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  • June 3, 2000 at 11:29 am #2080531

    Partition disappeared (different to some

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    by foss · about 24 years, 11 months ago

    I have a 10 Gb drive and a 4Gb drive. The 4Gb is partitioned into 2 2Gb bits. Recently, I have had problems with installing new memory, and have had to go back from 160Mb to 64Mb. The second partition on the 4Gb drive has since disappeared. Any ideas?
    Fdisk shows that it’s a 2 Gb drive at 100% usage with only 1 partition.

    REALLY need help on this asap.

    Topic is locked This conversation is currently closed to new comments.
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    • June 3, 2000 at 12:29 pm #3893929

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by steve cody · about 24 years, 11 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      Check your CMOS settings and make sure the hard drive settings have not changed. It is probably being autodetected. However, because you were changing the RAM, you may have changed/saved CMOS settings.

      For some reason, you computer may be detecting the drive as a 2 gig….

      Hope this helps. Email me if you need to.

      Steve Cody
      [email protected]

      • June 5, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3894082

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 11 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

        It’s detecting the drive fine – just not one of the partitions. The CMOS Settings are just how they should be (I wrote them all down ages ago just to make sure).

        Thanks anyway 🙂

      • June 11, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3778927

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 10 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

    • June 3, 2000 at 12:39 pm #3893928

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by jesalyer · about 24 years, 11 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      I hate to bring this up, but have you checked the integrity of this motherboard?

      You have two different systems malfunctioning. It would make sense to me to subtitute a known good motherboard of the exact same make and model and see what happens.

      (I know this seems expensive. Buy the board, then return it if your condition persists despite the swap.)

      jeff s
      spanish helpdesk specialist

      • June 5, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3894083

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 11 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

        Having spoken to a few people about the motherboard, it seems that the extra SIMMs power surged the board, helping it lose the drive. Allegedly it’s an unrecoverable error. I’m going to keep trying for a while, but if I don’t solve it soon, I’m going to have to give up. Arse.

        Thanks for the help 🙂

      • June 11, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3778928

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 10 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

    • June 3, 2000 at 5:58 pm #3893900

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by mckaytech · about 24 years, 11 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      I agree with the suggestion to verify the drive geometry in the CMOS. I’m also assuming that this drive wasn’t installed with any software BIOS extensions so that the motherboard could see the whole thing.

      If the CMOS drive geometry is correct, then
      the findings in Fdisk are really worrisome and the only tool I’ve ever used successfully to recover a lost partition is Hard Drive Mechanic. It hasn’t worked with every case but depending on the value of the data on that partition, it might beworth trying.

      I know this doesn’t paint a rosy scenario but that’s ‘cuz it isn’t. If you had backups, you’re now at the point that you would be using them.

      Good luck!

      paul

      Paul M. Wright, Jr.
      McKay Technologies

      • June 5, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3894084

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 11 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

        CMOS Settings are fine. Hard Drive Mechanic tells me the drive isn’t partitioned at all.

        Backups – I’m IT Support, and I’m ALWAYS telling people to back up their work as often as possible. I should learn to heed my own advice 😉

        Thanks.

      • June 11, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3778929

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 10 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

    • June 3, 2000 at 6:52 pm #3893894

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by ilkopaunov · about 24 years, 11 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      get “easy recovery” or “Tiramisu” from http://www.ontrack.de
      This program can do more for you.

      • June 5, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3894085

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 11 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

        Easy Recovery told me the same as Hard Drive Mechanic – that it’s only a 2 Gig Drive.

        I was SURE it was 4, but now I’m starting to have doubts… But the lost partition problem still remains.
        Thanks anyway 🙂 The program you suggested did tell me that there were some problems with it. Maybe the drive’s just knackered?

      • June 11, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3778930

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 10 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

    • June 4, 2000 at 4:35 am #3893871

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by home free tech · about 24 years, 11 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      If the above answers don’t work I would try a virus scanner. I had a virus once called the Monkey B virus and it caused my system to crash the hard drive. I only found one programs to get rid of it called KillMonk, once you run it and it kills thevirus(assuming this is what’s wrong) after that your dive and data will be intact. If you can’t find the program I can get you a copy.

