FILES AND HARD DISKS: PHYSICAL ORGANISATION This module is concerned with file and disk management under

MSDOS.

Physical Organisation of a Disk, Tracks and Sectors When a disk is formatted, information is written to the disk so that MSDOS can store and retrieve files from it. The disk surface is divided into a series of concentric circles, called tracks. Each track is subdivided into a series of sectors, and each sector can hold a set number of characters (256 or 512 bytes). The smallest unit that MSDOS reads or writes from a disk unit is a sector. To keep track of which sectors hold information, MSDOS uses a File Allocation Table (FAT). In this table MSDOS has an entry for each sector on the disk numbered from 0 upwards. When MSDOS writes a file, it checks the FAT for free sectors, then writes the file to the free sectors. After writing the file, MSDOS updates the FAT entries and marks those sectors as allocated. The FAT table is very important. If damaged, MSDOS cannot determine which sectors are allocated or free, and where files are stored. MSDOS keeps a secondary copy of the FAT in case the primary one becomes damaged. MSDOS provides a program which mirrors the FAT (copies it to the end of the disk). Using another utility allows this saved FAT copy to replace the current one.

Assigning Volume Labels to Disks A volume label is a name MSDOS uses to identify disks. A label may be assigned when a disk is formatted (by using the /v option with the format command) or by using the MSDOS command label. When a directory listing is given on a disk, MSDOS preceeds this with a header listing the drive letter and volume name.
dir a: Volume in drive A is WORK Directory of A:\ BC.ZIP 276533 02-19-93 1:36p 1 file(s) 276553 bytes 738176 bytes free

The label command assigns a volume label to a diskette or hard disk drive. The label contains up to 11 characters.

To assign a label to a disk, follow the label command with the drive and name of the label. The following command assigns the volume name work to the diskette currently in drive A.
label a: joes files

To delete a volume label, use the command without a name, and when prompted for a label name, press ENTER. In response to the message asking for confirmation of deleting the volume label, answer yes.
label a: Volume in drive A: is JOES FILES Volume label (11 characters, ENTER for none)? Delete current volume label (Y/N)?Y

To view the volume name and serial number of a disk, use the dir or vol command.
vol a: Volume in drive A has no label