Cannot Read Last Image from Photo-CD (109695)


The information in this article applies to:
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.21
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22
    • Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11
This article was previously published under Q109695

SYMPTOMS

You may be unable to read the last image from a Photo-CD under MS-DOS version 6.2 and 6.21 using Kodak Access, Tempra Access, or other third- party Photo-CD software.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you are using SMARTDrive version 5.0 (included with MS-DOS 6.2 and Windows for Workgroups 3.11) to cache the Photo-CD.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, either disable disk caching on the CD-ROM drive, or add the /E:2048 parameter to the SMARTDRV.EXE command (typically in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file). For example: 
   smartdrv /e:2048

MORE INFORMATION

SMARTDrive attempts to read more data than is initially requested. This is called "read ahead" caching. When SMARTDrive reads past the end of a Photo- CD it fails to read the last photo. This problem occurs because a Photo-CD does not contain data after the last photo, even though the CD disk size indicates additional sectors exist.

The /E parameter specifies in bytes the amount of the cache that SMARTDrive moves at a time. Reducing the element size to 2048 (from the default of 8192) prevents SMARTDrive from attempting to read past the end of the Photo- CD.

For more information on configuring SMARTDrive, type help smartdrv at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER.

MS-DOS version 6.22 ships with SMARTDrive version 5.01. SMARTDrive version 5.01 fixes problems with Kodak Photo-CDs. For more information about SMARTDrive, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

127021 SMARTDrive Version History

Modification Type: Major Last Reviewed: 11/23/1999
Keywords: KB109695
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