My first day working for M$, we got called in for an announcement. DoubleSpace was being renamed DriveSpace to settle a lawsuit from Stak Electronics. They reverse engineered Stacker and stole the code. Then M$ bought the whole company.
We were told never to say bug, ever.
Really shady organization.
We were told never to say bug, ever.
Really shady organization.
September 18, 2026 at 1:16 PM
My first day working for M$, we got called in for an announcement. DoubleSpace was being renamed DriveSpace to settle a lawsuit from Stak Electronics. They reverse engineered Stacker and stole the code. Then M$ bought the whole company.
We were told never to say bug, ever.
Really shady organization.
We were told never to say bug, ever.
Really shady organization.
microsoft.public.win95.setup 1998
lol i'm trying to recover a win 95 486 machine and having problems
www.usenet-rewind.com/thread/MzY1Q...
lol i'm trying to recover a win 95 486 machine and having problems
www.usenet-rewind.com/thread/MzY1Q...
September 15, 2026 at 5:17 PM
microsoft.public.win95.setup 1998
lol i'm trying to recover a win 95 486 machine and having problems
www.usenet-rewind.com/thread/MzY1Q...
lol i'm trying to recover a win 95 486 machine and having problems
www.usenet-rewind.com/thread/MzY1Q...
I never ended up learning what the incompatibility was. I might still have the files somewhere, but if I do, they're stuck in a DriveSpace file, and I couldn't find a way to read it. I suppose I do still have a legit key and iso file for Windows 95 🤔
July 13, 2026 at 4:12 PM
I never ended up learning what the incompatibility was. I might still have the files somewhere, but if I do, they're stuck in a DriveSpace file, and I couldn't find a way to read it. I suppose I do still have a legit key and iso file for Windows 95 🤔
Left: Mind Flayer by Tracy Lesch, 1975. First Appearance: "Eldritch Wizardry".
Right: "From Dungeons to Drivespace", 1999. From DUNGEONS ADVENTURES magazine #262.
Right: "From Dungeons to Drivespace", 1999. From DUNGEONS ADVENTURES magazine #262.
July 2, 2026 at 1:27 PM
Left: Mind Flayer by Tracy Lesch, 1975. First Appearance: "Eldritch Wizardry".
Right: "From Dungeons to Drivespace", 1999. From DUNGEONS ADVENTURES magazine #262.
Right: "From Dungeons to Drivespace", 1999. From DUNGEONS ADVENTURES magazine #262.
Stacker couldn't compete with Microsoft's monopoly power, bundling DoubleSpace into every PC, so they lost. DoubleSpace was rebranded as DriveSpace and discontinued in Windows XP as storage prices fell.
June 11, 2026 at 1:48 AM
Stacker couldn't compete with Microsoft's monopoly power, bundling DoubleSpace into every PC, so they lost. DoubleSpace was rebranded as DriveSpace and discontinued in Windows XP as storage prices fell.
💾 Windows 11 C: drive nearly full? Move apps to another drive! Settings → Apps → Installed apps → click the app → Move! Select your D: or E: drive and move it! Great for games and large apps. Doesn't break the app — it still runs perfectly! 🎯 #ConnectedGeek #Windows11 #AppManagement #DriveSpace
May 19, 2026 at 12:31 PM
💾 Windows 11 C: drive nearly full? Move apps to another drive! Settings → Apps → Installed apps → click the app → Move! Select your D: or E: drive and move it! Great for games and large apps. Doesn't break the app — it still runs perfectly! 🎯 #ConnectedGeek #Windows11 #AppManagement #DriveSpace
![DriveSpace dialog from Windows 95:
"Compress a Drive
Drive C is larger than 256 MB. DriveSpace will compress 284.94 MB of space on drive C so that it contains 191.91 MB of free space. In addition, DriveSpace will create host drive H with 145.83 MB of uncompressed free space, for a total capacity of 0.64 GB.
-Drive C (now]
- Drive C(after compression)
Free space:
• Used space:
Capacity:
110.68 MB
320.09 MB
430.77 MB
Free space:
191.91 MB*
Used space: 320.09 MB*
Capacity:
512.00 MB*
*estimated
- Host Drive H
Host drive H will have 145.83
MB of free space.
Start
Options...
