250gB Hard Disk Fdisk Question

[Malcolm Dowers]

I am trying to fresh install a Win98SE PC using brand new
hardware including 2x 250gB SATA hard disks. BIOS/CMOS etc
are all set correctly and reporting 250gB etc. Fdisk
however only reports about 46gB each.

I know the FAT32 limitations mean that I can only
partition upto 128gB, so to keep things simple I was
planning to make each disk two 50% partitions which should
make each drive letter 125gB unformatted and all should be
OK.

Unfortunately, even specifying 50% partition space in
Fdisk only gives about 53gB on the first partition.

Does anyone have any idea what is going on here, whether
there is a solution/workaround or whether I am going to
have to upgrade to XP?

Thanks in advance
Malcolm Dowers

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Malcolm,

Using the following KB Article to download the updated version
of Fdisk. Create an new Windows Startup disk and use it to
create the partition.
Fdisk Does Not Recognize Full Size of Hard Disks Larger than 64 GB:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q263044

--
Regards,
Bert Kinney [MS-MVP DTS]
http://dts-l.org/
How to Configure Outlook Express for Internet News:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=171164

"Malcolm Dowers" wrote
> I am trying to fresh install a Win98SE PC using brand new
> hardware including 2x 250gB SATA hard disks. BIOS/CMOS etc
> are all set correctly and reporting 250gB etc. Fdisk
> however only reports about 46gB each.
>
> I know the FAT32 limitations mean that I can only
> partition upto 128gB, so to keep things simple I was
> planning to make each disk two 50% partitions which should
> make each drive letter 125gB unformatted and all should be
> OK.
>
> Unfortunately, even specifying 50% partition space in
> Fdisk only gives about 53gB on the first partition.
>
> Does anyone have any idea what is going on here, whether
> there is a solution/workaround or whether I am going to
> have to upgrade to XP?
>
> Thanks in advance
> Malcolm Dowers

[Jon_Hildrum]

TRy the updated version of fdisk

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;263044&Product=w98

--
Jon Hildrum
DTS MVP

www.hildrum.com
"Malcolm Dowers" > wrote in message
...
> I am trying to fresh install a Win98SE PC using brand new
> hardware including 2x 250gB SATA hard disks. BIOS/CMOS etc
> are all set correctly and reporting 250gB etc. Fdisk
> however only reports about 46gB each.
>
> I know the FAT32 limitations mean that I can only
> partition upto 128gB, so to keep things simple I was
> planning to make each disk two 50% partitions which should
> make each drive letter 125gB unformatted and all should be
> OK.
>
> Unfortunately, even specifying 50% partition space in
> Fdisk only gives about 53gB on the first partition.
>
> Does anyone have any idea what is going on here, whether
> there is a solution/workaround or whether I am going to
> have to upgrade to XP?
>
> Thanks in advance
> Malcolm Dowers

That worked great and I now have 4x 120gB partitions
across two physical drives. Obviously the next step is to
format them all (with /s for drive c of course), but I've
hit another problem here.

Format is reporting and formatting drive c: as only 53gB,
not 120gb. Is there also a newer version of Format out
there to go with the newer version of Fdisk? FYI My
current version of Format is 49575 bytes and dated
23/4/1999 22:22:00.

Regards
Malcolm Dowers


>-----Original Message-----
>TRy the updated version of fdisk
>
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;263044&Product=w98
>
>--
>Jon Hildrum
>DTS MVP

>www.hildrum.com
>"Malcolm Dowers" >
wrote in message
...
>> I am trying to fresh install a Win98SE PC using brand
new
>> hardware including 2x 250gB SATA hard disks. BIOS/CMOS
etc
>> are all set correctly and reporting 250gB etc. Fdisk
>> however only reports about 46gB each.
>>
>> I know the FAT32 limitations mean that I can only
>> partition upto 128gB, so to keep things simple I was
>> planning to make each disk two 50% partitions which
should
>> make each drive letter 125gB unformatted and all should
be
>> OK.
>>
>> Unfortunately, even specifying 50% partition space in
>> Fdisk only gives about 53gB on the first partition.
>>
>> Does anyone have any idea what is going on here, whether
>> there is a solution/workaround or whether I am going to
>> have to upgrade to XP?
>>
>> Thanks in advance
>> Malcolm Dowers
>
>
>.
>

That worked great and I now have 4x 120gB partitions
across two physical drives. Obviously the next step is to
format them all (with /s for drive c of course), but I've
hit another problem here.

Format is reporting and formatting drive c: as only 53gB,
not 120gb. Is there also a newer version of Format out
there to go with the newer version of Fdisk? FYI My
current version of Format is 49575 bytes and dated
23/4/1999 22:22:00.

