Unable to format NEW Hdd

[gjwilson]

I`ve been on before with a new Hdd problem so why am I back ???? I have a clean new IBM Deskstar 15.2 gig that I`m putting into a new system consisting of an Intel AL440LX mobo, a standard video card, a Celeron 400, a DVD/CDROM and 64mg mem. The last time I built one like this I cloned my old Hdd onto the new UN-fdisked UN-formatted Hdd and had only a temporary size config. problem, but I was royally chastised for not fdisk/formatting before. So now my problem...I decided to do it the right way this time..98 boot disk..fdisk..restart..boot disk..format and now "required parameter missing" or :invalid media type reading drive c". What am I missing (besides common sense)?

[JW310]

I believe what you must do is to boot with the boot disk, format the hard drive, and then run fdisk on the drive to set up the partition. Running fdisk on the hard drive and then format will delete the partition(s) you created using fdisk.

So try things the other way around from what you posted, and see if that helps!

JW

[gjwilson]

JW310...Thanks for responding but tell me...how do I clean off the drive again so I can format first?????Is there an Unfdisk ?

[Susan]

gjwilson, you did it right. /forum/smile.gif except I think your problem is that you didn't specify format to copy over system files with the /S switch.

Format /s will make it bootable to DOS.

From the point you are at now, boot to a floppy and just type sys C:

[This message has been edited by Susan (edited 11-13-1999).]

[gjwilson]

Hi Susan...If I got this right..I`m sitting at an "a:\"prompt and you want me to type in "sys c:" and then what happens??? I`m at work and won`t get back to my computer until about 10 am so I want to get it right while I`m still sharp enough to think. Gary

[lec169]

If this is a big size drive, about 4 or more gigs bigger than you last drive in the same type MB, then you may have a bios problem.

Follow these steps:

1. checkout your bios setup, then if it is set to auto config for the drive. Set it up for user and put in the sec head and cylinders in the appropriate blocks. LBA, 32, etc..

2. If you bios boots correctly, make sure when you boot you are watching the screen to see if the bios listing is correctly displaying the HD Specs, ie, hd ibm deskstar udma 66 15.7mb etc.

3. use your 98 setup disk and run fdisk. I would part if out to 3 drives if I were you.
1 primary and 2 secondary (extended partitions), IE, C: D: E: or something to that effect.


4. Then if all works, then format using the format c:/s/u. That will put a system on there and will not prompt you for the not able to save mirror image or something to that effect.

5. Then if you are still having trouble, see if this is a known problem with that MB and IBM big drives. Try the manufacturer of that MB site or IBM web site.

Hope this helps !!!!!

Lec

[JW310]

[above was posted while I was writing this... try that first, then read this]

My mistake about the first reply... format will just clear the partition you specified.
Susan is right.... command to format should have been format c: /s

What you can do is go back into fdisk and pick option 4, I believe... it's the one that gives you the information about your partitions. If you fdisk-ed the right way the first time, you should have 1- 15 GB partition. You can then use format c: /s to format it, or also from the a:\ prompt, Susan's suggestion of Sys C:

What either will do is copy over the system files (command.com, etc.) to the hard drive... you should then be able to boot to the hard drive, without needing a floppy to boot.

Alternatively, if the hard drive came with a setup disk, there might be a utility on it that will let you get it setup to where you can copy everything over.

JW

[This message has been edited by JW310 (edited 11-14-1999).]

[gjwilson]

LIke I said..I`m at work so I`ll have to try these things in the morning.Thanks so much for the info. Gary

[gjwilson]

Just a last thought...It was sooooo much easier to just clone...I know it has it`s down side but a 10 minute clone compared to this mess...hmmmmm.Gary