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- PC-Kwik Corporation
-
- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
-
- Press Contacts:
-
- PC-Kwik Corp. JP Davis & Co.
- Bruce Schafer John P. Davis
- 503-644-5644 503-226-0624
- MCI Mail: 302-1060 MCI Mail: 609-2177
-
- Program Reveals Source of Data Corruption in DOS
-
- BEAVERTON, Oregon -- August 13, 1993 -- PC-Kwik Corporation, the
- developers of the disk cache program Super PC-Kwik(R), announced today
- availability of a test program that reveals periods of data jeopardy
- created by SMARTDrive, the cache that ships with DOS 6.0 and
- Microsoft Windows(TM).
-
- The jeopardy detection program can be run on any DOS-based system
- currently running either the SMARTDrive disk cache from Microsoft or
- other disk cache programs like Symantec's NCache and PC Tools' PC
- Cache. Jeopardy Detector monitors DOS, looking for situations where
- the File Allocation Table (FAT) and directory entries do not agree.
- Any disk cache that reorders the timing of disk writes can create
- jeopardy periods of up to several seconds. If an application program
- crashes or the computer is rebooted during this period, crosslinked
- files and data loss will likely occur if the computer continues to be
- used. This jeopardy condition can happen when many advanced disk
- caches reorder data being written to a disk. These files are often
- not recoverable.
-
- According to Bruce Schafer, president of PC-Kwik, "We have designed
- caching technology that minimizes the risk of data loss ever since we
- first implemented the concept of advanced disk writes in Super PC-Kwik
- in 1986. Our cache can actually reduce the possibility of data loss
- compared to a non-cached system because it can get data stored to a
- disk more quickly. By default our cache processes writes on a
- first-in-first-out basis. Any disk cache that reorders the writing of
- disk sectors can create significant windows of jeopardy which is very
- dangerous to the uninformed user." Mr. Schafer goes on to state, "We
- aren't sure that SMARTDrive is dangerous to all systems, but users
- need to understand first that there is a disk cache running in their
- systems using risky techniques, and second that these periods of
- jeopardy exist and must be respected. I think this is an area most
- suited to an advanced computer user."
-
- A file named JPRDY.ZIP containing the Jeopardy Detection program, two
- white papers on advanced cache writing techniques, and PC-Kwik product
- information will be available by August 16 on CompuServe from LIB 14
- of PCVENA. Users unable to download the file can order a diskette
- from PC-Kwik for a $6.50 shipping and handling fee by calling
- 503-644-5644 or by faxing a request to 503-646-8267.
-
- PC-Kwik Corporation (formerly Multisoft Corp.) is the leading
- developer of performance enhancement software products for DOS and
- Windows environments. Its retail products are known by their trade
- names: Super PC-Kwik, PC-Kwik Power Pak(R), and WinMaster(TM). All
- three products are available through their distributors, Ingram Micro
- and Merisel. PC-Kwik headquarters are located at 15100 SW Koll
- Parkway, Beaverton, OR, 97006-6026, telephone 800-759-5945 or
- 503-644-5644.
-
- # # #
-
- PC-Kwik and Power Pak are a registered trademarks of PC-Kwik
- Corporation. Microsoft is a registered trademark and Windows is a
- trademark of Microsoft Corporation.