Re: Notice: MicroDrive Software Update

["Bill Heckel" <wheckel@verizon.net>]

Is there a new website for the software update ?   The link below does not 
work.

William


"Henry" <apl2research(.a.t.)comcast.net> wrote in message 
56adncplTbvys6LYnZ2dnUVZ_oqdnZ2d@comcast.com">news:56adncplTbvys6LYnZ2dnUVZ_oqdnZ2d@comcast.com...
> Notice to all MicroDrive series owners:
>
> A new version of the MicroDrive setup utility has been released.  It's 
> available as just the updated files or as disk images in ShrinkIt format 
> here: http://reactivecomputers.gotdns.com/MicroDrive/
>
> Background:
> The update corrects an issue that has allowed Windows to potentially 
> corrupt CF cards without the users knowledge.  All users of the MicroDrive 
> series of Controllers are urged to download the new software and run the 
> Setup utility again.  All that's needed is to select 'W' twice to rewrite 
> the corrected partition information to your CF card.  Once written, reboot 
> and you're done!
>
>
> The Issue:
> It seems that for some time now users of the MicroDrive series Controllers 
> have been having an issue when inserting their CF cards in Windows based 
> computers.  Most users have reported that when they insert their CF card 
> in to their PC based CF Card Reader Windows will automatically open a 
> window displaying what appears to be corrupted data.  Even if this window 
> didn't appear, Windows would tend to think that the CF card might contain 
> data related to the PC and allow users to access it directly without any 
> warnings.  Of course ProDOS is not directly accessible through Windows, 
> hence CiderPress, and trying to write anything directly to the card would 
> ultimately render the CF card corrupted and unusable on your Apple.
>
> Most Windows XP systems are set by default with 'Auto Insert' enabled. 
> Auto Insert is the feature that when a user inserts a piece of media (CD, 
> Floppy, CF Card, etc.) it will automatically open a window, prompt you for 
> an action of what to do or start a program.  Windows likes to keep track 
> of things, sometimes too well.  If a user inserted their CF card and a 
> window opened, Windows would sometimes write a 'tracking' file 
> (DESKTOP.INI) back to the CF card when the window was closed or the user 
> used the Windows USB utility 'Safely Remove Hardware'.  Unlike what most 
> people think, this is not Bill Gates's last attempt to destroy ProDOS once 
> and for all but a way to help Windows identify and track what the media 
> has been used for.  It also holds settings like how you prefer to have the 
> media's contents displayed.  As mentioned above, any attempt to write data 
> to the card without using CiderPress will ultimately render the CF card 
> corrupted and unusable on your Apple.
>
> Some users have also been using the Windows USB utility 'Safely Remove 
> Hardware'.  This is probably the worst thing a user can do as Windows will 
> almost undoubtedly try and write to the CF card when used.  We recommend 
> NEVER using this utility when using ProDOS formatted CF media on your PC.
>
> The reason Windows thinks it's dealing with media that might be PC related 
> is due to the fact that the MicroDrive Setup utility wasn't totally 
> erasing Block 0 where some of the DOS format resides, the last 255 bytes 
> of Block 0 to be exact.  Windows would then 'see' this last little piece 
> of DOS format and think the CF card might contain PC related data and in 
> doing so start to treat the CF card as a PC storage device.
>
>
> The Resolution:
> The updated MicroDrive Setup utility will now zero the final 255 bytes of 
> Block 0 on the CF card.  This will prevent Windows from mistaking the 
> ProDOS formatted CF card as being DOS formatted.  You can verify this by 
> looking in CiderPress or Windows.  As a Logical Drive CiderPress will show 
> the card as 'Removable - Format Not Recognized'.  ***We always recommend 
> using Physical Device rather then Logical when using CiderPress.***  If 
> you try and open the CF card in Windows it will now report 'Card Not 
> Formatted.  Format?'. Although it's still possible to destroy your CF card 
> with Windows, it's now at least much harder to inadvertently do so.
>
>
> Mr. Lange, Mr. Garber and myself would like to personally thank Mr. Fadden 
> of FaddenSoft.com for helping us find and identify this issue.  Any 
> corrections or comments to this notice are always welcome.  If anyone is 
> having issues downloading the updates please feel free to contact me 
> directly.
>
>
> -- 
> Henry S. Courbis
> www.GSE-Reactive.com
> Apple II Series Legacy Hardware - Come take a look at what we have to 
> offer!
>