Can't read D: (60GB) after W98 reinstall

[Gary]

I have a 486 233GHz CPU with a 10GB Fujitsu disk running W98. I recently installed a new IBM Deskstar 60GB disk as D:. I installed the IBM Disk Manager disk overlay software to be able to access over 8GB. Got it set up and backed up my laptop data to it. So far, so good...

A week later I reinstalled W98 on C:, using an new OEM version. It required a reformatting of C: (not sure why). I couldn't get it to install all the drivers correctly and I couldn't see D:. I sent it to my local service guy to fix the drivers and get D: accessible.

Service guy fixed my driver issue and installed EZ-BIOS disk overlay software but couldn't access D:. He said that something must be wrong on the partition. The CMOS setup recognizes the drive OK. EZ-BIOS shows two drives a 10GB and 60GB. W98 only shows C:. FDISK displays two drives.

I read through a lot of good stuff on this in PC Guide, but the answer eludes me. What's wrong?

1. Does the fact that I originally used Disk Manager to partition D: mean that I can't access it using EZ-BIOS?
2. If the partition information is bad is there a utility to fix it?
3. Can I move D: to a newer system, that doesn't require disk overlay software, and access the data?
4. How can I save the data?

[welshboy]

hmmmm, I had similar trouble when I installed a 15Gb drive on an old P166MMX system I was using. I used drive overlay software on it and it worked for a while and then the partitions (for want of a better term) fell apart. I tried using the drive on another computer but the overlay software had corrupted the FAT's for each partition and I was left with no choice but to re-format the thing and wait until I built a new computer to use it.

The way I see it - and anyone can correct me if I am wrong - is that the drive can be used on any Motherboard that supports 8Gb+ drives if the partitions/FAT's are still intact. BUT (and this is a BIG BUT) if the drive overlay software is still installed on the drive it will continue to operate and I fear that this is where the problem lies, besides I don't think it helps that you are trying to install a drive of that size!

I did some major investigation work at the time and was repeatedly warned that the overlay software could mess up the partitions/FAT's - it did it to me within 7 days!

In the long run you will be better off upgrading your Motherboard to something that can handle big drives as I have done (no HD probs since). If you can't afford to upgrade to a 'cutting edge' machine you should be able to pick up a slightly used machine for a few dollars, at least you can then move your 10Gb drive accross and continue to use your existing OS and software whilst also having your 60Gb drive.......

hope this helps
Richard the Welshman

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I Love Heavy Music

[Sylvander]

Hello Gary

I'm no great expert here but you can have my thoughts.

1. The problem arises because you have drives by two different manufacturers and you should be using the drive overlay software which matches the drive jumpered as Primary-Master.

2. You had the Fujitsu as Primary-Master and the IBM as Primary-Slave, yes?
You used drive overlay software provided [not by Fujitsu, but] by IBM.
Not good!
This may be the cause of all the problems which followed.
Did the failure to see the d: drive occur after this IBM drive overlay software was introduced?

3. You could get drive overlay software from Fujitsu [if they supply it].

4. Better still; switch the IBM to Primary-Master and the Fujitsu to Primary-slave and use the "IBM Disk Manager disk overlay software".

When I added a new Samsung HDD to a Western Digital I:

A. Installed the Samsung as Primary-Slave and copied all the software to the Samsung using Prog's downloaded to a floppy from the Western Digital website.

B. Shut down and switched jumpers to make the Samsung the Primary-Master and the Western Digital the Primary-Slave and then [I think] Booted to the Samsung floppy to install the drive overlay software and it reported it had found "incompatible Software" [or some such thing] and did I wish to convert it, which I did.

An important point is that the Western Digital programs would detect the presence of the Samsung drive but refused to do anything to it unless The Western Digital drive was in Primary-Master position.

Similarly; the Samsung programs would detect the presence of the Western Digital drive but refused to do anything to it unless The Samsung drive was in Primary-Master position.

[borgdrone1of2]

hello
wasthe 60 gig hd ever partioned and formated?

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resistance is invigorateing lol