Do you know how I can get Windows to read all 80G bytes?
I have an 80G byte hard drive but on Windows 98 it shows as only 8G bytes. My BIOS shows it as 80G bytes and it...
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is set up for FAT32. Do you know how I can get Windows to read all 80G bytes?
The FAT32 file system can address partitions up to 2T bytes - that's two TERA bytes - in size, so an 80G byte drive should not pose any difficulty at all. Was this machine pre-loaded from a factory or OEM? Sometimes OEM's will use a disk-imaging process that creates a smaller partition size than the hard drive is capable of.
You have three options:
1. Go to a DOS window (because DOS will never die), and use FDISK to create a second partition to use as a D: drive. Pro's - easy, quick, non-destructive. Con's - creates a second drive letter, which some people don't care for.
2. Drop a few bucks on Partition Magic (www.powerquest.com) or a similar utility that will allow you to do an in-place extension of your existing partition. Pro's - easy, quick, non-destructive, allows all available disk space to be addressed using a single drive letter. Con's - Not free.
3. FDISK, re-format, manually re-install the OS. Pro's - uhhh....it'll work. Con's - not easy, not quick, data-destructive.
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