40GB Hard Drive Only Seen as 2GB by Windows 98 (Norton Ghost) \ VOGONS

40GB Hard Drive Only Seen as 2GB by Windows 98 (Norton Ghost)

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First post, by Tempest

Posted on 2024-07-16, 20:03

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Not sure if this question belongs in Windows or Hardware. Please move if I'm wrong.

I have a 40GB IBM Deskstar hard drive that I want to use with my Windows 98SE machine. The BIOS on my PC (an IBM PC 350) can only do drives up to 8GB which is fine by me. This drive is a replacement for an older hard drive that I was using for Windows 98 (a 40GB drive, but it was only seen as 1.2GB by Windows 98 for some reason). I used Norton Ghost to make an image of the drive, store it on a secondary drive (which is also larger but seen as the full 8GB by Windows), and then restore it the new drive. This worked, but the Windows 98 drive is only seen as 2GB instead of 8GB.

Is this a result of using Norton Ghost to restore the image of the old drive or do I need to do something special to format it to the full 8GB? Is there a limit on how large the main Windows 98 partition can be or something? I tried hooking the new drive up to Windows 98 as a slave drive and format it there thinking that Windows would at least see full the 8GB, but it only saw 2GB. The BIOS sees the full 8GB though. Any ideas? I'd just like my drive to show the full 8GB in Windows 98.

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Reply 1 of 7, by jakethompson1

Posted on 2024-07-16, 20:40

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Sounds like you're using a FAT16 partition instead of FAT32

Reply 2 of 7, by butjer1010

Posted on 2024-07-16, 20:41

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When installing win98, there is a option for larger drives (FAT32)

Reply 3 of 7, by Tempest

Posted on 2024-07-16, 21:17

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jakethompson1 wrote on 2024-07-16, 20:40:

Sounds like you're using a FAT16 partition instead of FAT32

Ah maybe that's it. So if I installed Windows 98 on a FAT16 partition there's not way to move it to a FAT32 partition right? I'll just have to resintall? Using the Ghost image will always restore to a FAT16 partition.

When installing Windows 98 I assume there's an option for FAT 32?

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Reply 4 of 7, by jakethompson1

Posted on 2024-07-16, 22:55

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There is a utility bundled with Windows 98 called cvt that will convert an existing FAT16 partition to FAT32.

However, it doesn't enlarge it.

Interestingly, shrinking a FAT16 partition (e.g. to install Linux) was quite common, but the utility for it (fips) can't enlarge but only shrink.

Back in the day someone might pay for a commercial utility (Partition Magic?) to do that; maybe parted can do it now, but I would personally reinstall.

Reply 5 of 7, by Tempest

Posted on 2024-07-16, 23:16

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You're probably right, I should just reinstall. Unless I could convert it to FAT32, make an image with Ghost, then move it to a new 8GB FAT32 drive. Would that work or would the Ghost image force the drive back to 2GB?

This is a question for the Windows forum, but is it still possible to patch a fresh Windows 98SE install so it's up to date?

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Reply 6 of 7, by Tempest

Posted on 2024-07-17, 00:34

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I tried ghosting the image to the FAT32 8GB hard drive. It looked like it worked, but when I tried to boot I get a 'Boot Sequence Error'. Whatever that means. Looks like I'll just have to reinstall Windows 98. Sigh...

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Reply 7 of 7, by chinny22

Posted on 2024-07-22, 07:44

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This is why I like to partition my drive.
2GB is plenty for Win98 and utilities.
With the reaming space create an extended partition then logical drive.
Install your games on D:\ and you'll find most will work without reinstalling if you do have to wipe windows just run the game exe and it starts just fine.
I also keep a copy of the Win98 folder from the CD as well as at least the network driver.
This means I can run the windows reinstall off the hard drive, get networking up and running and pull any other drivers from over the network.
If you only install a few apps like DirectX, and archive and virtual CD software of choice your up and running pretty quick.

"This is a question for the Windows forum, but is it still possible to patch a fresh Windows 98SE install so it's up to date?"
No such thing, Win98 hasn't had an update in over 10 years so even fully patched its still not up to date. Just install any update that your setup needs specifically is my advice

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