CDROM Filename Character Translation Problem

[Guest]

The \I386 folder on the Windows XP install CD contains 11 files which have
the tilde (~) or hyphen (-) characters in the first 8 filename characters. If
XP needs to copy any of these 11 files from the CDROM to the C: drive during
the normal WINNT.EXE build process, then for each of these files it tries to
copy, an error message is reported saying it cannot copy the file. This
results in an unreliable build if the build is allowed to continue after
receiving the error message(s).
My analysis has shown that the problem is due to the requested files not
being found on the CDROM, because the ~ and - characters in the true
filenames on the CDROM are translated by the boot diskette operating system
and drivers, and the installing application as underscore (_) characters, and
so the required file is not found. For example, if the install app. requests
UTOPIA~1.WAV, the install app. is advised that the file cannot be found in
the expected CDROM folder, and so it generates the error message. (If,
instead, it had requested the filename UTOPIA_1.WAV, it WOULD have been
located and copied). This occurs under the following boot diskette
environments: Win95, Win98 and WinME, using the official Microsoft build
disks with the CDROM drivers installed, for CDROM-located files.
Try this simple test. Boot from a Windows 95, 98, or ME floppy build disk
with the CDROM drivers installed. Then insert your XP CDROM, change to the
\I386 folder, and do a dir on the filename UTOPIA*.*, and you will see four
files listed, being UTOPIA_1.WA_ to UTOPIA_4.WA_. Now start Windows XP
normally, and locate these files in the \I386 folder on the CDROM. The same
files will be shown as UTOPIA~1.WA_ to UTOPIA~4.WA_, the true stored names.
This erroneous character translation occurs for files located on a CDROM,
when booted under the environments mentioned above.
For files located on a hard drive, the character translation does not occur.
Try this. In Windows XP, copy the above four files from the XP CDROM to a
folder on a FAT32 hard drive, reboot the Win boot diskette environment, then
DIR those files on the hard drive. The filenames on the hard drive will be
shown correctly with the tilde (~) characters, while at the same time, those
same files in \I386 on the CDROM will be shown with underscores instead of
tildes.
By the way, this is not restricted to the XP CDROM. Any CDROM will show the
character translation problem if it contains a file with ~ or - in the
filename. The problem is not machine based. I have only used Oak CDROM
drivers to this point of time. However, the official Microsoft Startup Disks
for Win95, Win98 and WinME all exhibit this character translation problem
with CDROM files. There is a character translation problem between the CDROM
and the booted operating environments, as confirmed here.
Has anyone else observed this problem, is there a formal recognition of the
problem by Microsoft, and is there a formal solution to it (not a workaround,
which is obvious) from Microsoft or others? Any help appreciated.

 

[Plato]

Yellow Pages | Computer | Sales And Service.

The \I386 folder on the Windows XP install CD contains 11 files which have
the tilde (~) or hyphen (-) characters in the first 8 filename characters. If
XP needs to copy any of these 11 files from the CDROM to the C: drive during
the normal WINNT.EXE build process, then for each of these files it tries to
copy, an error message is reported saying it cannot copy the file. This
results in an unreliable build if the build is allowed to continue after
receiving the error message(s).
My analysis has shown that the problem is due to the requested files not
being found on the CDROM, because the ~ and - characters in the true
filenames on the CDROM are translated by the boot diskette operating system
and drivers, and the installing application as underscore (_) characters, and
so the required file is not found. For example, if the install app. requests
UTOPIA~1.WAV, the install app. is advised that the file cannot be found in
the expected CDROM folder, and so it generates the error message. (If,
instead, it had requested the filename UTOPIA_1.WAV, it WOULD have been
located and copied). This occurs under the following boot diskette
environments: Win95, Win98 and WinME, using the official Microsoft build
disks with the CDROM drivers installed, for CDROM-located files.
Try this simple test. Boot from a Windows 95, 98, or ME floppy build disk
with the CDROM drivers installed. Then insert your XP CDROM, change to the
\I386 folder, and do a dir on the filename UTOPIA*.*, and you will see four
files listed, being UTOPIA_1.WA_ to UTOPIA_4.WA_. Now start Windows XP
normally, and locate these files in the \I386 folder on the CDROM. The same
files will be shown as UTOPIA~1.WA_ to UTOPIA~4.WA_, the true stored names.
This erroneous character translation occurs for files located on a CDROM,
when booted under the environments mentioned above.
For files located on a hard drive, the character translation does not occur.
Try this. In Windows XP, copy the above four files from the XP CDROM to a
folder on a FAT32 hard drive, reboot the Win boot diskette environment, then
DIR those files on the hard drive. The filenames on the hard drive will be
shown correctly with the tilde (~) characters, while at the same time, those
same files in \I386 on the CDROM will be shown with underscores instead of
tildes.
By the way, this is not restricted to the XP CDROM. Any CDROM will show the
character translation problem if it contains a file with ~ or - in the
filename. The problem is not machine based. I have only used Oak CDROM
drivers to this point of time. However, the official Microsoft Startup Disks
for Win95, Win98 and WinME all exhibit this character translation problem
with CDROM files. There is a character translation problem between the CDROM
and the booted operating environments, as confirmed here.
Has anyone else observed this problem, is there a formal recognition of the
problem by Microsoft, and is there a formal solution to it (not a workaround,
which is obvious) from Microsoft or others? Any help appreciated.

 

[Guest]

Plato, your response wasn't helpful. The problem is not a servicing issue.

It has appeared on numerous machines (dozens) with numerous people. I first
became aware of it when I first attempted to install XP from the (then) newly
released CDROM some years back. However, it must have been present before
that time. It just took the XP CDROM with these 11 files to show up the
problem.

However, if an XP install under WINNT.EXE does not require any of the 11
files in the \I386 folder with the ~ and - characters in their filenames to
be copied over to the machine's boot drive, the problem will not appear (no
copy errors will be reported during the build). I have also experienced this.
However, it will and does appear on any data CDROM which has ~ and -
characters in filenames, when booted with a Winxx boot diskette. The problem
has become significant with XP, that's all.

Run this very simple test. Boot XP normally, and copy the four UTOPIA*.*
files from the XP CDROM \I386 folder to say the root directory of a hard
drive. Then reboot from a Winxx boot diskette, and view (DIR) the four
UTOPIA*.* files copied to the hard drive. The four filenames will be shown
correctly, such as UTOPIA~1.WA_. Then while still running under the boot
diskette, DIR those same four filenames in the \I386 folder on the XP CDROM,
and they will be listed in the form UTOPIA_1.WA_. The ~ has been replaced by
the _. If you DIR the CDROM on UTOPIA~1.WA_, no file will be found, but if
you DIR for UTOPIA_1.WA_, one file will be shown.

To repeat, this occurs for any files on CDROMs with ~ and - characters in
their filenames when booted under the Winxx boot diskettes. And all the files
discussed here use 8.3 filenames and short path lengths/depths.

Hopefully Microsoft will provide input to this issue.

 

[Plato]

Plato, your response wasn't helpful. The problem is not a servicing issue.

Then have your people contact my people and request a refund.