what's wrong with this picture?

wolfinminn · 09-02-2005, 09:43 AM

i have recently been experiencing a huge hard drive problem.
my bios finds me drive properly as 8.445 gb
windows me says it is only a 2.0 gb drive

where in the heck did the extra 6.4 gb's go?

very frustrating , the smallest program sets me over the drives capacity according to windows...

i desperately need some help here please

feel free to email me any suggestions for a fix at :josplace@prtel.com

thank you ahead of time , jonny

dai · 09-02-2005, 10:56 AM

when you formatted you did not select yes to recognise large drives,reformat

wolfinminn · 09-02-2005, 12:21 PM

yes is supposed to be in large mode ,

when i click run and enter fdisk this is the display info it gives for the drive...

partition ....status .....type ....volume label .... mbytes .... system .... usage
c:1 .... a .... pri dos .... 2060 .... fat32 .... 26%

total disk space is 8056 mbytes (1mbyte = 1048756 bytes)

thats what it shows for this drive , i have no idea what that means but maybe you do?

~~whodat~~ · 09-02-2005, 01:11 PM

go to my computer - right click on C drive -- click on properties.
tell us what is reported

wolfinminn · 09-02-2005, 03:21 PM

type: local disk
file system :fat32
used space :2,012,583,680 bytes 1.87gb
free space : 139,526,144bytes 137mb

capacity :2,156,109,824bytes 2.0gb

thats the c:/ properties thru windows

my bios lists this drive as : ata 66 8445mb

and label on the drive says 8445mb : seagate model st38421a 8.4gb

dai · 09-02-2005, 08:38 PM

it appears the drive is partitioned and formatted a 2g C drive and the rest of the drive is unformatted
http://www.computerhope.com/fdiskhlp.htm

Stu_computer · 09-02-2005, 08:42 PM

The BIOS should identify a hdd by it's model ID, which for your hdd is 'st38421a'. When the bios identifies a hdd with a generic description that's usually an indicator the hdd's controller is failing.
So, if you have data you want to keep I suggest you not use the pc until you have media to copy the data onto, (another hdd, or CD burner).

Fdisk should never be used on hdd's with an OS you intend to continue using, as it will write to the hdd even if no action is specified, which can corrupt the hdd.
It can only be used passively at the dos prompt as fdisk /status, any other use results in some data to be written to the hdd.

Fdisk is not a windows application and it's use within windows can possibly render the OS useless.

davcheong · 09-18-2005, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu_computer

The BIOS should identify a hdd by it's model ID, which for your hdd is 'st38421a'. When the bios identifies a hdd with a generic description that's usually an indicator the hdd's controller is failing.
So, if you have data you want to keep I suggest you not use the pc until you have media to copy the data onto, (another hdd, or CD burner).

Fdisk should never be used on hdd's with an OS you intend to continue using, as it will write to the hdd even if no action is specified, which can corrupt the hdd.
It can only be used passively at the dos prompt as fdisk /status, any other use results in some data to be written to the hdd.

Fdisk is not a windows application and it's use within windows can possibly render the OS useless.

1st thing... try using Partition Magic, maybe it can help...

Chevy · 09-24-2005, 07:18 PM

Please provide some more specs on your system:

Processor, Motherboard (Make/Model), Amount of RAM for starters.

09-02-2005, 09:43 AM	#1 (permalink)
wolfinminn Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: west central minnesota Posts: 3 OS: win/me	what's wrong with this picture? i have recently been experiencing a huge hard drive problem. my bios finds me drive properly as 8.445 gb windows me says it is only a 2.0 gb drive where in the heck did the extra 6.4 gb's go? very frustrating , the smallest program sets me over the drives capacity according to windows... i desperately need some help here please feel free to email me any suggestions for a fix at :josplace@prtel.com thank you ahead of time , jonny

09-02-2005, 10:56 AM	#2 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,690 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	when you formatted you did not select yes to recognise large drives,reformat __________________

09-02-2005, 12:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
wolfinminn Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: west central minnesota Posts: 3 OS: win/me	yes is supposed to be in large mode , when i click run and enter fdisk this is the display info it gives for the drive... partition ....status .....type ....volume label .... mbytes .... system .... usage c:1 .... a .... pri dos .... 2060 .... fat32 .... 26% total disk space is 8056 mbytes (1mbyte = 1048756 bytes) thats what it shows for this drive , i have no idea what that means but maybe you do? Last edited by wolfinminn; 09-02-2005 at 12:22 PM.

09-02-2005, 08:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,690 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	it appears the drive is partitioned and formatted a 2g C drive and the rest of the drive is unformatted http://www.computerhope.com/fdiskhlp.htm __________________

09-02-2005, 08:42 PM	#7 (permalink)
Stu_computer Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,461 OS: Windows	The BIOS should identify a hdd by it's model ID, which for your hdd is 'st38421a'. When the bios identifies a hdd with a generic description that's usually an indicator the hdd's controller is failing. So, if you have data you want to keep I suggest you not use the pc until you have media to copy the data onto, (another hdd, or CD burner). Fdisk should never be used on hdd's with an OS you intend to continue using, as it will write to the hdd even if no action is specified, which can corrupt the hdd. It can only be used passively at the dos prompt as fdisk /status, any other use results in some data to be written to the hdd. Fdisk is not a windows application and it's use within windows can possibly render the OS useless. __________________

09-02-2005, 01:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
~~whodat~~ Register user Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 5,931 OS: XP	go to my computer - right click on C drive -- click on properties. tell us what is reported

09-02-2005, 03:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
wolfinminn Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: west central minnesota Posts: 3 OS: win/me	type: local disk file system :fat32 used space :2,012,583,680 bytes 1.87gb free space : 139,526,144bytes 137mb capacity :2,156,109,824bytes 2.0gb thats the c:/ properties thru windows my bios lists this drive as : ata 66 8445mb and label on the drive says 8445mb : seagate model st38421a 8.4gb

09-24-2005, 07:18 PM	#9 (permalink)
Chevy Retired Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Notlob Posts: 5,452 OS: Vista Ultimate My System	Please provide some more specs on your system: Processor, Motherboard (Make/Model), Amount of RAM for starters.