"Richard F. Bolha" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I have a WIN 98 SE OS. I have a 6 GB hard drive installed. The
> BIOS says it is 6 GB and shows it on startup. If you go into system
> information it shows it as a 2.1 GB drive with little available space.
>
> I though that was a WIN 95 problem with the DOS limit? I tried
> searching mircosoft, but I cannot find the solution?

Richard,

It isn't a Win95 or DOS problem exactly, but a FAT16 filesystem limit. Win98
supported the newer FAT32 which allows larger partitions, but Win98 supports
both. If the disk was partitioned to FAT16, then you still have the 2G limit.

To check, open "My Computer", right click on the drive letter and select
"Properties". It will tell you what File system type it is.

If it is FAT16, then it is possible that the rest of the disk was partitioned as
an extended partition with one or more logical drives. Do you have other drive
letters (besides the A: floppy and CDROM)? If so, then this is probably the way
it was configured. If there is data on those other "drives", then there is
little you can do, except learn to use those drives more effectively to avoid
filling up C:. The other alternative is to re-partition (using a Win98 rescue
disk, which will have a FAT32 compatible fdisk on it), and re-install the OS and
everything.

If it appears the other 4G were never configured, then there is hope, get a
program called "Partition Magic" (http://www.powerquest.com/partitionmagic), it
will allow you to convert your existing C: to FAT32 and grow it using the unused
disk space. It works well.



--
Russ Poffenberger               Engineering Specialist
Schlumberger Technologies ATE   DOMAIN: [log in to unmask]
150 Baytech Drive
San Jose, Ca. 95134             Voice: (408)586-6718  FAX: (408)586-4675

                  Visit our website regularly for FAQs,
               articles, how-to's, tech tips and much more
                          http://freepctech.com