Regards
Malcolm Dowers

>-----Original Message-----
>Hi Malcolm,
>
>Using the following KB Article to download the updated
version
>of Fdisk. Create an new Windows Startup disk and use it to
> create the partition.
>Fdisk Does Not Recognize Full Size of Hard Disks Larger
than 64 GB:
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-
US;q263044
>
>--
>Regards,
>Bert Kinney [MS-MVP DTS]
>http://dts-l.org/
>How to Configure Outlook Express for Internet News:
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=171164
>
>"Malcolm Dowers" wrote
>> I am trying to fresh install a Win98SE PC using brand
new
>> hardware including 2x 250gB SATA hard disks. BIOS/CMOS
etc
>> are all set correctly and reporting 250gB etc. Fdisk
>> however only reports about 46gB each.
>>
>> I know the FAT32 limitations mean that I can only
>> partition upto 128gB, so to keep things simple I was
>> planning to make each disk two 50% partitions which
should
>> make each drive letter 125gB unformatted and all should
be
>> OK.
>>
>> Unfortunately, even specifying 50% partition space in
>> Fdisk only gives about 53gB on the first partition.
>>
>> Does anyone have any idea what is going on here, whether
>> there is a solution/workaround or whether I am going to
>> have to upgrade to XP?
>>
>> Thanks in advance
>> Malcolm Dowers
>
>
>.
>

[Lil' Dave]

Five characters available in "MB" for input to updated fdisk. Illogical
response.

There's also a MSKB article indicating that the UPDATED Fdisk does ***NOT***
recognize HDs over 137GB (that's 128GB formatted). It DOES NOT SAY
PARTITION SIZE, it says HD capacity.

When is this newsgroup going to stop this mis/dis information
program?????????
> wrote in message
...
> That worked great and I now have 4x 120gB partitions
> across two physical drives. Obviously the next step is to
> format them all (with /s for drive c of course), but I've
> hit another problem here.
>
> Format is reporting and formatting drive c: as only 53gB,
> not 120gb. Is there also a newer version of Format out
> there to go with the newer version of Fdisk? FYI My
> current version of Format is 49575 bytes and dated
> 23/4/1999 22:22:00.
>
> Regards
> Malcolm Dowers
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Hi Malcolm,
> >
> >Using the following KB Article to download the updated
> version
> >of Fdisk. Create an new Windows Startup disk and use it to
> > create the partition.
> >Fdisk Does Not Recognize Full Size of Hard Disks Larger
> than 64 GB:
> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-
> US;q263044
> >
> >--
> >Regards,
> >Bert Kinney [MS-MVP DTS]
> >http://dts-l.org/
> >How to Configure Outlook Express for Internet News:
> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=171164
> >
> >"Malcolm Dowers" wrote
> >> I am trying to fresh install a Win98SE PC using brand
> new
> >> hardware including 2x 250gB SATA hard disks. BIOS/CMOS
> etc
> >> are all set correctly and reporting 250gB etc. Fdisk
> >> however only reports about 46gB each.
> >>
> >> I know the FAT32 limitations mean that I can only
> >> partition upto 128gB, so to keep things simple I was
> >> planning to make each disk two 50% partitions which
> should
> >> make each drive letter 125gB unformatted and all should
> be
> >> OK.
> >>
> >> Unfortunately, even specifying 50% partition space in
> >> Fdisk only gives about 53gB on the first partition.
> >>
> >> Does anyone have any idea what is going on here, whether
> >> there is a solution/workaround or whether I am going to
> >> have to upgrade to XP?
> >>
> >> Thanks in advance
> >> Malcolm Dowers
> >
> >
> >.
> >

[Lil' Dave]

If these are retail HDs, just use the diskette/CD that came with them.
If not, just download appropriate partitioning/formatting tool from the HD
mfr's website.

I gave up when updated Fdisk could only display 5 character MB input for
size/capacity of partition wanted. Figure that partition size max
capability.

There is a MSKB article that states the updated Fdisk is limited to 137GB HD
capacity (128GB formatted). Not partition size, its the entire HD capacity.
"Malcolm Dowers" > wrote in message
...
> I am trying to fresh install a Win98SE PC using brand new
> hardware including 2x 250gB SATA hard disks. BIOS/CMOS etc
> are all set correctly and reporting 250gB etc. Fdisk
> however only reports about 46gB each.
>
> I know the FAT32 limitations mean that I can only
> partition upto 128gB, so to keep things simple I was
> planning to make each disk two 50% partitions which should
> make each drive letter 125gB unformatted and all should be
> OK.
>
> Unfortunately, even specifying 50% partition space in
> Fdisk only gives about 53gB on the first partition.
>
> Does anyone have any idea what is going on here, whether
> there is a solution/workaround or whether I am going to
> have to upgrade to XP?
>
> Thanks in advance
> Malcolm Dowers

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Malcolm,

As far as I know format should work. Did you delete the
existing partitions before creating the new ones with the
updated Fdisk? If you did not, you may want to.