Close"](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4gl6xtsytzt5txwnw4tvoymr/bafkreibnsdfjq2gm3rydssfzmq7t67yufvg4fuojr2smlx2yxijexkccpe)
trying some drivespace compressed drive adventures, but windows 3.1 keeps breaking with the cirrus logic drivers which is very >:C
February 5, 2026 at 5:20 AM
trying some drivespace compressed drive adventures, but windows 3.1 keeps breaking with the cirrus logic drivers which is very >:C
that looks extremely similar to the PS/1 I had as a young teen, which was also my first computer. 486SX/25 w/4MB and a 131MB hard drive - but it was listed as like 200MB because it had DOUBLESPACE preinstalled* (microsoft switched to drivespace shortly afterwards due to that lawsuit)
January 23, 2026 at 8:38 PM
that looks extremely similar to the PS/1 I had as a young teen, which was also my first computer. 486SX/25 w/4MB and a 131MB hard drive - but it was listed as like 200MB because it had DOUBLESPACE preinstalled* (microsoft switched to drivespace shortly afterwards due to that lawsuit)
Wise of you. I'm still not used to DriveSpace in 6.22. They say that it's compatible, but you can never trust Big Dos.
December 8, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Wise of you. I'm still not used to DriveSpace in 6.22. They say that it's compatible, but you can never trust Big Dos.
Still scarred by this. 386sx-25 with a 40 MB Conner drive. Upgraded to 6.2. Need more space, apply DoubleSpace. Works fine for a couple days. Forget what happened, but compressed volume won't mount. At the time SoL, everything is gone.
Couldn't trust using DriveSpace after that, was burned once.
Couldn't trust using DriveSpace after that, was burned once.
November 20, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Still scarred by this. 386sx-25 with a 40 MB Conner drive. Upgraded to 6.2. Need more space, apply DoubleSpace. Works fine for a couple days. Forget what happened, but compressed volume won't mount. At the time SoL, everything is gone.
Couldn't trust using DriveSpace after that, was burned once.
Couldn't trust using DriveSpace after that, was burned once.
yeah that’s probably why i never used one of those. (stacker, drivespace, or even smartdrv etc)
August 10, 2025 at 9:38 PM
yeah that’s probably why i never used one of those. (stacker, drivespace, or even smartdrv etc)
this is what I would mean if I ever said "make wmerica great again"
it would be returning to a time where we all watch this thing happen like once a week and we just CHILL OUT while it's happening. no second screen, maybe some music, maybe petting a cat.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=uVYd...
it would be returning to a time where we all watch this thing happen like once a week and we just CHILL OUT while it's happening. no second screen, maybe some music, maybe petting a cat.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=uVYd...
Windows 98 Defrag, with DriveSpace
YouTube video by soundspark
m.youtube.com
August 8, 2025 at 4:58 PM
this is what I would mean if I ever said "make wmerica great again"
it would be returning to a time where we all watch this thing happen like once a week and we just CHILL OUT while it's happening. no second screen, maybe some music, maybe petting a cat.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=uVYd...
it would be returning to a time where we all watch this thing happen like once a week and we just CHILL OUT while it's happening. no second screen, maybe some music, maybe petting a cat.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=uVYd...
Retro computing friends,
Has anyone done a reverse engineering of the Stacker disk compressed disk volume format (stacvol.dsk)? It was a predecessor to DoubleSpace/DriveSpace via third-party software for DOS.
I have a volume compressed with it that might have data of historical significance […]
Has anyone done a reverse engineering of the Stacker disk compressed disk volume format (stacvol.dsk)? It was a predecessor to DoubleSpace/DriveSpace via third-party software for DOS.
I have a volume compressed with it that might have data of historical significance […]
Original post on hachyderm.io
hachyderm.io
June 27, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Retro computing friends,
Has anyone done a reverse engineering of the Stacker disk compressed disk volume format (stacvol.dsk)? It was a predecessor to DoubleSpace/DriveSpace via third-party software for DOS.
I have a volume compressed with it that might have data of historical significance […]
Has anyone done a reverse engineering of the Stacker disk compressed disk volume format (stacvol.dsk)? It was a predecessor to DoubleSpace/DriveSpace via third-party software for DOS.
I have a volume compressed with it that might have data of historical significance […]
Still debating upgrading the hard drive to 100MB. If not to install Windows 95, then at least so I can disable DriveSpace.
