The debate is heated!

[scorpyun2001]

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum and I am trying to get my A+ certification and have come across this sticky question.

A client calls and tells you that after installing Windows 98 on a 11GB hard drive only 6.5GB are recognized. How can you fix this problem?

a>reinstall windows 98 from the OEM CD.
b>install windows98SE with large hard drive support
c>use fdisk.exe inside of windows 98 from DOS prompt
d>reformat the hard drive overlay that comes with the drive
e>contact the motherboard manufacturer for a BIOS upgrade

i say the correct answers are c and e. my friend says b and e.

my argument is that even though fdisk will delete data, there's nothing in the question that says the client had data the client just installed an OS. why upgrade when u can just reformat in fat32!

please help me clarify this problem

 

[cdogg]

You would use fdisk first to view the hard drive setup. Chances are that an "extended partition" was accidently created or the remaining space is "unused".

Another possibility is that some older BIOS's had a 7.8GB limit. Until you flashed the BIOS to a newer version (assuming the vendor supplied one), it wouldn't matter what file system you were using (FAT16 or FAT32).

If Windows recognizes 6.5GB, it's already in FAT32 because FAT16 only allows Windows to see 2GB or less.

 

[scorpyun2001]

so the correct answer is B and E?

 

[thatrenowned]

I would say C. Use Fdisk to create a partition using all available space and then reinstall Windows.

Hope this helps

Rgds

 

[cdogg]

The answer would definitely include C, but E is a possibility. It depends on what information you gather from fdisk. If all available space is being used already, then chances are reinstalling Windows won't make a difference. The BIOS could be the limiting factor and might need upgrading...

 

[thatrenowned]

Yeah, probably C and E. The BIOS might be limiting what Windows can actually see.
Also, there is nothing in the question to suggest that the hard drive can't have more than one partition, so you could just free the space up without wiping Windows and any data on the same partition.

Rgds

 

[scorpyun2001]

how would i free the space up without losing data?

 

[thatrenowned]

You wouldn't need to use FDisk once Windows is installed. You can use START -> PROGRAMS -> ACCESSORIES -> SYSTEM TOOLS -> Disk Space which does this for you (NT4's version is called Disk Administrator).

Anyway, if you did want to use FDisk to do this, you would open it up and select create extended partition using all available space.

Rgds

 

[scorpyun2001]

i do not see that "disk space" option on my system. is that because i am running winME

 

[thatrenowned]

Probably. I have had very little use of ME, but I'm sure that if you look in the system utilities (or it equivalent), you'll find something which does the same thing.

Rgds

 

[edfair]

Definely not b. Small drive support would have the drive limited to 2.1 gb. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[KarveR]

Another point to note is certain OEM CD's (as provided by Toshiba, HP, etc) can have default options preset for a standard configuration;
If the drive is larger than 2Gb it will broken into 2Gb chunks (this is a favourite on old HP PC's) and all will show in "my computer" when the install has finished.

So A (*if* you can use custom options, these aren't always available (toshiba laptop restore CD's)) would be OK but probably not your first choice.

b) Windows 98 naturally supports large hard disks, it was first introduced in win95 OSR2 Revision B or C.
I'm sure it was first available as part of the PLUS pack for windows 95.

c)Whether you use fdisk inside or outside of windows makes absolutely no difference, it will show the current drive configuration even if you used it from a linux boot disk.

d) The hard drive overlay that comes with the drive is supplied to allow the older mainboards access to parts of the drive over what the mainboard is able to handle.
This is not a correct option.

e)This would be a favourite option depending on when the mainboard was manufactured.

My final coclusion would leave only E as a valid choice. - Also the one I would happily put money on. ***************************************
Party on, dudes!

 

[scorpyun2001]

KarveR:

excellent analysis, however TWO answers are required!

 

[KarveR]

Well as its an A+ cert, you'll need fault finding ability too;
Best tool for Disk analysis is fdisk which would show the current drive configuration.

Scenario for this being an NTFS partition existing on the drive (doesn't say it new right?) and if so installing from either OEM or win98SE wouldn't make the slightest difference.

My reference to fromatting a drive overlay stands.

This leaves you C and E as you rightly posted at the beginnin ***************************************
Party on, dudes!

 

[scorpyun2001]

i believe its c and e but my instructor marked my answer as a 1/2 point because he says that fat is limited to 2 gigs and the scenarion in question is talking about a min of 6.5 gigs therefore making the conversion to fat32 a non-option.

i will get to the bottom of this!

 

[KarveR]

OK Humour me, what was the exact wording of D? check it cos if you omitted one word, it would make alot of difference ;-) ***************************************
Party on, dudes!

 

[scorpyun2001]

i typed it up just like its worded.

 

[KarveR]

Well I can't figure it out either then, we know fat is limited to 2gigs, so it not a fat formatting problem,(never has been never will be), however (and your instructor misses this point) fdisk will show you how the entire drive is configured, its not limited to just showing FAT
So why he even raises that point is well pointless.

Windows 98 has always had large (greater than 2 gig) support so it cant be that.

Guess your only option is D but the wording doesn't read correctly.
*Unless the overlay actually rewrites the file allocation table in the boot sector, and the information would be preserved after a format.

Let me know what the outcome is as I'd love to know.
I'm obvioulsy too st00pid to do an A+ after all ;-) ***************************************
Party on, dudes!