Cannot partition new harddisk

[Kim Tang]

I purchased a new fujisu laptop harddisk 60Gig but I cannot partition this hdd.  I used a W98 startup disk with fdisk command, at the prompt I selected "Y" to enable large disk capacity then "y" again to use all available space then integrity check begins the hdd light is flashing during the whole performance indicating its active, when finished I selected "1" to create a primary DOS partition and when complete it prompted me to exit to save changes but never did go to allow me to specify how much space I want to use for the primary partition, so I have no option but to restart.  My past experience tells me I should have been able to create the partition and any extended/logical drives before saving and quit.

On restarting, I had to go over the above again as no other option is available in fdisk prompt, so I never get to create an partition.  I installed the new disk to my laptop and checked my BIOS and it sees the whole 60Gig drive in autodetect and I had save and quit my BIOS before starting the fdisk session with Win 98 startup disk.  Can you please help me, I don't know if I have missed anything or is there a fault with the new disk?
I really appreciate all the help anyone can give me.

Many thanks.

Kim  

[Computer_Commando]

http://www.computerhope.com/sfdisk1.htm

[Kim Tang]

Thanks for the pointer, but I am familiar with fdisk procedure, the problem is fdisk did not go to the next step to create a DOS primary partition after the large disk and all avialable space integrity check, and when I pressed 1 to create a Primary DOS partition, it does the integrity check then tells me to save and quit after the check but never go on to let me specify the amount of space to use and to assign a drive letter and make it active, fidsk will not go any furthe than create a primary DOS partition then tells me to save ans quit.  Can you please help me more..

Cheers

Kim

[gussery]

Does your BIOS support a 60GB drive (I am assuming an older computer here because you are using a Windows 98 disk)?

Try partitioning to a smaller size to start with, then you should be able to determine if it is a disk error or not.

[Kim Tang]

I can see the whole 60G in the BIOS in autodetect mode, save and quit then reboot using a DOS bootup disk with fdisk in the floppy, this didn't get to create the partition.  I tried with a XP CDROM, boot up from that but it sees 8G unpartition, I cannot create it pressing C or delete it pressing D, nothing happens, it just gos back to options C to create D to Delete in this cycle.  I am stuck with a 60G laptop hdd I cannot use.  Is there other tools I can use to partition it?
My laptop is 2002 manufactured with recent BIOS updated, I am only using a W98 startup disk so I can use fdisk to partition it, please help me to partition this disk.

Cheers

Kim

[merlin_2]

does this laptop support winxp.........what happens if you start the laptop with the xp disk...in the cmd prompt...  diskpart help....should do it...or powerquest will ...whta system is loaded?? at the moment..

[johnwill]

If you're not really putting W98 on the machine, why not boot with the 2K or XP CD?  As part of the installation process, you can partition and format your disk.

[Kim Tang]

Hi,

Managed to get my new disk partitioned and now working fine, I like to pass on my little experience for others.

My laptop is currently running Win XP Pro sp2 on a 30 Gig disk, I wanted to increase the hdd size so I purchased a new 60Gig hdd.  I removed the 30Gig and installed the 60Gig, my BIOS detects this no problem, so I saved and quit then boot up on a Win98 startup floppy and ran fdisk but I never got to create a DOS primary partition because fdisk didn't get there, after the integrity check it just tells me to save and quit.  I then assumed the partition was created until I booted up on Win XP CDROM trying to install it, in the create/Delete partion option in can only see 8Gigs unpartitioned, so I tried to delete the 8Gigs as I want to use all the 60Gig but nothing happens, I then tried create the highlighted 8gig and install Win XP, this didn't work because the partition wasn't create it.  

All above methods didn't work for me until I used a hdd caddy with USB2 connection.  I put my original 30Gig disk with Win XP sp2 back in, it booted up as normal and went into disk management, in there I can see the 55Gig unpartiton basic disk, just right click and select create partition/format option, once that was done I used a Disk image program to copy my 30Gig image to the 60Gig disk, this took over 4hours but now I have everything on the 60gig disk running in my laptop and keeping the 30Gig for a disaster recovery option.

Thanks to all who had help my cause and I hope this can help others...

Cheers.

Kim