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IDE HDD Problem

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9 replies

by techv

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IDE HDD : Seagate(ST38421A) 8.4GB
OS : Win9x/2K/RH Linux 6.0
Problem :
When i am installing this HDD(with FDISK),it shows 8221MB and after formatiing it in FAT32 its showing 2.52GB used space,rest is free space,whereas i had not installed anything on to it.
I had tried the track 0 script usinf DOS debug command,but in vain
also tried partition magic 6.0,but no required results,I had used FAT16 formatting also,but it had not worked.
i am loosing a space of 2.5gb out of 8.4gb IDE HDD
pls help

9 replies

by rg11

When you did fdisk did you delete logical and physical drives first before you formatted.

by techv

yes., I had already done that also..it is diplaying that it has deleted(al partitions),but when i restart,it doesnt get deleted.

by doug

If you are using Linux on the drive, did you delete all non dos partions before starting?

by rg11

Is it showing used space or just not showing the full 8.4GB. Try getting a new win98 boot disk, delete all partitions, format c:, if you havent yet.

by techv

Its showing 8.4GB in BIOS also while formatting,but after that in dos its showing 2.52gb used space same in windows too !
i am only getting 6gb(approx)free space,I also tried using clean new floppies for installing os and formatin,it had not worked

by smokey

Get maxtor's low-level formatting utility from their web site and reformat using that. This is the best format possible to completely erase your drive.

This should solve any bad sectors or unseen data that is locked by the hard drive

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