Normally, disks can be restored in any order. However, split files present a special problem. The Vault is sometimes forced to split long files across two or more backup disks. When this occurs, it gives each piece a special name. For example, a long file MAILLIST.DOC might get split into three parts named MAILLIST.A01, MAILLIST.A02, and MAILLIST.A03. The original name of the file, MAILLIST.DOC, is stored at the beginning of each part along with other information.
When The Key encounters the first part of a split file, it creates the output file (if the overwrite mode permits it) and copies the first part in. It also remembers that an incomplete file exists. Subsequent parts are added on until the file is complete. For this to work, you must insert the disks in the same order that they were written. The Key does not check for the correct disk, and if you put them in in the wrong order, the part will be restored as if it were an ordinary file and not added on to the big file to which it belongs.
If you ask to quit before all of the parts of a split file have been restored, The Key will show you which files are still incomplete and ask if you really mean to stop. If you press `y', you will return to the top-level, and the incomplete files will be left in the output folder. You should usually delete them immediately so that you do not later get mixed up and think that they are good files.