April 13, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Still debating upgrading the hard drive to 100MB. If not to install Windows 95, then at least so I can disable DriveSpace.
It has 8MB of memory and a 40MB hard drive that's been compressed with DriveSpace. Plan on decompressing to improve performance.
April 13, 2025 at 4:15 AM
It has 8MB of memory and a 40MB hard drive that's been compressed with DriveSpace. Plan on decompressing to improve performance.
🔓Unlock the Power of Microsoft Windows Storage Sense
www.onecooltip.com/2025/04/unlo...
#windows @windows #StorageSense #MicrosoftTips #TechHacks #DriveSpace #WindowsFeatures #OptimizeStorage #TechForGood #TechTips #TechGuide #OneCoolTip @OneCoolTip
www.onecooltip.com/2025/04/unlo...
#windows @windows #StorageSense #MicrosoftTips #TechHacks #DriveSpace #WindowsFeatures #OptimizeStorage #TechForGood #TechTips #TechGuide #OneCoolTip @OneCoolTip
Unlock the Power of Microsoft Windows Storage Sense
A technology blog about making life better through daily tech tips. Google, Microsoft, iPhone, Android, ChatGPT, AI, Bing, software, hardware, iOS
www.onecooltip.com
April 2, 2025 at 1:51 PM
🔓Unlock the Power of Microsoft Windows Storage Sense
www.onecooltip.com/2025/04/unlo...
#windows @windows #StorageSense #MicrosoftTips #TechHacks #DriveSpace #WindowsFeatures #OptimizeStorage #TechForGood #TechTips #TechGuide #OneCoolTip @OneCoolTip
www.onecooltip.com/2025/04/unlo...
#windows @windows #StorageSense #MicrosoftTips #TechHacks #DriveSpace #WindowsFeatures #OptimizeStorage #TechForGood #TechTips #TechGuide #OneCoolTip @OneCoolTip
The big thing from my point of view is how being the lead of a high visibility, high income project would have changed my career. Especially since this was when we started selling DOS at retail at this time.
Oh, and then there was the doublespace/drivespace fiasco...
Which I thankfully avoided.
Oh, and then there was the doublespace/drivespace fiasco...
Which I thankfully avoided.
March 29, 2025 at 3:32 AM
The big thing from my point of view is how being the lead of a high visibility, high income project would have changed my career. Especially since this was when we started selling DOS at retail at this time.
Oh, and then there was the doublespace/drivespace fiasco...
Which I thankfully avoided.
Oh, and then there was the doublespace/drivespace fiasco...
Which I thankfully avoided.
Ack. The only thing I could suggest is try a lightweight Linux distro, but that's a non-starter if the lack of drivespace is a problem, or you need Microsoft apps. You could get an old Thinkpad for under £100 if you shop around, but that depends also on you, err, having that much money to spare...
March 14, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Ack. The only thing I could suggest is try a lightweight Linux distro, but that's a non-starter if the lack of drivespace is a problem, or you need Microsoft apps. You could get an old Thinkpad for under £100 if you shop around, but that depends also on you, err, having that much money to spare...
The current Macs used to be able to read floppies from the USB Teac drive, but now they don't even see the disc. The Zenith Z-Note can with its new drive. What the heck?
#retrocomputing
#retrocomputing
January 17, 2025 at 1:33 AM
The current Macs used to be able to read floppies from the USB Teac drive, but now they don't even see the disc. The Zenith Z-Note can with its new drive. What the heck?
#retrocomputing
#retrocomputing
they hit the FTL drive and everyone signed pulling out their scimitars, nobody in the 20th century ever imagined that drivespace was packed full of mean little kobolds
December 30, 2024 at 8:04 PM
they hit the FTL drive and everyone signed pulling out their scimitars, nobody in the 20th century ever imagined that drivespace was packed full of mean little kobolds
You haven't compressed that drive with DriveSpace, I hope?
December 8, 2024 at 6:26 PM
You haven't compressed that drive with DriveSpace, I hope?
bikers are taking up my constitutionally mandated driving space and are unwelcome invaders to my DriveSpace
December 5, 2024 at 5:08 PM
bikers are taking up my constitutionally mandated driving space and are unwelcome invaders to my DriveSpace