Microsoft KB Archive/44559

Cannot Save Documents to Floppy Disk Drive B

PSS ID Number: Q44559 Article last modified on 11-02-1994

3.00 3.10 3.11 4.00 5.00 5.50 6.00

MS-DOS

= SUMMARY =

If you cannot save files to floppy disk Drive B using Word on a dual-floppy system, Word displays a brief message on the message line that will help you determine why the problem occurred.

Word version 5.00 err msg: “Enter Y to retry access to B:######.TMP”

Here are the conditions under which this error message will occur:

  The root directory of the floppy disk already contains the maximum number of files that can be created by DOS. DOS has a limitation to the number of files it can list in the root directory. When this number is reached, no other files can be copied to the disk even though there may appear to be sufficient disk space available. The 360K and 720K disks are limited to 112 files, and 1.2 MB and 1.44 MB disks are limited to 224 files.   The disk is damaged and DOS cannot transfer files onto it. Often the disk may be damaged but will not show any errors in doing a DIR listing or using the CHKDSK utility. Use DOS to copy a file onto the disk in Drive B to verify this. 

If “Error writing to device or directory” (Word 5.00), or “There was a problem writing to disk or to a device” (Word 5.50) is diplayed, check the following:

  The disk is write-protected. Check for a write-protect tab on the 5.25-inch disk in Drive B; if using 3.5-inch disks, make sure that the write-protect window is closed.   The disk is unformatted or is formatted for a higher density than the drive can read. Use the DOS CHKDSK utility to verify this. In Word 5.50, the message “There was a problem with the disk.” and the filename will appear if saving to an unreadable disk using the File Save command. If using the File Save As command, Word will respond with an updated Save As menu with no files appearing in the Files: box. 

KBCategory: kbother kberrmsg KBSubcategory: Additional reference words: ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1994.