Msg: 565 *Conference*

09-30-91 11:14:42

From: JIM SCHEEF

To : JAMES FIELDS

Subj: REPLY TO MSG #551 (PROGRAMS)

James,
     Well, it sounds like you've really written off the DVI.  The reason I (and
Robert) asked if you had reformatted the disks is that in all likelyhood the
data (programs) still exist on your diskettes.  Often when file appear to have
been erased only the disk directory information has been destroyed.  The data
portion of the disk remains intact.  There are programs that can read a
diskette at the sector level, bypassing the directory.  The Norton Utility is
such a program for MS-DOS.  There are equivalent programs for the PDD and the
DVI.  The DVI and PDD programs are probably available here and on the M100SIG
on CompuServe.  From what you said your DVI is no longer functional and thus
the diskette question is rather moot.  As we say in the trade, "sh*t happens".
<g>
     OTOH, I still find the fact that only the DVI disks were erased to be very
suspect.  I would look for a hardware or software error in your DVI as the
culprit.
                                  Jim