--
Regards,
Bert Kinney [MS-MVP DTS]
http://dts-l.org/
How to Configure Outlook Express for Internet News:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=171164


> That worked great and I now have 4x 120gB partitions
> across two physical drives. Obviously the next step is to
> format them all (with /s for drive c of course), but I've
> hit another problem here.
>
> Format is reporting and formatting drive c: as only 53gB,
> not 120gb. Is there also a newer version of Format out
> there to go with the newer version of Fdisk? FYI My
> current version of Format is 49575 bytes and dated
> 23/4/1999 22:22:00.
>
> Regards
> Malcolm Dowers
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Hi Malcolm,
> >
> >Using the following KB Article to download the updated
> version
> >of Fdisk. Create an new Windows Startup disk and use it to
> > create the partition.
> >Fdisk Does Not Recognize Full Size of Hard Disks Larger
> than 64 GB:
> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-
> US;q263044
> >
> >--
> >Regards,
> >Bert Kinney [MS-MVP DTS]
> >http://dts-l.org/
> >How to Configure Outlook Express for Internet News:
> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=171164
> >
> >"Malcolm Dowers" wrote
> >> I am trying to fresh install a Win98SE PC using brand
> new
> >> hardware including 2x 250gB SATA hard disks. BIOS/CMOS
> etc
> >> are all set correctly and reporting 250gB etc. Fdisk
> >> however only reports about 46gB each.
> >>
> >> I know the FAT32 limitations mean that I can only
> >> partition upto 128gB, so to keep things simple I was
> >> planning to make each disk two 50% partitions which
> should
> >> make each drive letter 125gB unformatted and all should
> be
> >> OK.
> >>
> >> Unfortunately, even specifying 50% partition space in
> >> Fdisk only gives about 53gB on the first partition.
> >>
> >> Does anyone have any idea what is going on here, whether
> >> there is a solution/workaround or whether I am going to
> >> have to upgrade to XP?
> >>
> >> Thanks in advance
> >> Malcolm Dowers
> >
> >
> >.
> >

[Malcolm Dowers]

Hi All,

Thanks for everyone's help - all sorted now. The new
version of fdisk worked fine. I just told it to use 50% of
the available space on the first partition and then 100%
of the remaining space for the second partition, now I
have two 120gb formatted and fully accessible drive
letters for each physical 250gb drive.

For those interested should they have the same problems in
the future, I noticed two noteworthy oddities that can
make you think it hasn't worked:-

1) The new version of fdisk is obviously a workaround bug
fix rather than a new version, consequently the reported
gB available space is still only 5 characters long and the
sixth character (if the drive is over 100gB) runs across
into the next column (the format column I think from
memory).

2 Despite the success with the fdisk program, the format
program will still report initially that the
drive/partition as being 64gb less that actual, ie it will
say "formatting to 54gB" or similar. However, when it has
finished formatting it does show the full size and all the
full size is available to DOS/Windows.

Thanks again everyone, good luck to others.

Regards
Malcolm Dowers

>-----Original Message-----
>Hi Malcolm,
>
>As far as I know format should work. Did you delete the
>existing partitions before creating the new ones with the
>updated Fdisk? If you did not, you may want to.
>
>--
>Regards,
>Bert Kinney [MS-MVP DTS]
>http://dts-l.org/
>How to Configure Outlook Express for Internet News:
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=171164
>
>
>> That worked great and I now have 4x 120gB partitions
>> across two physical drives. Obviously the next step is
to
>> format them all (with /s for drive c of course), but
I've
>> hit another problem here.
>>
>> Format is reporting and formatting drive c: as only
53gB,
>> not 120gb. Is there also a newer version of Format out
>> there to go with the newer version of Fdisk? FYI My
>> current version of Format is 49575 bytes and dated
>> 23/4/1999 22:22:00.
>>
>> Regards
>> Malcolm Dowers
>>
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >Hi Malcolm,
>> >
>> >Using the following KB Article to download the updated
>> version
>> >of Fdisk. Create an new Windows Startup disk and use
it to
>> > create the partition.
>> >Fdisk Does Not Recognize Full Size of Hard Disks Larger
>> than 64 GB:
>> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-
>> US;q263044
>> >
>> >--
>> >Regards,
>> >Bert Kinney [MS-MVP DTS]
>> >http://dts-l.org/
>> >How to Configure Outlook Express for Internet News:
>> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=171164
>> >
>> >"Malcolm Dowers" wrote
>> >> I am trying to fresh install a Win98SE PC using brand
>> new
>> >> hardware including 2x 250gB SATA hard disks.
BIOS/CMOS
>> etc
>> >> are all set correctly and reporting 250gB etc. Fdisk
>> >> however only reports about 46gB each.
>> >>
>> >> I know the FAT32 limitations mean that I can only
>> >> partition upto 128gB, so to keep things simple I was
>> >> planning to make each disk two 50% partitions which
>> should
>> >> make each drive letter 125gB unformatted and all
should
>> be
>> >> OK.
>> >>
>> >> Unfortunately, even specifying 50% partition space in
>> >> Fdisk only gives about 53gB on the first partition.
>> >>
>> >> Does anyone have any idea what is going on here,
whether
>> >> there is a solution/workaround or whether I am going
to
>> >> have to upgrade to XP?
>> >>
>> >> Thanks in advance
>> >> Malcolm Dowers
>> >
>> >
>> >.
>> >
>
>
>.
>

