N-DKTR.BA (c) 1992 R.W.Hess ---------------------------- N-DKTR.BA is a 3500 byte, 100/102/200 compatible, file and sector maintenance utility for use with the 256K NODE DATAPAC(c) and the 256K NODE RAMPAC(c). (All references to the DATAPAC in this document include the RAMPAC). N-DKTR permits the user to safely, quickly, reliably, and automatically: - 'Soft format' and recover data from a 'crashed' DATAPAC - Recover 'KILLed' DATAPAC .DO file data - Recover 'BROKEN' DATAPAC .DO file data - Correct illegal and garbled DATAPAC file names - Verify DATAPAC file continuity - Confirm DATAPAC directory sector allocation - Review 'orphan' and 'unknown' DATAPAC sectors for possible recovery - Return 'orphan' and 'unknown' DATAPAC sectors to system use - Print a list of DATAPAC files, sizes and sector allocations N-DKTR provides both 'beginning' and 'seasoned' DATAPAC users with a variety of useful and important features: all performed with minimal input from the user. N-DKTR does not assume or require ANY special technical expertise, set-up process or other hardware or software. It can and should be used often: regular use will maintain maximum DATAPAC storage capacity and ensure continued file integrity. It is important to read all these instructions at least once BEFORE running N-DKTR. Understanding and correctly using the various routines is crucial to successful file maintenance and data recovery. Getting started is easy. See the section near the end of this document, "Set-Up", for downloading and program creation information. OPERATION --------- Conventions: The familiar BEEP (or two) means that some unusual condition has occurred. 'Normal' user prompts are preceded by a brief and lower pitched tone. at most prompts aborts to the Main Menu: in the "Recover Data" routines skips to the NEXT group of sectors. If a simple flashing cursor appears after a tone, then pressing any key other than will continue operations. If a question-mark precedes the tone and flashing cursor, then only "Y" or "y" will continue, otherwise N-DKTR aborts and returns to BASIC or the Main Menu. UPPER and lower case letters are interchangable at all prompts. Initial Display/Soft Format: ONLY run N-DKTR.BA by cursor selection from the main menu. One of the first automatic functions of N-DKTR is to do a 'soft format' re-set of the DATAPAC's 'format bytes'. In a 'healthy' DATAPAC this process simply duplicates current settings. In a DATAPAC whose format bytes alone have been corrupted, this ensures continued DATAPAC file access which could otherwise be lost if the NODE ROM or RAMDSK.CO were to do a 'hard' format of an 'un-formatted' DATAPAC. The screen will clear and a "D" will print in the upper-left corner followed quickly by 255 "F", "c", "?", or "+" characters. F = a File's First sector c = file continuation sectors + = an open 'Free' sector ? = an 'Unknown', unattributed sector (ideally none) This plot is a simple visual representation of the current DATAPAC Sector Allocation Table (SAT). The screen print position corresponds to the actual sector number: D = the directory sector "0" and the remaining sectors are 1-255. When all sectors have 'plotted', "N-DKTR(c) Sector Map" displays and the first 'tone' sounds. This display can be printed with the key as a useful reference document when combined with the more complete File Allocation List available later in the program. aborts to the Main Menu: any other keypress continues. ** NOTE ** If you are attempting to recover data from a 'crashed' DATAPAC with a truly scrambled directory sector, then this display will be meaningless and you'll have to recover your .DO files sector by sector. N-DKTR will PROBABLY begin the sector review with 'Orphan' files but ALL sectors should eventually display. 'Bad name' and 'BROKEN' file routines may also operate: be patient. You may have a few hours of work ahead for a packed DATAPAC but you CAN eventually recover any usable .DO file data still in the DATAPAC! "Validating file and sector allocation...": This message will display on the bottom screen line as N-DKTR examines all of the DATAPAC file-names and sector assignments for: - 'Legal' file names No initial character 'less' than semi-colon: CHR$(59) None of 5 remaining characters 'less' than space: CHR$(32) - File continuity and integrity The 'whole' file is saved in DATAPAC sectors All the continuation sectors are properly labeled As/if N-DKTR encounters illegal file-names, you will be immediately prompted to "Fix?" the names. Only "Y" will continue the program. An illegal first character will become "A" and any subsequent illegal character of the next 5 will become "B". (N-DKTR is written to expect legal names and won't continue if an 'illegal' is not fixed.) As validation proceeds, you will see the "F" and "c" characters disappear from the display as sectors are matched to files. IDEALLY all that should be left are "+", ("Free") sectors and the initial D. There MIGHT also be "?" ("Unknown") or some un-assigned ("Orphaned") "c" sectors left on the screen. N-DKTR will later help you identify these sectors and recover them if necessary. When the sector flags have stopped disappearing, the message display changes to "Validating open sectors...". This process labels un-used sectors as Orphans, Unknown or Free and confirms that all files are complete. "BROKEN" files: If any file is incomplete, or its continuation sectors are mislabeled in the SAT, then the validation process will be interrupted and you will be shown a table of "BROKEN" files. This is an IMPORTANT list and should be carefully noted for use in the "Recovering Data" function of N-DKTR. Any attempt to add to or delete from a DATAPAC with