Fdisk displaying incorrect disk size

[wing_abx]

Tried to partition a brand new 40Gb Seagate HDD using a Win98 bootdisk. Fdisk kept displaying the HDD size as 5910 mbytes when it should be 38162 mbytes. Tried partitioning another IBM 40Gb HDD and still the same problem. Also tried using a Win ME boot disk instead and still Fdisk reported both the Seagate 40Gb and IBM 40Gb HDD size as 5910 mbytes.

Checked and swaped the IDE cable but still the same problem. Could it be the IDE controller that is causing the problem ? The motherboard ( which is a QDI Synactix 5EP) bios setup reported the correct HDD size.

I then fdisk the Seagate on another PC using the same Win98 boot disk and Fdisk displayed the correct 38,162 mbytes HDD size.

Any comments or suggestions ?

[ThugsRook]

check this thread

but sounds like a bios problem ~ try updating it?

[KingTermite]

How are you running F-disk?
If you are running F-disk from a DOS bootable floppy or something, is there a chance that it is not reading because of the file system used on the hdd?
I know DOS floppy's can not see NTFS partitions, I don't know if that includes F-disk itself as well or not though.

[wing_abx]

I am running Fdisk from a Win98 startup disk. Also tried using a WinMe startup disk.

In the bios setup I set the HDD mode to Auto and the CMOS did report the correct disk size. Probably, the problem was already ther there on day one but I didn't notice it because the IBM HDD had been partitioned (FAT32), and used, on a working Asus CUSL2-C board. It was swapped out onto the QDI Synactix 5EP Intel Tualatin board PC without reformatting. It was running Ok until 2 weeks ago when POST reported a HDD failure and I never got beyond the Win98SE logo. I then bought a brand new Seagate 40Gb and tried to partition it on the new PC that I noticed Fdisk was not displaying the correct disk size.

I think I got the latest bios but I'll check.

[swm]

I am having exactly the same problem...

I have a 40GB SeaGate HD that I received 2nd hand but in perfect working order, but it will only show up as 5910 Mbytes in fdisk...

When I formatted the drive it said:

38,152.84MB total disk space
38,152.84MB available on disk

32,768 bytes in each allocation unit
1,220,890 allocation units available on disk

But in fdisk is says:

Partition C:1
Status A
Type PRI DOS
Volume Label
Mbytes 5910
System FAT32
Usage 100%

Total disk space is 5910 Mbytes (1 Mbyte = 1048576 bytes)

Which is wrong, but then for my slave drive:

Partition D:1
Status A
Type PRI DOS
Volume Label
Mbytes 6150
System FAT32
Usage 100%

Total disk space is 6150 Mbytes (1 Mbyte = 1048576 bytes)

Which is right... It isn't my BIOS because I had to update that just to get the computer to detect the hard drive (it's now from 2000 I think).

[bazza]

win98se and winme boot disk version of fdisk can support 40G

so it looks more like a BIOS problem

in general Socket 370 PIII and all P4 Motherboards support 40G

but P2 maybe cannot depending on manufacturer, Asus P2 Motherboards can, with latest BIOS

[VSEKH]

Check the link to a thread ThugsRook gave above. You need to download an updated fdisk from Microsoft's website.

[swm]

I recently updated my BIOS so it would detect the hard drive, I downloaded the new version from here:

http://www.motherboards.org/biosup/p/EP-6ZXM/3252.html


This is what it says when I startup:

Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG, An Energy Star Ally
Copyright (c) 1984-98, Award Software, Inc.

09/20/2000 for i440BX/ZX AGPset

PENTIUM III-MMX CPU at 500(100#5)MHz
Memory Test : 131072K OK

Award Plug and Play BIOS Extension v1.0A
Copyright (c) 1998, Award Software, Inc.


and then at the very bottom of the screen:

09/20/2000-i440BX/ZX-977-2A69KPABC-00


Don't know if that helps... :confuse2:

[swm]

I can't seem to download that file...