Hey. I have been searching nemouous hours and it is not 2 oclcok so dont mind my spelling i can barly see. Well i am running Windows ME on a Pentium 1. I know it sucks but its my sucky comp i keep in my room. Well anyway i have a problem. I install indows on my 5 gb hd but windows makes a 2gb partition for windows . i have partition magic and boot magic but they wont let me move the limit. I have a 20gb maxtor quantum fireballct 20 something but the prob with that is that my BIOS will not recognise it and the flopply install disks fial to install it properly, thus not letting me use fdisk to make a boot partition. If any one knows to to 'override' this limit please tell me i have been searching non-stop for hours!

You need to install a Maxtor program that will let you get access to the full size. You should have a CD rom that came with the HD that will let you increase the size. But you can also download it from:
www.maxtor.com

This will me you need to reformat, so backup first. Also I would recomend Win98 over ME.

thank you so much, and yes i did think me was worse then 98. Ive looked all over thank you i will try this and hope it works

Also make sure you tell it to use fat 32. To do that tell it to enable large disk support when you fdisk to create the partition. Fat 16 will not support a partition larger than 2 gigs.

Xian, I don`t think he can use F-disk as I think his bios is so old that it will not reconize it. Thats why I think he needs to use the Maxtor program that installs a tags for windows to reconize the size.

Or you could use Linux which will reconize the full size no matter what your Bios says.

Has mentioned you will need to go to maxtor web site.You will need to find out the serial No of the drive you have.You Can do this by going in to control panel then systems then device manager then click on the little cross on disk drives this will give you your full serial.Or another way my computer right click on your drive click properties and then click on hardware your serial No will also be there.Once you have this go to the web site where it says type of drive select your drive which will bring up all utils.You want to look for a diagnostic floppy disk which you can then download for free.Once downloaded on to your system you will need 1 or 2 blank floppy's.Click on the file you just downloaded and it will automaticlly install asking you for floppy's until it has finished.All you you need to do then is restart your pc with floppy in and it will re boot and bring up the diagnostic tools.If it is 2 discs it will stop half way through loading up ask you to put the next in and press c to continue.Once you have it all up have a browse through and you will see a part where it will give you options to quick clean or low format.You will be best completeing a low format or clean which ever it is called it will warn you all data will be lost just continue.The differance between quick and low is quick takes second but just cleans the surface where the low wipe anything any everyhting off even any errors you were not aware you had.The low can take 12 hours easy but its worth it.
Once you have done that you will also be able to set the size of the disc and format it to what ever operating system you require through the diagnostic tools on the disc.Then it is a simple case of with windows 98 start up disc in and cd rom start pc up again and select option start up with cd rom support and windows will set up from there.Remember you may have to install some of your drives from you mob cd rom again along with your graphics card cd modem cd and so on plus the software you wnt to install.Once you have done all this you pc will be int mint condtion hard drive wise without any errors.
Hope this helps
My apologies you are on window Me but this is same as 98 for intall.
Thanks
John179
_

John you need paragraphs!! that was really hard to read.

I might be wrong, but I think all you need is the model number of the drive. On the site is a pull down to select the drive and get the downloads that correspond. Although all you need is the general utility, so if you don`t see your drive listed, just select one of the newer ones as your drive should be included in the history for detection.

Yes this is what i meant model No and my apologies for saying serial No.Also i will keep the paragraph in mind for next time.Also yes Prisoner you are correct diagnostic discs are basicly the same.So if you can not find your model look for a simular model.

Any how must dash as Iam at work.

Thanks
John179