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Display File Systems; version 5.10 14-01-2003 (c) 1994-2003; Jan van Wijk
----------------------------[ www.dfsee.com ]-------------------------------
C O N T E N T S:
================
Overview = a list of all documents
Introduction = what is DFSee ?
Operating mode = small description how to handel dfsee commands
User Interface = user bedienung
Availability = where can I get more information
Licence = how to register dfsee
Limitations = known limitations or bugs of dfsee
Improvements = considered improvements
O V E R V I E W:
================
DFSee is a rather complex program with dozens of commands that could
be used. You will need some time and effort to master that complexity.
All commands and some generic topics are covered in DFSxxxx.txt files:
- DFSEE.TXT = This document, overview, introduction
- DFSINST.TXT = short installation description
- DFSPROMO.TXT = A short promotional text on DFSee and its concepts
- DFSHOWTO.TXT = An ever growing collection of recovery scenario's and
other usefull DFSee usage examples
- DFSTERMS.TXT = A terminology reference about DFSee and partitioning
- DFSCMDS.TXT = The main command-reference with all generic commands
- DFSFDISK.TXT = The FDISK (partitioning) command reference
- DFSHPFS.TXT = Command reference specific to the HPFS filesystem
- DFSNTFS.TXT = Command reference specific to the NTFS filesystem
- DFSFAT.TXT = Command reference specific to the FAT filesystems
- DFSJFS.TXT = Command reference specific to the JFS filesystem
- DFSCRIPT.TXT = Reference for using command-scripts with DFSee
- DFSHIST.TXT = History of changes for DFSee, known bugs and wish-list
- DFSYNTAX.TXT = Syntax rules for DFSee command, parameters and options
- DFSUNFD.TXT = Description and examples of the DFSUNFD procedure
I N T R O D U C T I O N:
========================
What is DFSee ?
Display File Systems (DFSee) is a generic partition and filesystem
browser/analyser. DFSee supports partition-tables (FDISK, LVM), (V)FAT,
FAT-32, HPFS-structures, some NTFS and JFS stuff and it might support
different file-systems like EXT2 in the future.
DFSee, starting with version 4.00 is NOT freeware anymore, requiring
registration and payment for actual use and support.
Several licence models are available, starting with a cheap single-user
individual registration for just 30 euro for the current 5.xx version.
DFSee can be used in one of several ways:
- As a replacement for the classic FDISK program
DFSee is a complete replacement for the partitioning tools as
found with DOS, OS/2, Win9x, Windows-NT and Windows-2000
At the moment (version 5.00) it is a nearly full-replacement for the
LVM utility used with eComStation, and Warp Server for e-Business.
The only thing not covered is creation of LVM-specific volumes (JFS).
Apart from the standard create/delete type of functions there are
a lot of special commands to display information and fix all kinds
of problems related to partition-tables and LVM information.
An often used function here is the DFSUNFD script that automates
the collection of needed information to 'UNDO' an accidental FDISK
operation or other partitioning related disaster.
Another important feature is the ability to save and restore ALL
partitioning information in a regular file that you can keep as a
backup on a diskette so recovery operations will be MUCH easier
(see PSAVE and PRESTORE commands).
Finally, this FDISK capability is being used by large organisations
for automatic (and unattended) roll-out scenarios.
- As a tool to 'UNDELETE' files that have been accidentaly deleted,
or to recover/copy files from damaged or unaccessible filesystems
This feature is implemented for HPFS and NTFS only, but on those
filesystems it is a very powerfull tool. It works by finding all
wanted files (DELFIND or FILEFIND), and then letting the user make
a selection based on a wild-card filespecification and an outlook
percentage for recoverability (DELSHOW or list +f).
The actual recover operation will copy the matching files to a
specified directory, if possible on another disk (RECOVER).
- As an analysis and recovery tool for most used filesystems.
This includes boot-sectors, superblocks and low-level directory
structures. For most supported filesystems some specific commands
are available that fix common problems with that filesystem.
To support a large number of possible filesystems, DFSee uses
specific modes of operation. Every mode has its own set of
of dedicated commands and recognized data formats (sector types).
Generic commands (and sector types) are available in all modes.
On selecting a data-source (disk, partition, volume) DFSee will
try to recognize the involved filesystem and activate support
for it automatically.
The most important modes are:
- FDISK for partitioning work, default active at startup
- HPFS native filesystem on OS/2, eComStation, WsEB ...
