhaps" some of your files would be stored using
the wrong algorithm and so patching the HFS FST would make those files
garbage. Any disenters out there? (Jawaid/Dave)

Continuing with this patch subject, Joe Kohn asked what he should do,
write the article and get three fixes or try to get them all somehow.

I "think" the three Joe is talking about would be real nice to have,
however, I have a slight problem with fixing System problems from a
number of sources since it is difficult/impossible to coordinate them
to make sure they don't interfere with one-another and/or fix the same
thing you have already patched from another source.

I know of three souces of System 6.0.1 fixes. Are there more?

Right now there are some number greater than three available from
Softdisk-GS. (I bought one, FixRomBlaster cause it was eating my
lunch.)

Nathan Mates has several. One is a duel release from Nathan and
SoftDisk-GS.

Jawaid/Dave Lynons have one, the FST fix talked about here.

According to Joe Kohn's latest SSII, Brutal Deluxe's fixes went South
due to a hard disk crash. This might be a blessing if they were fixing
some of the problems fixed by the three above. However, it is a sad
loss if they had fixes not addressed by the three above sources.

I, for one, would like to see a complete list of what the problems
are, who fixes them, and what is the cost.




-- 
	Joe Walters:  bird@mcs.com or J.L.Walters@genie.com
	The sound of your horn is far sweeter if blown by somebody else.