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From: chas@ssc-bee.UUCP (Chas Boyd)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: A $700 typo?
Message-ID: <737@ssc-bee.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 2-Jan-87 03:46:19 EST
Article-I.D.: ssc-bee.737
Posted: Fri Jan  2 03:46:19 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 3-Jan-87 21:38:12 EST
Organization: Flight Technology, Boeing Aerospace
Lines: 32
Summary: Hard Disk Hassles


	I have made a small error which has made my hard disk useless.
   I just bought an Atari SH204 disk drive.  It is initialized by a small
   driver program in the auto folder on the boot floppy.  I also copied
   this auto folder to the C: partition of the hard disk so that I could
   quickly copy it onto several floppies to be able to bring up the HD
   from any of them.
	This was not a good idea.  Now, when I start up the system, the
   contents of the floppy auto folder are executed which starts up the 
   hard disk (checks its information sector), loads the Desk Accessories
   from the C: partition of the hard disk, and then executes the contents
   of the auto folder on the HD, which contains the driver load program.
	This program must trash the driver loaded by the floppy, because
   when GEM brings up the desk top, there are no hard disk icons present.
	Now, I have no way to access the hard disk to delete the driver
   loader from the C: auto folder.  I cannot even reformat.  The only thing
   I can think of is to send the disk back to the factory for replacement.
   This would be a real #*%! because I just bought it yesterday and am on
   very tight schedule.  One might well discuss the wisdom of a system in
   which a small error can cause a software problem that makes $700 of
   hardware useless.
	What can I do?  No one I have been able to reach in Seattle has
   been able to help.  Is there some way I can prevent the Auto folder on
   the HD from executing (by using a monitor program, or holding down some
   key during boot up like you can on a Mac)?  Can I bring up the system
   with some other hard disk, and then switch to mine to delete the loader?
   	I believe my diagnosis is correct because I know the DAs are being
   loaded from the HD, but there may be more to this.  Can anyone suggest
   a solution short of sending it off for several weeks?

				Help??
					Chas.