BROKEN files could result in COMPLETE and PERMANENT loss of file data on a RANDOM basis. You will be prompted to begin the "...recovery?" process. Any key other than "Y" aborts to the Main Menu. "Y" takes you to the "Recovering Data" routines (below) beginning at the FIRST sector of the _FIRST_ BROKEN file: the beginning sector review type will be "Orphan#". ALL subsequent Orphan, Unknown and Free sectors may have to be reviewed for possible data recovery. Distribution Message: If there are no BROKEN files, then a message will display showing the sector distribution and pause for a keypress. "vv Orphans vv Unknown vv Free" If N-DKTR found Orphan or Unknown sectors, the review process will automatically begin with Orphan sectors: see "Recovering Data", below. Otherwise N-DKTR will ask if you want to "Review Free sectors?". ** IMPORTANT NOTE ** "Answer "Y" to the "Review Free sectors?" prompt if only Free sectors are found but you're trying to recover data from an erroneously KILLED FILE. Your ability to recover 'KILLed' data depends almost entirely on how soon you run N-DKTR after the 'KILL', because KILLed file sectors immediately become Free sectors which will probably be overwritten by the next DATAPAC 'Save/Copy' command!! at "... Free sectors?" exits to the Main Menu, any other response than "Y" will jump to N-DKTR's final menu: see "Final Menu" below. Recovering Data: These routines let you recover .DO file data from KILLed files, BROKEN files, and unassigned sectors. The success of your recovery efforts depends on the time elapsed between the 'error' and N-DKTR use. You may arrive at these recovery sequences from one of three subroutines. - "Y" to "Review Free sectors?" - "Y" to the "BROKEN file" recovery prompt - Any keypress other than at the 'distribution' message above The nature and number of the sector being reviewed will print in the lower left corner of your screen and the 1024 bytes of sector data, starting from the beginning of each sector, begin to display. The following menu is displayed at the end of each sector or if any key is pressed during a sector display: ue - Views the sector's data again cvr - Recovers the sector data to [RCVR].DO xt - Skips to the Next unassigned sector - Skip to the next CATEGORY of sectors Orphan -> Unknown -> Free ONLY data acceptable to a .DO file will display and can be recovered into "[RCVR].DO", the target file for ALL recovered data. CHR$(0), CHR$(26) and CHR$(127) are neither displayed nor recoverable. (Recovery of KILLed .BA and .CO DATAPAC files are not possible using N-DKTR.) Files are stored in DESCENDING sector order in the DATAPAC: if a file 'started' in sector 145, the 'rest' of the file would be found, if at all, in sectors BELOW 145. Each recovered sector begins with "]nnn][" in [RCVR].DO. The numerical value "nnn" is the sector number: the "][" notation can be searched-for within [RCVR].DO when re-assembling files. N-DKTR will abort the recovery process whenever less than 1500 bytes of Free RAM remains in memory prior to a sector recovery attempt. If this occurs, save and/or print [RCVR].DO, kill [RCVR].DO and re-run N-DKTR. Final Menu: "eturn Orphans and Unknowns to system" This prompt will display ONLY if there were any Orphan or Unknown sectors found by N-DKTR. "Return..." use is optional and can be done after any N-DKTR session. You may find it helpful to first prepare the list printed by "Lprint..." below, and RE-review the contents of Orphan and Unknown sectors with N-DKTR BEFORE returning the sectors to Free status. As a general rule, the DATAPAC will only overwrite Free sectors. Each Orphan or Unknown sector represents 1024 bytes of potential additional storage capacity. Press "R" to re-set the sectors' SAT bytes to 0,0 and permit their use as Free sectors. N-DKTR automatically re-runs when this option is selected. "print File Allocation List" This will print a list of all files, sizes and the DATAPAC sectors they occupy, beginning with the file's first sector. Orphan, Unknown and/or Free sectors are also listed. Because of the way the DATAPAC stores data, this list begins with the highest used sector and continues in descending sector order. " to Main Menu" Exits to the computer Main Menu. Set-Up ------ Download N-DKTR.DOC, DL9 (this file). It is pre-formatted to a 78 character line width and should be printed and saved. Download N-DKTR.BA (DL9) as N-DKTR.DO and clean up any 'extra' download characters. Because of the nature of N-DKTR, its .DO file version MUST be check-summed BEFORE conversion to a .BA file: DO NOT attempt to use N-DKTR without check-summing the .DO file first!! Otherwise you risk a garbled DATAPAC and hours of file reconstruction!! When you have successfully check-summed N-DKTR.DO, simply enter BASIC, type LOAD:N-DKTR and press . Then SAVE the file to RAM as N-DKTR.BA. Now SAVE N-DKTR.BA to a back-up media OTHER than the DATAPAC. It should be loaded into RAM from THAT media whenever it's used. ERRORS ------ The only condition trapped and identified by N-DKTR relative to its own operation is the size of Free RAM available for the data recovery file [RCVR].DO. Other errors will simply show ERR ##, ERL ##. If re-running N-DKTR, FROM THE MAIN MENU, does not resolve the problem, drop me E-mail on CIS. There are only two, brief routines in N-DKTR which actually write to any part of the DATAPAC: the Name Corrector and Unused Sector Return. N-DKTR never writes to DATAPAC files. Acknowledgements ---------------- I'm indebted to Paul Globman for his research into the operation of the NODE DATAPAC and his generosity in permitting me to share some of his work in a public forum. Randy Hess March 24, 1992 Omaha, NE CIS 73267,552