Formatting a HD in Win2k

[jere01]

I'm trying to format my brand new maxtor 40 GB HD in windows 2000. I've got the drive set as slave obviously and I have created 2 partitions on the drive using Win2k... a 3 gig and a 37gig (the rest of the space). I formatted the 3 gig just fine but when I tried to format the large part it took its time.. got to 100% and then said something about the Volume size is too big. This was when it was a primary partition. Now I just tried making it into an extend partition and creating a logical drive on it and am currently formatting it. We'll see if it works but why did it not work before?

 

[jere01]

Annnd it still says it... "Volume size is too big"

why??

 

[DaveSimmons]

Check the AT W2K FAQ and/or hunt around MSDN but I vaguely recall that W2K can _use_ > 32 GB FAT32 but can only format up to 32. But I'm working way too hard so my memory isn't terribly reliable right now.

I do know for sure that it can use >32 GB as my MP3 jukebox / dev server is W2K and it has a second 60 GB drive as 1 D: partition. I created it with either W98SE DOS disk or Partition Magic though (don't remember -- like I said, memory gone )

 

[jere01]

Ok thanks that it probably the problem. What do you suggest I use to partition/format the second part of my drive then? Or how do you suggest I do it?

Thanks

 

[Rob G.]

You could either format the partition as NTFS, or download a boot floppy image and format it in DOS as FAT32.

As Dave said, W2K is quite happy to mount and use a 32gb+ partition but it wont format one that big.

If you want a boot disk, go here:
www.bootdisk.com