Tech Support > Computer Hardware > Unable to format the hard drive
Unable to format the hard drive
Posted by Nathalie on September 21st, 2003


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,





Posted by Andy Foster on September 21st, 2003


On Sun, 21 Sep 2003 01:00:23 -0400, Nathalie wrote:

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

Posted by Doug Holtz on September 22nd, 2003


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

"Nathalie" <nattur@ivic.qc.ca> wrote in message
news:beabb.51628$0l4.1014700@weber.videotron.net.. .


Posted by Nathalie on September 23rd, 2003


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 ?

"Andy Foster" <Firtsname@FirstnameLastname.com> a écrit dans le message
news: pan.2003.09.21.06.19.13.258974@FirstnameLastname.c om...


Posted by JT on September 23rd, 2003


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
On Mon, 22 Sep 2003 22:02:56 -0400, "Nathalie" <nattur@ivic.qc.ca> wrote:


Posted by John E. Carty on September 23rd, 2003


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 :-)


"Nathalie" <nattur@ivic.qc.ca> wrote in message
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