Windows 7 - strange behaviour (with a floppy, but ...)

At work, we use a Windows 95-based system (! Actually, it is very
reliable. As for why, it is because the product we test on it is
sufficiently near end of life that developing a new XP-based one would
cost too much, with all the testing, approval process, and so on), which
creates three identical-sized log files (of about 41K size).

We copy these to a floppy, and then from that floppy (read in a
USB-connected floppy drive) to a newly-created folder (on a network
drive).

So my process at the XP machine is:
o create the new folder where the log files will go
o go into it
o open another copy of Windows Explorer with Win-E, which opens in "My
Computer"
o down-arrow to A:
o select the files: ctrl-A for "select all" (they are usually the only
thing on the floppy), or shift-click, or ctrl-click.
o shift-drag them to the other Explorer window, so they do a move (i. e.
copy then delete).

Fairly often, two of the three files move, then I get a message
something like "cannot move <filename>: check whether something is using
it."

Of course, nothing is - and if I repeat the exercise on that one
remaining file, it moves no problem! (Usually, as I have said, leaving the
floppy empty.)

I do not think it _always_ happens, i. e. sometimes all three files are
of course) no problem.

it is not even irritating, since I know how to get round it - but it is
definitely puzzling! Especially since the first two files are moved -
copied them deleted - no problem. The files are of identical size, and
similar content.

Any thoughts (as to why this happens, not ridicule as to why we are using
such a quaint system)?
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Abandon hope, all ye who <ENTER> here.

$ZCpPFwLc@soft255.demon.co.uk>...

First thing I'd suspect would be an anti-virus program accessing the
file to scan it as you are attempting to move it.

--
Zaphod

In message <MPG.2a0e03de1d834182989711@news.eternal-september.org>,
Very plausible - if it were not for the fact that it has moved two
almost-identical files immediately before! It always happens on the last
of three. And it has definitely moved them - they are where they were
moved to, and _have_ been deleted from the floppy.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

You have the capacity to learn from mistakes. You'll learn a lot today.

The only thing I can suggest is that IME floppies and floppy drives have
become highly unreliable.  I have had the OS complain that pre-formatted
floppies are not formated; I then let the OS format them, it does, then
sometimes complains again that they are unformated.  If I remove them and
re-insert, they are sometimes fine, sometimes not.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

You do not have any idea in what order the anti-virus program will
attempt its scan.  It need not be the same order Explorer uses to copy
the files.  If the anti-virus chooses the last, Explorer gets to the
first two while the third is still in use and the rest is obvious.

--
Remove del for email

[]
You may have cracked it!
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

someone else." - Roland Young

writes:
[]
I think Barry may have got this one (his suggestion that an AV is
accessing the files in a different order to MS moving them certainly
sounds plausible to me).

But I certainly agree with you. Although the (XP) PC in question is I am
sure a Monday morning or Friday afternoon build by our IT provider
anyway (I get problems on it which I do not on most other
nominally-identical PCs I log on to; unfortunately, it is the one near
where my work is), there does seem to be an inbuilt prejudice against
floppies. If it has a problem with one (fair enough, that can be
genuine), it seems to almost lock up Explorer, and generally make the PC
unresponsive. I often find the best way to get it to buck up is to
unplug the (USB) floppy drive and plug it back in (I usually use a
diferent USB socket, though am not sure if that makes much difference).
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

someone else." - Roland Young