New HD and loading Win ME

[plaidfro]

I am having the toughest time getting Win ME to load on a new 80 GB HD. I am trying to replace my father in laws old 2 GB HD that has Win 98 on it and his backup 9GB HD with an 80 GB HD that I am trying to make it the master with Win ME on it and the 9GB as a back up HD(especially since it has his saved files on it).

I use a Win 98 Boot disk to get to the DOS prompt. I am sure the problem is that the new 80 GB HD C: needs to be formatted or partitioned. But fdisk and format don't work? any ideas on how to accomplish this?

Older computer:
PIII 650 Mhz
Epox EP-3VCA Mobo
512 MB RAM

 

[plaidfro]

Its looking like I should just install Win 98 on it again.

 

[thehstrybean]

Windows ME...there's your problem....Go back to 98...ME is absolute crap, or do good and invest in a good, solid, CHEAP copy of 2000....

 

[Fallengod]

I have to agree. I do(yes I admit) use win98 for gaming only. You definitely dont want winme though.

 

[plaidfro]

I ended up having to use WIN ME... sorry if I dissappointed you. I didn't have 98SE.

How can I get the computer to recognize the HD has 80 GB? Right now it shows it only has 2GB

 

[thehstrybean]

Originally posted by: plaidfro
I ended up having to use WIN ME... sorry if I dissappointed you. I didn't have 98SE.

How can I get the computer to recognize the HD has 80 GB? Right now it shows it only has 2GB

Windows hould have a large disk setting...Lemme look...

 

[bacillus]

Originally posted by: plaidfro

How can I get the computer to recognize the HD has 80 GB? Right now it shows it only has 2GB

I suspect that when you fdisked you didn't enable large disk support so you end up with a 2Gb, fat16 partition.

 

[Granorense]

Originally posted by: bacillus

Originally posted by: plaidfro

How can I get the computer to recognize the HD has 80 GB? Right now it shows it only has 2GB

I suspect that when you fdisked you didn't enable large disk support so you end up with a 2Gb, fat16 partition.

He could also use the CD that came with the hard drive to format it before installing the OS, without having to use a startup disk and fdisk!

 

[plaidfro]

Originally posted by: bacillus

Originally posted by: plaidfro

How can I get the computer to recognize the HD has 80 GB? Right now it shows it only has 2GB

I suspect that when you fdisked you didn't enable large disk support so you end up with a 2Gb, fat16 partition.

I did enable the large disk support, and it shows it as FAT32, still it shows an 80 GB HD to only have a 2GB capacity... any other suggestions?

 

[MrChad]

Is the full size of the hard drive recognized in your BIOS?

EDIT: If so, there's an updated version of fdisk for HDs larger than 64 GB.

 

[rasczak]

ME is teh devil, if you can get a (legal)copy of win2k you'd be better off. you'll also do away with the hdd issue.

 

[Andres3605]

try doing 2 partitions maybe?

 

[redbeard1]

It's very possible, in that vintage of a board, that there is a 40 or 60 gig bios limit. Check and see if they have a newer bios available that adds large drive support. Otherwise there is no easy way to fix it, other than installing an IDE add-in card.