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Using a hard disk drive – Epson 386/25 User Manual

Page 92

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❏ You can use the BACKUP command to back up hard disk

files to diskettes. Because BACKUP can split large files

across two or more diskettes, it makes more efficient use of

diskette space than COPY or XCOPY. It also allows you to
back up files that are larger than the capacity of your
diskettes.

See your MS-DOS Reference Manual for instructions on using

these commands.

Using a Hard Disk Drive

Using a hard disk is similar to using a diskette. However, the
hard disk provides several advantages:

❏ A 100MB hard disk can store as much data as approximately

eighty-two 1.2MB diskettes.

❏ Your computer can perform all disk-related operations faster.

❏ You can store frequently used programs and data files on the

hard disk, eliminating the inconvenience of swapping

diskettes to access different files.

The added storage capacity makes it easy to move back and forth
between different programs and data files. However, because it is
so easy to add programs and files to your hard disk, you may find

yourself trying to organize hundreds of files.

MS-DOS lets you keep related files together in directories and

subdirectories so they are easy to find and use. See your
MS-DOS Reference Manual for instructions on managing your

files and directories.

A hard disk must be partitioned and formatted before you can

use it. Be sure you have performed the procedures in your
MS-DOS Installation Guide to prepare your hard disk for use.

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Using Your Computer