- FAT classic PC filesystems including FAT32 and VFAT
- NTFS native filesystem on Windows-NT or Windows-2000
- JFS journaled filesystem on OS/2, eCS or WsEB
- AUX Auxilary mode for unrecognized data
- As a simple but powerfull binary (or HEX) display and edit tool.
DFSee can access data on hard-disks, operating-system volumes like
diskettes or CDROM and (image) files.
U S E R I N T E R F A C E:
============================
The user-interface has a command entry-field with history buffer so
previous commands can be recalled, and a large scroll-buffer for output.
Output can also be copied to a file for later analysis.
A more primitive 'classic' user-interface can be used as well, by
starting the program with a switch '-w-' (see DFSCMDS for details)
DFSee commands are single words or (hexadecimal) numbers.
Most commands have one or more parameters of which some are optional.
DFSee keeps track of the current- and some other useful SN's so they
can be referenced faster, without having to type them in. They are:
Name Cmd Description
---- --- -----------
up 'u' up in hierarchy
down 'd' down in hierarchy
down <Enter> down in hierarchy
this 't' this (current)
xtra 'x' Extra, alternative
You can display and analyse either a physical disk, a partition, a volume
or an imagefile. A physical disk can be opened using the 'disk' command.
A disk-partition or volume can be opened first with the 'part' or 'vol'
commands respectively. The next prompt display will show some status info.
After opening an HPFS partition, using 'Enter' a few times will take you
to the superblock, root-directory, possible sub-directories upto some file.
Multiple commands can be chained if separated with a special character,
the default is '#' but this can be changed with the '-s:xxx' switch.
An overview of the available commands is given in DFSCMDS.TXT, it can also
be referenced from within the program using the 'help' command.
HINT: When using DFSee to create a logfile, DO NOT USE ">" REDIRECTION, use
the DFSee "log filename" command or the "-f" program switch instead.
This will prevent littering the logfile with ANSI control-codes.
When browsing an LVM (WsEB, MCP or eComstation) system, set the
screen-width to over 100 characters when possible. This will allow
complete display of the volume + partition-names in the 'part' table
O P E R A T I N G M O D E:
============================
An important concept is the "operating mode", when you startup
DFSee normally, it will be in "FDISK" mode and know about
fdisk-related stuff and has fdisk-related commands.
The mode is always displayd at the status-line near the bottom
of the screen, together with other relevant details about which disk
or partition you are currently working on.
You can get a brief list of the available commands in that mode
by using the "?" command (a single question-mark).
There are also a lot of commands that are independant of the mode
and could be called "generic". You can get a brief list of those
by using the "??" command (TWO question marks).
More help can be found in the .txt files, with most of the "generic"
commands in DFSCMDS.TXT. The commands are in alphabetic
order there, but to find things you could use a "search" function
from the text-editor or viewing program you use ...
The commands specific to a mode are in DFSmode.TXT, so for the FDISK
mode they are in DFSFDISK.TXT and for HPFS they are in DFSHPFS.TXT.
Some hints and tips are in DFSHOWTO.TXT ...
The mode is set automatically when you start DFSee, and when you select
some object like a disk or a partition to work with. Selecting something to
work on is done with the DISK, PART, VOL or IM command.
If automatic selection of the mode fails (because the object is damaged), you
can force a specific/desired mode by using the FS command, as in:
FS HPFS
Which will force the HPFS mode to become active.
A V A I L A B I L I T Y:
========================
1) Home: http://www.dfsee.com
2) Download: http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee.htm#download
3) Registration: http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee.htm#register
L I C E N C E:
==============
This version of the program is SHAREWARE, it is NOT FREE!
However, evaluation of the program is allowed for a limited time,
any real use or getting support requires a registration, one off:
- Standard reg: For use by ONE person on their own personal
computer(s). (no commercial use)
- Professional reg: For use by ONE person on your own and your
customers systems. (commercial use allowed)
For details on the license agreements see:
http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee.htm#register
Without registration almost all functions are fully operational.
You WILL get some registration reminders and the trial time is
limited to a few months from release-date.
Further development depends on my own needs and feedback I receive from
users, and the amount of registrations getting in over time ...
Suggestions and other comments regarding DFSee and filesystems are welcome.
If you have a disk-related problem, feel free to contact me, I cannot
guarantee prompt or continuous attention but I will do the best I can ...
You can reach me through the Internet: support@dfsee.com
NOTE: Version 3.42 is the last 3.xx version and is FREEWARE
Development of the 3.xx version is stopped so new functionality and
a better user-interface will only be in the SHAREWARE version.
