[HOBOcs]

Issue: My 40GB Maxtor hard drive only shows 8GB in my computer C Drive properties. I'm moving this Disk to a "newer" PIII computer.

Request: I'm looking for direction to make it see it all. Note I am aware of some issues with BIOS's not recognizing the disk, although I don't know how to go about correcting this issue.
Any help direction appreciated.

Details:
Singel Partition - contains WinSE, MSOffice, loads of software.
BIOS was originally set to auto have since changed it to "User"

Bios details
User
Size=40024MB
Cyln=4866
Head=255
WPcom=0
Sec=63
LBA Mode=on
BLK Mode=on
PIO Mode=4
32Bit Mode=on

SYSTEM INFORMATION 19-03-2004

[ MY COMPUTER ]
BIOS Type: American Megatrends VER: 1.21.04
BIOS Date: 05/11/01
Memory: 119 Mb
Drives:
A: [DISC DRIVE]
C: [HARD DISC] 7.8 GB FAT32
D: [COMPACT DISC]

[ PROCESSOR ]
Description: intel Pentium III
Vendor: GenuineIntel
Speed: 666.57 MHz
Type: Primary
Count: 1 CPUs found
Features: FPU RDTSC MMX iSSE

[ OPERATING SYSTEM ]
Description: Windows 98 SE
Platform: Windows 95
Version: 4.10 (Build: 2222)

 

[brianF]

go to the dos prompt, run fdisk, answer yes to lba, choose option 4 to show partition information, does it show 100% usage for the c partition.
I am wondering if somehow the disk got the c partiton formated to 8 gib and the rest is unused, if so, you should be able to create an extended partition for the remainder of the drive, then create a logical drive within the extended partition to end up with two partitons, one the 8gig, the rest would be 32 gig and would be drive D, your cdrom would change to drive E.

You can also check this from maxtor
http://maxtor.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/maxtor.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=426

 

[HOBOcs]

Thanks Brian, ran fdisk - shows 8gb and 21%.

I'm pretty sure I set this up with a single partition of 40 originally.... strange.

 

[WarC]

Maxtor has software for setting up large drives. Perhaps you would be well off downloading it from their site. (Not 100% sure they are available for download, but Seagate has similar software for download so it should be! Copycaters!)

 

[brianF]

You should be able to create an extended dos partition, then create the logical drive to gain access to the full size of the hard drive. The new logical partition will need to be formated.
Only other way is to loose all you current date and redo the whole drive by deleting the current partition and repartitioning to the full size of the drive

 

[HOBOcs]

Just check the link.. good stuff. I'll spend some more time in there later. They (maxtor) mentioned some sort of overlay bios that allows for bigger drives if your bios can't handle it. I'll check that out.

I didn't want to have to rebuild this, lots of stuff on there. I've got all the original disks so I might just have to frown and bite into it. (Back up to cd's and copy back data as required.) I'll debate with myself over the weekend.

I'm wondering if when I originally formated this, if it was on a pc that's bios couldn't handle the large drive.. and now maybe this one will handle it.

Either way, reformat, repartition...a beer, .. reload OS... more beer.... software.. wait...reboot.. beer...lots more beer!

Cheers all thanks for the direction guys.:up:

 

[pyritechips]

They (maxtor) mentioned some sort of overlay bios that allows for bigger drives if your bios can't handle it

I agree. There is a 8 GB BIOS limit on old computers. Overlay software is the ticket.

 

[Elvandil]

You mentioned putting this drive in a new computer. If you are going to install it and then put in the OS, you may as well wait until you have it in the new machine.

If you are installing XP, setup will give you the chance to remove partitions and format.

Just wondering since getting the drive all set up in one machine and then moving it may mean setting it up all over again. Depends what your plan is ;-)

 

[mobo]

Try a fresh bootdisk as you may have formatted fat 16

 

[Elvandil]

Maxtor has software for setting up large drives. Perhaps you would be well off downloading it from their site. (Not 100% sure they are available for download, but Seagate has similar software for download so it should be! Copycaters!)

