reformat hard drive

"Robert Tracey" <robert.tracey DeleteThis @onetel.net> wrote in message
news:417ac8ea@212.67.96.135...
 > Hi
 >
 > I had an 80 Gb hard drive installed in a PIII and could only format it to
 > 30Gb. I have upgraded my system and would like to reformat the drive and
 > get the full 80Gb. However when I select Format it only offers me the
 > original 30Gb. Is there any way round this please
 >
 >
 >

first off...be sure the bios properly recognizes the drive...
if that's ok...you will need the updated version of fdisk to delete the
drive
then recreate at the full capacity...

you should be able to get the updated fdisk from microsoft...
or else just download a winME bootdisk from <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.bootdisk.com" target="_blank">www.bootdisk.com</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: reformat hard drive 

On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 22:11:21 +0100, "Robert Tracey"
<robert.tracey.TakeThisOut@onetel.net> wrote:

 >Hi
 >
 >I had an 80 Gb hard drive installed in a PIII and could only format it to
 >30Gb. I have upgraded my system and would like to reformat the drive and
 >get the full 80Gb. However when I select Format it only offers me the
 >original 30Gb. Is there any way round this please
 >
 >

IMHO, if that is the only drive in the (new) system, you'd
be as well off leaving the OS partition at 30GB or smaller
and just creating a 2nd partition with the unused space.
This allows making whole partition backups with Driveimage
or Ghost, which can be very good if you ever have a problem
with windows. FDISK can do that too, just create it as an
extended partition, and one (or more) logical drives using
all of that space.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: reformat hard drive 

 > first off...be sure the bios properly recognizes the drive...
 > if that's ok...you will need the updated version of fdisk to delete the
 > drive
 > then recreate at the full capacity...
 >
 > you should be able to get the updated fdisk from microsoft...
<font color=purple> > or else just download a winME bootdisk from <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.bootdisk.com</font" target="_blank">www.bootdisk.com</font</a>>
 >

If you use Partition Magic you can reclaim your unformatted space and not
lose your data.

-Kent<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: reformat hard drive 

In article <417ac8ea.DeleteThis@212.67.96.135>, Robert Tracey says...
 > Hi
 >
 > I had an 80 Gb hard drive installed in a PIII and could only format it to
 > 30Gb. I have upgraded my system and would like to reformat the drive and
 > get the full 80Gb. However when I select Format it only offers me the
 > original 30Gb. Is there any way round this please
 >
You are using an old version of FDISK that has a 30GB limit. Go to
bootitng.com and download their trial. Burn the CD and boot from it.
Create and format a 80GB partition using that.


--
Conor

Opinions personal, facts suspect.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: reformat hard drive 

"Kent_Diego" <None.RemoveThis@Nomicrosoft.com> wrote in message
news:fCHed.11087$6P5.10245@okepread02...
  >> first off...be sure the bios properly recognizes the drive...
  >> if that's ok...you will need the updated version of fdisk to delete
  >> the
  >> drive
  >> then recreate at the full capacity...
  >>
  >> you should be able to get the updated fdisk from microsoft...
<font color=green>  >> or else just download a winME bootdisk from <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.bootdisk.com</font" target="_blank">www.bootdisk.com</font</a>>
  >>
 >
 > If you use Partition Magic you can reclaim your unformatted space
 > and not
 > lose your data.
 >
 > -Kent

I see this suggestion a lot. Why when a new HDD is cheaper than
Partition Magic??????<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: reformat hard drive 

Run fdisk. delete the existing partion. Create a new partition using the
entire drive, then format the new partition.

"Robert Tracey" <robert.tracey RemoveThis @onetel.net> wrote in message
news:417ac8ea@212.67.96.135...
 > Hi
 >
 > I had an 80 Gb hard drive installed in a PIII and could only format it to
 > 30Gb. I have upgraded my system and would like to reformat the drive and
 > get the full 80Gb. However when I select Format it only offers me the
 > original 30Gb. Is there any way round this please
 >
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: reformat hard drive 

"bout time you ol' timers got over "fdisk" etc.
Just pop your XP CD in & you can do all you want.


"Tweek" <shawnwinget.DeleteThis@nospam_hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Qe9fd.1819$C_6.433@trnddc04...
 > Run fdisk. delete the existing partion. Create a new partition using the
 > entire drive, then format the new partition.
 >
 > "Robert Tracey" <robert.tracey.DeleteThis@onetel.net> wrote in message
 > news:417ac8ea@212.67.96.135...
  > > Hi
  > >
  > > I had an 80 Gb hard drive installed in a PIII and could only format it
to
  > > 30Gb. I have upgraded my system and would like to reformat the drive
and
  > > get the full 80Gb. However when I select Format it only offers me the
  > > original 30Gb. Is there any way round this please
  > >
  > >
  > >
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: reformat hard drive 

BruceM wrote:

 > "bout time you ol' timers got over "fdisk" etc.
 > Just pop your XP CD in & you can do all you want.

