Hard Drive shows Wrong Size

[goreyhill]

Hi all, I have put a 40gb HD into my pc (Olivetti) Using the restore disk windows shows the drive as 6.27gb when I reformat and install windows with out the restore disk it shows up as 38gb. I have changed the setting head size etc.
I need to use the software that is on the restore disk. Any one any ideas.

 

[roamer1]

Hi goreyhill,

I see two options:

1. You can install using the restore disk and then create a secondary partition to use the rest of the drive- This would be fine, except 6g is pretty small for a front partition.

2. Install using the restore disk and use PowerQuest's Partition Magic (or similiar) to stretch the partition after the fact and add whatever extra partitions as well.

 

[gargouille]

Good call, too, roamer, I just barged right ahead past the obvious.

And since, I answered over there, I'll answer here, too:
Quoted from elsewhere:
Dunno' about Olivetti, but lots of the mfr.s that rely on propietary stuff (HP, Compaq and others) are sometimes willing to give you for a nominal fee an updated version of the disk.
Asked around about that? (like on google)
It is possible, too, that a BIOS upgrade might be needed.
If I were in your shoes, I'd wanna' be looking at a motherboard manual to help me sort this out. It'd have BIOS information in it...and other stuff that might help to know.
Propietary upgrades software/hardware can be tricky, and aren't helped much by the don't ask don't tell attitude of the propietors. But google's your friend!

 

[roamer1]

Hiya gargouille,

you musta been posting there while I was a'postin here. LOL!

goreyhill,
If your HDD is not being seen correctly in BIOS then gargouille is on the right track.
I thought your machine was seeing it fine, and that you got 40g if you used a Windows disk to install. But if you used the restore disk, it set a specific partition size of 6g.

pehaps you could clarify??

 

[goreyhill]

Hi yes If I format and install off win 98 (no drivers etc)it picks up the right size. If I install using restore disk, it picks up 6.27.

 

[roamer1]

What is the current state of the box? Restore or Win98?

 

[cdogg]

I'm assuming the restore disk came with your PC when you had a different hard drive, correct? It was tailored for the old hard drive that you had before, not the new 40GB drive. Part of what the restore disk does is set up the boot sector and FAT to accomodate a specific amount of space.

As roamer suggested, you might be able to use the restore disk, then a 3rd-party program like Partition Magic to extend the small partition from 6GB to 40GB.

Just a thought...


~cdogg

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
- A. Einstein