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Windows PC (FAT, NTFS) corrupts RMS files?

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The Question is:

 
When I transfer a certain indexed binary data files from an alpha server to a
 local hard drive on my PC (running Win 2k professional with NTFS formatted
 hard drive) via a binary FTP over our network, then transfer the file back to
 the alpha by the same me
thod, the structure of the file is changed and it is no longer usable by the
 application that created it.  Specifically, the file is listed by the DIR /
 FULL command as being indexed and a fixed record length of 6089 bytes before
 the FTP transfer, and aft
er the FTP, DIR / FULL reports the exact same file size, but it is now
 sequential (no longer indexed) and has a fixed record length of 512 bytes.
 How can I transfer these files without changing their structure?
 


The Answer is :

 
  Please see the OpenVMS FAQ discussion of corrupted BACKUP savesets for
  related information -- systems not using OpenVMS and the OpenVMS file
  system can and often do effectively corrupt certain OpenVMS file formats.
  Even sequential file formats, for instance, are not necessarily entirely
  compatible at the data (record) level.
 
  You will want to use the Freeware zip tool, the Freeware bzip tool, the
  Freeware tar tool, or the OpenVMS BACKUP utility or some other similar
  file-encapsulation tools to preserve the OpenVMS RMS file attributes for
  those OpenVMS RMS files that must be transfered through foreign file
  systems.
 

answer written or last revised on ( 2-APR-2003 )

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