Notice: MicroDrive Software Update

["Henry" <apl2research(.a.t.)comcast.net>]

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!