Computer doesn't like new HD

jbone · Post by **jbone** » Thu Jul 11, 2002 6:38 pm

Sometimes, two hard drives just don't get along in the same computer.

If you can't manually set both hard drives to the correct size issues and have Windows reocgnize the drives properly, then you may just have to return the new drive and buy a different model.

afleetinghope · Post by **afleetinghope** » Thu Jul 11, 2002 6:46 pm

If I can't make it work I'll return it, but since Windows didn't see all of the 40gb before I got the new HD, I doubt it's that.

klinky · Post by **klinky** » Thu Jul 11, 2002 6:48 pm

What's FDISK say?

Windows may be correct by detecting your drive as only 37GB, since the HDD industry likes to claim a gigabyte = 1 billion bytes, which is not technically correct, it's a bit larger...

Check drive 2 in FDISK or get Partition Magic and see what it has to say.

~klinky

afleetinghope · Post by **afleetinghope** » Thu Jul 11, 2002 6:53 pm

How exactly would I check it with FDISK without formatting?

afleetinghope · Post by **afleetinghope** » Thu Jul 11, 2002 6:57 pm

*kicks it* FDISK shows the HD as being 31gb. ._.

klinky · Post by **klinky** » Thu Jul 11, 2002 7:57 pm

I would do FDISK
5 [enter]
2 [enter]
3 [enter]
1 [enter]
Type volume name [enter]
Y [enter]
1 [enter]
1 [enter]
Use all available space on drive, should be 60GB, [enter]
Type a volume name [enter]

Okay uhh basically that is like delete the current partion on drive 2, and recreate it again.

~klinky

afleetinghope · Post by **afleetinghope** » Thu Jul 11, 2002 8:22 pm

Well, it still is missing about 4gb, but it's a lot better then missing 27. thanks.

Hope I never have to go through this crap again. ._.

(And after going through FDISK I had to format the HD in windows for it to work.)

jbone · Post by **jbone** » Thu Jul 11, 2002 8:28 pm

Yes, FDisk prepares a drive for formatting.

And, klinky, I'm impressed...you have the FDisk procedure memorized?

klinky · Post by **klinky** » Thu Jul 11, 2002 8:30 pm

afleetinghope wrote:Well, it still is missing about 4gb, but it's a lot better then missing 27. thanks.

Hope I never have to go through this crap again. ._.

(And after going through FDISK I had to format the HD in windows for it to work.)

Well you have two things there. The HDD makers 1GB=1billion bytes when it's really 1073741824bytes and you have the FAT (File Allocation Table) which also takes up a fixed amount of space on the drive too. 4Gb less then 80Gb sounds normal. My 80Gb is 75.4GB after formating.

~klinky

Shulocc · Post by **Shulocc** » Mon Jul 15, 2002 5:31 pm

You really should change the whole drive to a FAT32 partition unless you plan on doing some heavy programming. And klinky is 100% on the money about the Hard Drive industry, except when you get into a SCSI based system then the only room on the drive that's not free is the OS.

Curious, are you trying to run a RAID system on 98? Microsoft can't and won't support RAID on 98. You can do like I did a couple of years ago and do some serious registry editing but it's very, very unstable. I finally broke down and bought XP just for the RAID compatibility. Now I have 320GB running smooth as a baby's bottom.

And, did you ever get the second drive to work? Besides the jumpers and BIOS, have you tried new IDE cables. 80pin preferably.

Good luck

Jbone rocks!!!