Aduke.1479 net.unix-wizards utzoo!decvax!duke!bcw Wed Dec 9 17:55:40 1981 RK05 size and DEC systems Correction to Dennis Rockwell's comment that DEC software uses the last 72 of the 4872 blocks on an RK05 for bad block replacements: DEC software does bad block replacement by creating files which "use" the bad blocks, not by pointers to "spare" blocks at the end of the disk. That was the original purpose behind the extra 72 blocks, but as usual the hardware people weren't talking to the software people. In fact, the extra 72 blocks aren't really useable as spares because there is no hardware assist in the drive (as there is on certain fixed-head drives) so that the software still has to intervene and might as well use the DEC software people's scheme. Why the extra 72 blocks aren't actually used is probably just pure stupidity. Bruce C. Wright @ Duke University ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.