[Bert Kinney]

Thank you for the feed back.
I have not personally partitioned and formatted a drive larger
than 64gb in preparation for Win98. So this type of information
sure helps.

--
Regards,
Bert Kinney [MS-MVP DTS]
http://dts-l.org/


"Malcolm Dowers" wrote
> Hi All,
>
> Thanks for everyone's help - all sorted now. The new
> version of fdisk worked fine. I just told it to use 50% of
> the available space on the first partition and then 100%
> of the remaining space for the second partition, now I
> have two 120gb formatted and fully accessible drive
> letters for each physical 250gb drive.
>
> For those interested should they have the same problems in
> the future, I noticed two noteworthy oddities that can
> make you think it hasn't worked:-
>
> 1) The new version of fdisk is obviously a workaround bug
> fix rather than a new version, consequently the reported
> gB available space is still only 5 characters long and the
> sixth character (if the drive is over 100gB) runs across
> into the next column (the format column I think from
> memory).
>
> 2 Despite the success with the fdisk program, the format
> program will still report initially that the
> drive/partition as being 64gb less that actual, ie it will
> say "formatting to 54gB" or similar. However, when it has
> finished formatting it does show the full size and all the
> full size is available to DOS/Windows.
>
> Thanks again everyone, good luck to others.
>
> Regards
> Malcolm Dowers
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Hi Malcolm,
> >
> >As far as I know format should work. Did you delete the
> >existing partitions before creating the new ones with the
> >updated Fdisk? If you did not, you may want to.
> >
> >--
> >Regards,
> >Bert Kinney [MS-MVP DTS]
> >http://dts-l.org/
> >How to Configure Outlook Express for Internet News:
> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=171164
> >
> >
> >> That worked great and I now have 4x 120gB partitions
> >> across two physical drives. Obviously the next step is to
> >> format them all (with /s for drive c of course), but I've
> >> hit another problem here.
> >>
> >> Format is reporting and formatting drive c: as only 53gB,
> >> not 120gb. Is there also a newer version of Format out
> >> there to go with the newer version of Fdisk? FYI My
> >> current version of Format is 49575 bytes and dated
> >> 23/4/1999 22:22:00.
> >>
> >> Regards
> >> Malcolm Dowers
> >>
> >> >-----Original Message-----
> >> >Hi Malcolm,
> >> >
> >> >Using the following KB Article to download the updated version
> >> >of Fdisk. Create an new Windows Startup disk and use it to
> >> > create the partition.
> >> >Fdisk Does Not Recognize Full Size of Hard Disks Larger
> >> than 64 GB:
> >> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-
> >> US;q263044
> >> >
> >> >--
> >> >Regards,
> >> >Bert Kinney [MS-MVP DTS]
> >> >http://dts-l.org/
> >> >
> >> >"Malcolm Dowers" wrote
> >> >> I am trying to fresh install a Win98SE PC using brand new
> >> >> hardware including 2x 250gB SATA hard disks. BIOS/CMOS etc
> >> >> are all set correctly and reporting 250gB etc. Fdisk
> >> >> however only reports about 46gB each.
> >> >>
> >> >> I know the FAT32 limitations mean that I can only
> >> >> partition upto 128gB, so to keep things simple I was
> >> >> planning to make each disk two 50% partitions which should
> >> >> make each drive letter 125gB unformatted and all should be
> >> >> OK.
> >> >>
> >> >> Unfortunately, even specifying 50% partition space in
> >> >> Fdisk only gives about 53gB on the first partition.
> >> >>
> >> >> Does anyone have any idea what is going on here, whether
> >> >> there is a solution/workaround or whether I am going to
> >> >> have to upgrade to XP?
> >> >>
> >> >> Thanks in advance
> >> >> Malcolm Dowers