Well, not 'all'. XP won't format a FAT32 partition over 32 gig.


 > "Tweek" <shawnwinget.TakeThisOut@nospam_hotmail.com> wrote in message
 > news:Qe9fd.1819$C_6.433@trnddc04...
 >
  >>Run fdisk. delete the existing partion. Create a new partition using the
  >>entire drive, then format the new partition.
  >>
  >>"Robert Tracey" <robert.tracey.TakeThisOut@onetel.net> wrote in message
  >>news:417ac8ea@212.67.96.135...
  >>
   >>>Hi
   >>>
   >>>I had an 80 Gb hard drive installed in a PIII and could only format it
 >
 > to
 >
   >>>30Gb. I have upgraded my system and would like to reformat the drive
 >
 > and
 >
   >>>get the full 80Gb. However when I select Format it only offers me the
   >>>original 30Gb. Is there any way round this please
   >>>
   >>>
   >>>
  >>
  >>
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: reformat hard drive 

"BruceM" <bruce9950@@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:417f22f0$1@duster.adelaide.on.net...

 > "bout time you ol' timers got over "fdisk" etc.
 > Just pop your XP CD in & you can do all you want.

It's easier and quicker popping in a floopy and typing "Fdisk" than going
through the rigmarole of dealing with an XP CD.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: reformat hard drive 

He didn't say what OS he was using so fdisk seemed the best course of
action. If he needs a fat32 partion, the XP disc only allows that option if
the drive is under 32GB.

"BruceM" <bruce9950@@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:417f22f0$1@duster.adelaide.on.net...
 > "bout time you ol' timers got over "fdisk" etc.
 > Just pop your XP CD in & you can do all you want.
 >
 >
 > "Tweek" <shawnwinget.RemoveThis@nospam_hotmail.com> wrote in message
 > news:Qe9fd.1819$C_6.433@trnddc04...
  >> Run fdisk. delete the existing partion. Create a new partition using the
  >> entire drive, then format the new partition.
  >>
  >> "Robert Tracey" <robert.tracey.RemoveThis@onetel.net> wrote in message
  >> news:417ac8ea@212.67.96.135...
   >> > Hi
   >> >
   >> > I had an 80 Gb hard drive installed in a PIII and could only format it
 > to
   >> > 30Gb. I have upgraded my system and would like to reformat the drive
 > and
   >> > get the full 80Gb. However when I select Format it only offers me
   >> > the
   >> > original 30Gb. Is there any way round this please
   >> >
   >> >
   >> >
  >>
  >>
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: reformat hard drive 

"Tweek" <shawnwinget DeleteThis @nospam_hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3kUfd.7281$LT1.5683@trnddc09...

 > He didn't say what OS he was using so fdisk seemed the best course of
 > action. If he needs a fat32 partion, the XP disc only allows that option
 > if the drive is under 32GB.

Actually, I never thought of partitioning or formating with the XP install
disk in that manner, but if I had I would still opt for the Fdisk via
floppy. And you're right about the FAT32 limitation, not that I would
format anything to FAT32 anymore. I do use CF cards that require FAT16, but
none are bigger than 1gb.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: reformat hard drive 

  > >
  > > If you use Partition Magic you can reclaim your unformatted space
  > > and not
  > > lose your data.
  > >
  > > -Kent
 >
 > I see this suggestion a lot. Why when a new HDD is cheaper than
 > Partition Magic??????
 >
So you do not have to re-format and loose all your data. The original poster
never mentioned new harddrive. If he had new HD, I would use Ghost to make
the original 30 GB partition occupy entire new HD (and not lose data).

-Kent<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: reformat hard drive 

Kent_Diego wrote:

   >>>If you use Partition Magic you can reclaim your unformatted space
   >>>and not
   >>>lose your data.
   >>>
   >>>-Kent
  >>
  >>I see this suggestion a lot. Why when a new HDD is cheaper than
  >>Partition Magic??????
  >>
 >
 > So you do not have to re-format and loose all your data. The original poster
 > never mentioned new harddrive.

I think you missed his point. He wasn't saying the OP *did* have a new
drive; he was saying why not buy one? I.E. Why buy partition magic to
'recover' the 'unused' portion of the drive when you could simply buy a new
drive larger than the 'unused' portion? (maybe larger than the whole
drive). For less, or equal, cost you end up with more space even with the
'unused' portion of the old drive remaining unused (but see below).

 > If he had new HD, I would use Ghost to make
 > the original 30 GB partition occupy entire new HD (and not lose data).

Or they could use the free utility that comes with the new drive to clone
the old drive over to it. In which case, for less money than the cost of
partition magic, you end up with a new, probably larger, drive with all
your data cloned over to it so you can then reformat the old drive and
recover the 'unused' portion as well. So, for less, or equal, cost as
buying partition magic you end up with twice as much, or more, available
hard drive space.

 >
 > -Kent
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: reformat hard drive