Stupid Mistake?

[cbjroms]

I have just replaced the 2GB hard drive on my home PC with an 81GB unit.

When the machine boots up, it tells me that I have an 81GB hard drive fitted. The BIOS has detected the drive as a 81GB unit. But Windows Explorer still sees the new hard drive as a 2.07GB unit (ie exactly the same as the old drive which it has replaced).

When I installed the hardrive I ran FDISK and then formatted the new drive. I reloaded Windows ME and my other software and everything is running fine. Except that Drive Image crashes because it says that I already have an extended memory manager in place - is this a clue?

I have done some research and followed the Microsoft Knowledge Base Article (273896) to convert the drive to a FAT32 File System - this has made no difference as Windows still sees a 2.07GH drive!

What have I missed and will I be able to use the full 81GB or will Windows only allow me to use the 2GB?

Any advice would be very welcome.

Chris (Hampshire)

 

[wead]

What version of windows do you have?
Do you have a dell or gateway or something?
Are you keeping the old HD in the tower?

 

[wead]

Why replace when you can use both?
Use the 2.5 for windows and the 81 for extra space.
I suggest gettng XP so your comp can handle the new HD I don't think the fat32 file system can handle it I think it only goes up to like 64 (not sure) get on a NTFS file system. Win2k pro is also fine. DONT GET WINDOWS ME. ME SUCKS!

 

[cbjroms]

I am running Windows Me, the computer is home-built (ie not Dell, Gateway etc) and the old HD is not in the PC.

 

[wead]

Alrighty. So you did a fresh install of windows ME. I dont understand how it could hold the old settings if you replaced the hard drive. Wouldnt u need a fresh install. You prolly need to upgrade to the NTFS file system and I dont think FDISK will cut it i know win2k comes with a partitioner that will do it...

 

[wead]

you might need to unistall your old hd from device manager... then it should detect the new one.

 

[cbjroms]

Just had a thought.

Having installed the new drive I booted-up using the Windows Me start-up disc which I had created when my old drive was in place.

Having got to the command prompt, I ran FDISK to setup my new hard drive. When I chose to create a Primary Partition, I don't recall the size I chose. Would the default size have been the capacity of my old hard drive, if I chose to create a Primary Partition of that size would that leave the rest of the hard drive unaccessible? Would this explain why Drive Image crashes when I try to make an image of C:?

Am I making sense or is the frustration getting to me?

Thanks for your help.

Chris

 

[wead]

nah your making sense. Duh it was the boot disk. Goto dos run FDISK and do it again. This time look at what your doing! To answer my own question from before YOU CAN UPGRADE TO WIN2K from 98 AND KEEP ALL YOUR FILES... woot.

 

[Nubius]

yeah get rid of ME, it's a horrible operating system and yeah you want to get onto the NTFS file system instead of the FAT32, it's newer and more recognized which inturn means less buggy, quicker information access and minor stuff like that. Try wead's suggestions cause it very well sounds like the problem. Make sure you LOOK AT what you are doing also like he said lol.

 

[Regulus]

Yes, Windows ME is a pathetic OS. Get something else. Go to www.pricegrabber.com and find a cheap OEM Windows XP OS.