      Andrew Langley
      hftech.homestead.com/home.html
      [email protected]

    • June 4, 2000 at 8:55 pm #3893749

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by jun1cez1 · about 24 years, 11 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      To Foss,

      Its quite assumable that you had changed some CMOS configuration when you had that memory installation problem or it could be simply that you just accidentally dis-seated your IDE connectorwire. In either case, I suggest that you re-check the CMOS setting and see if the 2nd harddrive specs are still the same as it was before the memory installation problem. You may need to re-enter all the settings for that particular HDD.
      If that did not solve the problem (2nd HDD), you may need to reconsider reformatting the 2nd drive and of re-partition as you may wish. Also, i assume that you would also check if they(both HDD’s are configured as Master/Slave if they configured that way before with or both Master on separate IDE’s.
      The latter is only an assumable theory since you’re problem originated with the memory but i’ll check it anyways.
      I hope this helps but the choice is still yours.
      Jun

      • June 5, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3894087

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 11 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

        The only memory-related setting in the CMOS was something to do with the speed. Anyway, I tried that, and it didn’t do anything to help me get my partition back. The CMOS was fine.

        The Master / Slave settings on the drives are fine. I’m not goingto reformat the 2nd drive because that would make sure my data’s lost, and that’s what I’m trying to recover.
        Thanks anyway.

      • June 11, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3778932

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 10 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

    • June 5, 2000 at 3:07 am #3894381

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by stefan.mcintyre · about 24 years, 11 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      1. Check your cmos to see if it’s allows a setting for CHS(Cylinder, Head, Sector) or LBA (Logical Block Addressing) settings. Depending on your system (chipset). First try it on LBA if that doesn’t work see if there’s a setting for Extended CHS andtry that.

      2. There’s a known problem with ram on some chipsets. Check an article on http://www.winmag.com for more info.

    • June 5, 2000 at 3:19 am #3894370

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by calves · about 24 years, 11 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      The 2 disks worked fine b4 the memory change. Not other changes were done.
      Take out the 4 GB disk, do a auto-detect on the CMOS (it should find the large disk and not the small one). Accept changes, re-insert the disk and do an auto-detect again.Hopefully, it’ll detect the 4 Gb disk again, if so your partitions will show up again.

      Good Luck!

      • June 5, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3894089

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 11 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

        Unfortunately, this didn’t work either. Maybe some bastard has sneaked in to my flat, and swapped my 4 Gig with a crappy old 2 Gig drive? 😉

        Thanks anyway. I wouldn’t have thought of trying this one!

      • June 11, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3778934

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 10 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

    • June 5, 2000 at 5:09 am #3894333

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by Anonymous · about 24 years, 11 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      Were the 2GB partitions FAT or not? Maybe FDISK and the OS you’re using can’t read a non-fat partition…Just a WAG. How can a 2gb partition read as 100% to a 4gb drive? Only if the CMOS setting for the drive has changed….ie..the CMOS sees it now as only a 2GB drive!

    • June 5, 2000 at 11:05 am #3894165

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by jesselou · about 24 years, 11 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      set your cmos with the correct parameters on your 2 drives.your 4gb hdd will be be your c:
      drive and your 10gig hdd will be the last drive.repartition and reformat all your drive
      and give particular attention during your partitioning process.

      • June 5, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3894091

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 11 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

        No, my 10Gb is C, E and F (Primary Master), and my 4Gb is D and *was* also G until it died.
        I’m not going to reformat the 10Gb, as it’s working fine. The 4Gb is showing as 4 in the CMOS, and 2 in Fdisk etc.

      • June 11, 2000 at 9:11 pm #3778936

        Partition disappeared (different to some

        by foss · about 24 years, 10 months ago

        In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

    • June 5, 2000 at 11:43 am #3894153

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by jon · about 24 years, 11 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      as for this i do not know what to tell you except in the future use fat32.

    • June 5, 2000 at 4:43 pm #3894126

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by bret112 · about 24 years, 11 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      try going to the manufacturers site and see if they have an installation program or a troubleshooting program if not go to powerquests web site and get partition magic it does one heck of a job with partitioning without damaging files

    • June 5, 2000 at 4:51 pm #3894125

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by nam.vet · about 24 years, 11 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      I found the best way is to find a computer store, or call a lot of magazine companys and buy software that does it for you, but rem

    • June 10, 2000 at 5:29 am #3777776

      Partition disappeared (different to some

      by rightangledesign@yahoo · about 24 years, 10 months ago

      In reply to Partition disappeared (different to some

      I know this is the radical approach, but if nothing else is working out for you…
      I would start by doing the fdisk \mbr then put the partitions the way you want them with fdisk or another type of partition program. Format the disk(s) and try to get your hands on Win98, se or not it doesn’t matter. Try the same setup as before. I bet this will solve a lot of problems for you. I am a new network admin at a place that was running Win95B as clients and the problems were in abundance, mainly printers dissapearing and e-mail not working. I started upgrading all the user pc’s to Win98 and it got quiet all of the sudden.

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