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                            DOUBLESPACE
        
        DOS 6 comes with a data compression program called
        DoubleSpace.  It may almost double the size of your hard drive by
        compressing files.  Compression programs use a kind of shorthand
        so that repeated data is stored in less space.  Actually, a
        DoubleSpaced compressed drive is a single file on an
        uncompressed drive.  Such files are called Compressed Volume
        Files (CVF).  DoubleSpace is invisible to your programs.  You
        can use DoubleSpace on both hard disks and floppy disks. 
        HOWEVER, DON'T USE IT WITHOUT READING THE CAUTIONS BELOW.
        
        
                       DOUBLESPACE CAUTIONS:
        
        1.  A DoubleSpaced hard drive is more likely to give trouble
            than an uncompressed drive.  If you have plenty of room on
            your hard drive, don't install DoubleSpace.  You will be
            much better served with a large hard drive that is not
            compressed.  To date, there have been many reports of
            problems with DoubleSpace.  If you need more room, my
            advice is to buy another or a larger hard drive.  
          
        2.  If you plan to use DoubleSpace, you should read the
            README.TXT file in the C:\DOS directory. 
        
        3.  You should not use DoubleSpace if your drive is already
            compressed with another compression program.  You could
            lose all your files! 
        
        4.  If you run DoubleSpace, you will not be able to uninstall
            DOS.
        
        5.  You cannot uncompress a drive that has been DoubleSpaced. 
            Microsoft did not provide an uncompress command.
        
        6.  DoubleSpace can compress a drive to a maximum of 512
            megabytes.
        
        7.  When you run DoubleSpace, DOS creates an extra drive. 
            If you compressed drive C, you would then have a small
            uncompressed drive (perhaps drive H, it depends on your
            hardware).  Be careful not to move or delete any of the
            files in this new uncompressed drive, or it could result in
            the data loss of your entire C drive.  The files on this
            uncompressed drive are: IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS,
            DBLSPACE.BIN, DBLSPACE.INI, and DBLSPACE.000.  These
            files are Hidden and have a Read-Only attribute.  To
            determine where DOS placed this uncompressed drive,
            type DBLSPACE/INFO <ENTER> after you install DoubleSpace.
            If you want to see these hidden files, you can use the
            DIR/A command. Remember, don't fool with these files!
        
        8.  Before you use DoubleSpace to compress a drive, it is a
            good idea to back up your drive.  NOT DOING SO COULD
            RESULT IN A PERMANENT LOSS OF ALL YOUR DATA.
         
        9.  If you plan to install Windows, you should do it before you
            run DoubleSpace.  Windows has a swap file that should be
            stored on an uncompressed drive.  If you install Windows
            first, DOS will automatically take care of this for you.
        
        10. Disable any screen blankers before you run DoubleSpace. 
        
        11. DoubleSpace cannot be run from Windows.  DoubleSpace
            should be run only at the DOS prompt.
        
        12. Use the CHKDSK command to keep an eye on any DoubleSpaced
            drive.  This command will often inform you when (or if)
            there is trouble.
      

   This section is finished.  It is an excerpt from LEARNING DOS FOR
   THE COMPLETE NOVICE, by Steven Woas, copyright 1993.  When you register
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