Unable to format the hard drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nathalie
  • Start date Start date
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Nathalie

I used 2 partitions on my hard disk. I tried to delete those 2 partitions
and create only 1. With Fdisk, I deleted the old 2 partitions and create
only one.

When I tried to format that one partition, the computer doesn't take all the
space avalaible for that. It took the same space I had with the old
principal partition.

What can I do ? I want to install Windows 98.

Thank you,
 
I used 2 partitions on my hard disk. I tried to delete those 2 partitions
and create only 1. With Fdisk, I deleted the old 2 partitions and create
only one.

When I tried to format that one partition, the computer doesn't take all
the space avalaible for that. It took the same space I had with the old
principal partition.

What can I do ? I want to install Windows 98.

Thank you,
Click to expand...

Are you sure you completely deleted both partitions ? Primary, Logical in
extended, and Extended ? Did you check the Partition info afterwards ?

How big is the HDD ? What size partitions did it have ?

Andy
 
Your BIOS could be holding you back. I have some older PC's that only see 8
GB, 2 GB, etc. If you try and create one large partition that the bios
can't see, you get less on the hard drive. That's why there are 2
partitions.

Doug
 
I tried several times and each time I deleted all what I could do in the
right order: logical first and principal the last one.

I know this hard disk could have only one partition (2,5 gig). One of the
old partition had 2 gig and the other had 500 megs.

Do you have a solution ?
 
1. Make sure you are formatting with the Win98 FDISK & Format, as the older
dos/win95a will only see 2gb partitions max (fat16 limit).

2. When it ask you if you want large disk support, be sure to answer YES
(the default is no). If you don't you are stuck at 2gb, fat16.

JT
 
Sounds like your not exiting fdisk and resetting the system after making the
changes, as this would cause the old partition to still be seen when a
format is attempted. Delete the old partitions, create your new one, exit
fdisk and then restart the system before attempting to format and see what
happens :-)
 
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