Version 4.28 is the last 4.xx version, it will be supported until
the end of 2002 (usage support only, in case of bugs, upgrade :-)
Version 5.00 with a new 32-bit DOS-extended version has been released
early august 2002 ...
L I M I T A T I O N S A N D B U G S:
========================================
- The 5.xx versions of DFSDOS.EXE can cause spurious hang-situations
on some systems. Often a hard-reset or power-down is required ...
Sometimes using a different version, or the trace-version DFSDOST.EXE
from DFSTRDOS.ZIP (see website) will help.
Also, use of memory managers like EMM386 has a negative impact on this!
This is very likely a memory-management or DOS-EXTENDER issue and
is under investigation.
- VOL command on large HPFS partitions (> 2GB) can cause traps, this is
not 100% reproducable on different systems and can sometimes be avoided
by opening a logfile (don't ask me why yet :-). Under investigation.
- VOL command in some DOS versions is not reliable for writing harddisks.
Diskette writing seems OK.
- TRUNCATE/RESIZE command on NTFS works from version 4.12 but is not very
usefull yet because NTFS system partitions tend to scatter data all over
the volume. Future versions of DFSee might offer an optimizer for that.
Resize of an NTFS boot-partition will NOT work because the required
CHKDSK by Windows will fail. This can only be done if you have a second
bootable Windows-NT/W2K/XP partition available,
- The SETLET, NTMAP and other drive-letter related FDISK commands for Win-NT
do NOT work correctly or reliably on Windows-2000 and Windows-XP.
DO NOT USE 'SETLET' on them, it might give unpredictable results!
- Allocation integrity checks do not check the allocation for EA's
- Accessing (large ?) partition using the 'vol' command in the DFSDOS version
seems to be unreliable. Wrong data is sometimes returned.
On a diskette (vol a:) everything seems to be OK, so I recommend using
only the 'part x' command for accessing hard-disk partitions and use
the 'vol' command only for floppies. (DFSDOS restriction only)
C O N S I D E R E D I M P R O V E M E N T S:
==============================================
User interface with menu's and GUI-like selection windows guiding the
less experienced user through the huge complexity of DFSee ...
Rewrite of this documentation in a description, command-reference and
technical info on filesystems (possibly in HTML)
More automatic detection of inconsistencies (like CHKDSK, CHKPART)
This will show HPFS problems like CHKDSK does, but in more detail and
maybe some more types of inconsistencies.
Real coverage of other filesystems besides HPFS like FAT, EXT2, NTFS ...
VFAT date/time info and long filenames added in ver 2.56
FAT32 functionality added/fixed in ver 2.65
NTFS functionality expanded in version ver 2.80
JFS bootsector and superblock recognition/display in ver 3.39
Generic edit and write capability,
This will allow recovery operations without using other (third-party)
utilities. The user interface needs to support screen-editing for this.
Note: Basic edit and write capability added in version 2.50
Additional position/data dialog added in version 4.17
Recovery for a 'quick format' on HPFS (unformat)
LINUX version, port being investigated, low priority.
Some FORMAT capabilities, creating FAT or HPFS partitions, this will allow
better unattended, batch-like installation procedures from DOS diskettes.
More complete Logical Volume Manager support (LVM) and support for the
Journaled File System (JFS) for OS/2 Warpserver for e-business (Aurora)
and the IBM convenience-pack or eComStation client OS/2 version
- Much (display) LVM support added in the 3.35 to 3.39 versions
- Additional LVMSET commands added in version 4.15 to change LVM values
- Transparent support for multiple partition LVM volumes is planned.
Multiple UNDO and REDO, and only write to the disks at quiting the program.
O N L I N E H E L P:
======================
As a command-line program, DFSee has limited online help, usefull
to check the syntax and parameters. The following is available:
'help' command : This will display a short introduction and a few
important selection commands.
'??' command : List all generic commands, available in every mode
'?' command : List all commands specific to the current mode
'???' command : List sector-types recognized in the current mode
<F2> key : List introduction and generic commands (help + ?)
<F1> key : Popup window with some help about the userinterface
DFSxxx -? : List available switches for the DFSee executable
from the operating-system commandline.
The switches set some preferences and options like
windowing, using a logfile and batch-mode.
(.EXE can be DFSOS2.EXE, DFSDOS.EXE or DFSWIN.EXE)
Most commands that require parameters will also display a short usage
and help when called without any parameters, or sometimes when called
with the parameter '-?'
Finally, whenever a (confirmation) dialogwindow is presented to ask a
question or get other input, you can use the <F1> functionkey to get
additional help on that specific dialog or question.
----------------------------[ www.dfsee.com ]-------------------------------