Fix a bug on the Master's DFS, or install a DFS on the Compact - all you need is a new Welcome Disc.

As you may have heard there is an unfortunate bug associated with the two commands *CLOSE and CLOSE#0 on the Master's DFS on versions up to and including 2.24 (to check your version number type *HELP). Under certain circumstances these two commands will cause the wrong file length to be written back to the disc catalogue. This can be avoided to some extent by closing each file specifically (using CLOSE#n where n is the file handle).

In versions 2.25 and above the bug has been fixed, but of course, you cannot just unplug the DFS, not literally anyway, since all the Master's software is supplied on a single ROM. Moreover, this is sometimes soldered in. You can however get a software upgrade on disc, and load it into sideways RAM, and use *UNPLUG to remove the offending DFS. The software is supplied on the latest versions of the Master Welcome Disc, available at around £8 from all good stockists. Acorn also tell us that there are many other improvements on the new Welcome Disc.

Unlike the Master 128, the Compact is supplied with the ADFS as the only filing system on ROM - the Master has both DFS and ADFS. But latest releases of the Compact Welcome Disc have a ROM image of the DFS, which may be loaded into sideways RAM, allowing Compact users the greater flexibility of an alternative filing system. Copies of the latest Welcome Disc for the Compact may be obtained directly from Acorn at a cost of £5.00 inclusive.

Send to: Customer Services, Acorn Computers, Cambridge Technopark, 645 Newmarket Road, Cambridge CB5 8PD.