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      STACKER NOTE                                         STACKER NOTE
                                      
      STAC FAX  4524 (08-22-1994)
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                        LOST SECTOR GROUPS & STACKER
                          (Applies to Stacker 4.0)
                                      
                                      
      BACKGROUND
      
      The Stacker CHECK utility sometimes may report lost sector groups.
      This sounds ominous, but it's harmless and does not mean that any
      data has been lost or corrupted.
      
      A lost sector group comes into existence on a Stacker drive when data
      has been written to a cluster but the cluster hasn't been allocated
      to a file. The sectors belonging to the cluster can't be reused
      because the cluster could be allocated to a file at any time. The
      lost sector group automatically goes away as soon as the operating
      system does allocate the cluster to a file. A lost sector group that
      persists long enough to be reported by Check is usually the result of
      a file being extended and then truncated without the operating system
      updating the FAT in between.
      
      SOLUTION
      
      It isn't necessary to correct the lost sector group condition. As
      noted above, it will be corrected automatically. However, if you
      wish to eliminate the error message, you may do one of the
      following:
      
       1.  Run CHECK /F from the DOS prompt. If CHECK offers to repair
           the drive, answer "yes". If CHECK offers to delete damaged
           files, answer "no". Stacker will automatically erase the
           lost sector groups as they are assigned to files.
       2.  Alternatively, you may run the Stacker Optimizer. Any
           optimization method (Quick, Full, Full MaxSpace) will
           correct the condition. Start the Optimizer from the Stacker
           Toolbox in either Windows or DOS.
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      Copyright 1994 Stac Electronics
