If you connect a Macintosh with System 7.5 and a multi-gigabyte (GB) volume to a Novell file server, the reported volume size is 999 MB.

A Novell server does not use HFS (Hierarchical File System) as its file system; it has the ability to emulate HFS. Novell implemented a workaround to the HFS 2 GB (pre-System 7.5) and 4 GB (System 7.5) limit in the Netware 3.12 and 4 versions of their network operating system.

The workaround essentially interprets the AFP (AppleTalk Filing Protocol) calls and returns a volume size of 999 MB. This is NOT a bug, but a Novell adjustment to the HFS volume size limit. File transfer and other server functions should operate correctly for the whole volume. What happens is Netware shows 999 MB of the multi-GB volume at a time. It is like a scrolling window within the volume window.

To illustrate, if you double click the volume icon you are presented a window showing you the files and folders on the volume (just like any other volume). The difference is you are seeing only a 999 MB portion of the volume. If you scroll down to the bottom of the window, or the end of this first 999 MB portion, Netware then presents to you the next 999 MB portion of the multi-GB volume. This process continues, 999 MB portion by 999 MB portion, making the entire multi-GB volume visible and usable.

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