ARCHIVED: In Windows 98, how do I use Fdisk to create a single FAT32 partition on a hard drive larger than 2GB?

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Note: UITS recommends that you use a current version of Windows on computers connected to the Indiana University network; see Recommended Windows operating systems at IU.

Warning: The use of Fdisk will permanently erase all data from the drive or drives on which it is used. Only persons with a fairly high level of computer literacy should attempt this procedure. Following these instructions incorrectly could result in the loss of data or cause your computer to malfunction.

The steps listed below are for creating a single FAT32 partition on a hard drive that is 2GB or larger, although any hard drive larger than 512MB can use FAT32. FAT32 is primarily designed for Windows 98 and some versions of Windows 95.

Note: If you enable large disk support and create any new drives on this disk, you will not be able to access the new drives using other operating systems, including some versions of Windows 95 and Windows NT, as well as MS-DOS. In addition, disk utilities that were not designed explicitly for the FAT32 file system will not be able to work with this disk. If you need to access this disk with other operating systems or older disk utilities, do not enable large disk support.

Follow the steps below to run Fdisk on systems with hard drives larger than 2.1GB, and install Windows 95 OSR2 or Windows 98:

  1. Prepare a Windows 98 emergency boot disk before you begin. This will be a necessary part of the process. It will also be useful in an emergency. To create an emergency boot disk, follow these instructions:
    1. In the Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.
    2. Choose the Startup Disk tab, insert a blank disk in the A:\ drive, and click Create Disk. The Windows 98 startup disk also includes CD-ROM support for the most common CD-ROM drives. This allows access to the CD-ROM drive, which makes installing the operating system and additional programs much easier.

    Some proprietary CD-ROM drives do not work with the Windows 98 boot disk. Known problems occur in many Packard Bell models as well as many older computer models.

  2. Before running Fdisk, test your Windows 98 startup disk. Turn off your computer and insert the startup disk into the floppy drive. Turn the computer on. You should see a menu with the option to boot with CD-ROM support. Select this option.
  3. At the A:\>prompt, type fdisk. The following information will appear on your screen:
    Your computer has a disk larger than 512MB.  This version of Windows
    includes support for large disks, resulting in more efficient use of
    disk space on large drives, and allowing disks over 2GB to be
    formatted as a single drive.
    
    Important: if you enable large disk support and create any new drives
    on this disk, you will not be able to access the new drives using
    other operating systems, including some versions of Windows 95 and
    Windows NT, as well as earlier versions of Windows 95 and MS-DOS.  In
    addition, disk utilities that were not designed explicitly for the
    FAT32 file system will not be able to work with this disk.  If you
    need access to this disk with other operating systems or older disk
    utilities, do not enable large disk support.
    
    Do you wish to enable large disk support(Y/N)........? (Y)
  4. Type Y and then press Enter. After Fdisk has started, the following screen will be displayed:
               A:\> fdisk
    
                                      Microsoft Windows 98
                                    Fixed Disk Setup Program
                             (C)Copyright Microsoft Corp. 1983 - 1998
                                               
                                         FDISK Options
                                                                  
               Current fixed disk drive:  1
    
               Choose one of the following:
    
               1. Create DOS partition or Logical DOS Drive                        
           
               2. Set active partition
               3. Delete partition or Logical DOS Drive
               4. Display partition information
               5. Change current fixed disk drive
    
               Enter choice (1)
    
               Press Esc to exit FDISK
    
               A:\>
    
    Note: Option 5, "Change current fixed disk drive", will appear only if the computer has two or more hard drives.
  5. Choose option 1, "Create DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive", and press Enter. The next screen should look like the following:
     Create DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive                  
    
                 Current fixed disk drive: 1
    
                 Choose one of the following:
    
                 1. Create Primary DOS Partition
                 2. Create Extended DOS Partition
                 3. Create Logical DOS Drive(s) in the Extended DOS Partition      
          
                 Enter choice (1)
    
                 Press Esc to return to FDISK Options
  6. Choose option 1, "Create Primary DOS Partition", and press Enter.

    Note: A message will appear on the screen stating that Fdisk is verifying disk integrity. There will be a percentage gauge indicating how much of the disk has been checked. This can take from a few seconds to a minute or two, depending on the speed of the computer and the size of the hard drive.

    The next screen should display the following:

    Create Primary DOS Partition                      
    
               Current fixed disk drive: 1
    
               Do you wish to use the maximum available size for a Primary DOS     
               Partition and make the partition active (Y/N).............. [Y]
    
               Press Esc to continue
  7. Press Y to use the maximum available size for a primary DOS partition and to make the partition active, and then press Enter.

    Note: Fdisk will again verify disk integrity.

    The next screen should look like this:

               You MUST restart your system for your changes to take effect.
               Any drives you have created or changed must be formatted after
               you restart.
    
               Shut down Windows before restarting
    
      
               Press Esc to exit Fdisk
  8. Press Esc. This will return you to the A:\ drive.
  9. Restart or reboot the computer system. Make sure to leave the Windows 98 emergency disk in the floppy drive. The computer should reboot to the A:\ prompt.
  10. When you arrive at the DOS prompt, you can use the format command to format your hard disk drives. At the A:\ prompt, type Format X: (where X: is the drive you want to format), and press Enter.
  11. Format will ask you if you are sure you wish to continue. By this point, the data previously stored has been destroyed, so press Y.

This will create a singe partition the size of the entire hard disk. An 8GB hard drive will have an 8GB C:\ disk partition. You cannot enable FAT32 on drives smaller than 512MB.

For additional information on Fdisk, visit:

  http://www.suggestafix.com/

This is document ahfa in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2018-01-18 12:47:20.