diff --git a/harbour/ChangeLog b/harbour/ChangeLog
index 09a16d5651..a80db3f9cd 100644
--- a/harbour/ChangeLog
+++ b/harbour/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+20000312-04:55 EST Paul Tucker <ptucker@sympatico.ca>
+   * source/rtl/dir.c
+     use _chmod( f,0 ) to get attribs.
+
 20000312-03:40 GMT+1 Victor Szakats <info@szelvesz.hu>
    * include/hbdefs.h
      include/hbinit.h
diff --git a/harbour/source/rtl/dir.c b/harbour/source/rtl/dir.c
index 01363d95c3..a97a3d24b6 100644
--- a/harbour/source/rtl/dir.c
+++ b/harbour/source/rtl/dir.c
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 /*
  * ChangeLog:
  *
+ * 1.66   20000312   ptucker   Borland use _chmod for attribs
  * 1.53   19990917   dholm     Moved normal hb_itemReturn() and ...Release()
  *                             calls out of the MSC, IBM & MingW32 #if block.
  * 1.49   19990915   dholm     Added __MINGW32__ support
@@ -223,6 +224,10 @@ static USHORT osToHarbourMask( USHORT usMask )
 
    usRetMask = usMask;
 
+   /* probably access denied when requesting mode */
+   if( usMask == (USHORT) -1 )
+      return 0;
+
 #if defined(OS_UNIX_COMPATIBLE)
    /* The use of any particular FA_ define here is meaningless */
    /* they are essentially placeholders */
@@ -619,15 +624,20 @@ HARBOUR HB_DIRECTORY( void )
                    if( pos )
                       strcpy( filename, ++pos );
                }
-            #elif defined(__BORLANDC__) 
-               attrib = _rtl_chmod( fullfile, 0 );
+            #elif defined(__BORLANDC__)
+              /* NOTE: _chmod( f, 0 ) => Get attribs
+                       _chmod( f, 1, n ) => Set attribs
+                 chmod() though, _will_ change the attributes
+              */
+              attrib = (USHORT)_chmod( fullfile, 0,0 );
             #elif defined(__DJGPP__)
-               attrib = _chmod( fullfile, 0 );
+               attrib = (USHORT)_chmod( fullfile, 0 );
             #else
                attrib = 0;
             #endif
 
             attrib = osToHarbourMask( attrib );
+
             if( attrib & FA_DIREC )
             {
                /* MS says size for a Directory is undefined.