Actually, Seagate has an ISO image of its setup software. I just used it. Download it and burn it to CD. You can then boot from the CD and set up your disk from the very easy to use interface:

http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/drivers/discwiz.html

The similar WD software can be found here (but Seagate's is slicker!):

http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp#dlgtools

 

[HOBOcs]

Sorry Elvandil, my original post may have been confusing.

I've just moved this disk to the newer PIII. The disk showed 8GB on an older PI which I assumed had a bios limit so I left it as is.
(Although I thought I originally formated as a single 40gb partition).

Moving it to the newer PIII PC (which I've done now) I thought it would recognize the whole 40gb .. but it too only show 8GB. Hope this clears that up.

Sounds like you may have experience with the overlay, Pyritechips?

 

[pyritechips]

Hi again:

Yes, I started out with an old NEC P-I 166mhz with a Quantum bigfoot 2.2 GB HDD. My friend put in a 20 GB Fujitsu and installed DDO. On such an overlay the partitioning and formatting is done with the overlay. If it is then done again with the regular windows FDISK it will overwrite the overlay.

I may be mistaken but if a larger drive is partitioned on the old machine it will be recognised as having only 8 GB. I would personally do a LLF on the drive; I factory-nuke all used drives that I use for the first time.

 

[Elvandil]

OK. Thanks for clearing that up.

Try downloading the iso (CD version) of the Seagate software I linked above. Burn the image to CD and boot from it.

I just tried this myself and was very impressed at the options available for preparing disks with this program. And it has a GUI that makes it very easy to use. You should be able to do whatever you want with that disk.

I don't know very much about overlays except that many problems can be attributed to them. If at all possible, try to keep the disk in a standard format that all programs and versions of Windows will recognize. Repairs and reinstallations will go much easier.

But, like I said, I don't know much about these, so I will defer to those who have experience in this area.

 

[pyritechips]

I have heard other people speaking negatively about overlays but some times there are no options. Some say it is better to upgrade the BIOS but:

1) Flashing a BIOS can go wrong. Result: throw away the mobo.

2) Most of the time BIOS upgrades just are not available for older BIOS's.

I personally never had one bit of problem with the overlay.

 

[Elvandil]

Hey, more power to you, pyritechips. Sounds like you may be the overlay advisor.

Just to give at least some hope to those with ruined BIOS, there are many BIOS chips that are removable. They can be replaced and can be bought pre-programmed or blank.

I found this site while searching for "bad flash". "Jack" fixed me right up with a new, pre-programmed BIOS chip for $20. Now if I hadn't thrown away that old computer....

http://www.badflash.com

 

[pyritechips]

Hello Elvandil:

Nope! I'm no advisor! I only had that on my old box. I have a newer computer now with no HDD restriction...

...well, not exactly. It is not well known but the standard W98se boot floppy FDISK has a 64 GB limit. There is an upgrade available for partitioning HDD's larger than 64 GB.

BTW: if I blew my old 166mhz it certainly not worth fixing!

 

[Elvandil]

It seems to me that any computer with a P-3 ought to be new enough to use a 40 gig drive.

Try the Seagate software. I bet it will format and partition to larger sizes than 64. It may be the solution to the OP's problem and yours, too, if you ever need to fdisk a large drive (you never know----someone may ask you, even if it is unneeded on your machine!).

BTW: I have WD drives on my machine, but the Seagate software doesn't seem to discriminate.

 

[pyritechips]

My disc utility of choice is Maxtor's PowerMax. It is not proprietary, ie. it will work on a wide variety of HDD's.

UNfortunately, I do not have a HDD larger than 64 GB to practice on but I do have the updated FDISK, available here for anyone who cares to give it a try. All you have to do is unzip it and copy it into the W98se boot floppy, replacing the original FDISK.

 

[Elvandil]

I forgot about PowerMax. That is one I missed. Off to get it now.

Thanks for that fdisk---I'll keep it for future needs.

(On the other hand, why would anyone use FAT32 on a disk that large? NTFS is much faster than FAT32 over the 32 gig mark. But, you never know when someone may want to use it.)

 

[pyritechips]

Ok Elvandil, enjoy! :up: