Microsoft KB Archive/111421

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Saving File from OLE 2.0 Applications to Floppy Disk Slow

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Q111421

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Office for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.2
 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0
 * Microsoft Publisher 2.0
 * Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows, version 4.0

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SYMPTOMS
OLE-enabled applications such as Word 6.0 or Microsoft Excel 5.0 may save files slowly when you save them to a floppy disk. For example, it may take 30 seconds or more to save an average-sized file to a floppy disk.

CAUSE
All OLE-enabled applications create files in DOC-File file format. Because this file format requires many read and write operations, it takes extra time to write this file format to a floppy disk.

DOC-File is the format specified in the OLE specification for the implementation of OLE processes. In this file format, components are saved in "data streams" separate from the main application file stream (similar in concept to subdirectories of main directories in the MS-DOS file model). Other OLE-enabled applications (in addition to the creator application) can read data in the DOC-File format.

WORKAROUND
You can use the MS-DOS SMARTDrive disk-caching command (SMARTDRV.EXE) to substantially decrease the time required to save OLE files to a floppy disk. Using SMARTDrive, you can save files on a floppy disk up to five times more quickly. SMARTDrive creates a cache in your computer's extended memory for rapid processing of disk operations such as saving to a floppy disk.

Use the following syntax in your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS file to create SMARTDrive disk cache on your A and B floppy drives.

AUTOEXEC.BAT Setting (or type at the MS-DOS command prompt)
C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.EXE a+ b+ NNNN

NOTE: NNNN is the cache size, between 256 and 2048 bytes.

CONFIG.SYS Setting
For MS-DOS version 5.0 and earlier only:

Device=C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.SYS a+ b+ NNNN

NOTE: NNNN is the cache size, between 256 and 2048 bytes. For more information about SMARTDrive, refer to your MS-DOS documentation or online Help.

IMPORTANT: While you are saving a file to a floppy disk, you must not remove the floppy disk from the disk drive until the operation is completely finished (the light on the floppy disk drive turns off and stays turned off). If you remove the disk before the operation is complete, a Serious Disk Error may occur. If this happens, reinsert the floppy disk and press ENTER at the blue Serious Disk Error screen to finish writing the file.