Windows 98 disk management problem

[HardDriv'n]

I seem to be having an issue with Windows 98 not properly recognizing partitions on a secondary HD.

It was fine and all, until I decided to attempt to fix a LBA/CHS error on my primary HD'd partitions. I ended up reformatting, and reinstalling 98 several times before I got it right.

The thing is if I try to create any more than 2 partitions on it, Windows 98 will load them in DOS compatibility mode. I've tried whole drive extended, with logical partitions. I've tried 1 primary partition, with the rest in extended. I've tried all primary partitions. I've tried all of the previous with differing combos of fat16, and fat32.

None of the configurations fix the problem.

And... if I attempt to format the DOS compatible partitions in Win98, I receive some type of "chm" error.

This is a dual boot system, and when I boot into WinXP, it recognizes everything like I created it.

Any ideas?

I'm about exausted on problems with Win98, like recycle-bin errors, lack of proper USB support, disk controller issues...

Because DOS was the reason for installing it as an OS to begin with, I was wondering, can I do everything in the ME "DOS hack" that I can do in Win98?

[jds]

I seem to be having an issue with Windows 98 not properly recognizing partitions on a secondary HD.

It was fine and all, until I decided to attempt to fix a LBA/CHS error on my primary HD'd partitions. I ended up reformatting, and reinstalling 98 several times before I got it right.

The thing is if I try to create any more than 2 partitions on it, Windows 98 will load them in DOS compatibility mode. I've tried whole drive extended, with logical partitions. I've tried 1 primary partition, with the rest in extended. I've tried all primary partitions. I've tried all of the previous with differing combos of fat16, and fat32.

None of the configurations fix the problem.

And... if I attempt to format the DOS compatible partitions in Win98, I receive some type of "chm" error.

This is a dual boot system, and when I boot into WinXP, it recognizes everything like I created it.

Any ideas?

I'm about exausted on problems with Win98, like recycle-bin errors, lack of proper USB support, disk controller issues...

Because DOS was the reason for installing it as an OS to begin with, I was wondering, can I do everything in the ME "DOS hack" that I can do in Win98?

It could be due to the LBA bugs that manifest under some combinations with multiple partitions.

See discussion here :

My primary site is down at the moment, so try my backup site at : http://jds.atbhost.net/general.html for the IO.SYS patch.

Also, make sure to use the updated FDISK and FORMAT for W98 from MS, else try the FreeDOS equivalents.

Joe.

[HardDriv'n]

It could be due to the LBA bugs that manifest under some combinations with multiple partitions.

See discussion here :

My primary site is down at the moment, so try my backup site at : http://jds.atbhost.net/general.html for the IO.SYS patch.

Actually, I experienced the phantom drive lettering as well. Thanks for the links.

Also, make sure to use the updated FDISK and FORMAT for W98 from MS, else try the FreeDOS equivalents.

Any idea where I could find the latest official versions for Windows 98? I'd like to replace the files on my boot disc with them.

[jds]

Also, make sure to use the updated FDISK and FORMAT for W98 from MS, else try the FreeDOS equivalents.

Any idea where I could find the latest official versions for Windows 98? I'd like to replace the files on my boot disc with them.

FDISK is at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/263044

Not sure where the updated FORMAT is.

Both are in the unofficial service packs for W98SE (I think).

However, be aware those service packs will revert your IO.SYS back to the buggy MS version, so if you install this, make sure to re-apply the above patch BEFORE rebooting.

Joe.

[HardDriv'n]

FDISK is at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/263044

Not sure where the updated FORMAT is.

Wasn't sure if I could rename the fdisk.98g to fdisk.exe, or if it was a patch of some sort.

Both are in the unofficial service packs for W98SE (I think).

However, be aware those service packs will revert your IO.SYS back to the buggy MS version, so if you install this, make sure to re-apply the above patch BEFORE rebooting.

Cool. I've downloaded, and extracted them.

Would anyone know of a simple way to replace the FORMAT.COM in the EDB.CAB file, without corrupting it? I need to be able to do it, without installing any programs. Only a portable solution is viable.

[dencorso]

GET the CABSDK package and extract CABARC.EXE from it. CABARC is a command-line cab creator/extractor from MS. more info here.

[HardDriv'n]

GET the CABSDK package and extract CABARC.EXE from it. CABARC is a command-line cab creator/extractor from MS. more info here.

Hey, thanks a lot.

That's exactly what I needed. Now I can start from scratch yet again, with the proper tools. I even changed the boot sector img on my Windows install disc to contain the latest tools.

[MDGx]

IEAK 6.0 SP1 (English) contains a newer version of cabarc.exe [build 5.1.2600.1106].

Actually, you should replace all older files from cabsdk.exe with the newer versions from IEAK 6.0 SP1, except for makecab.exe.

You should keep the old makecab.exe v1.00.0601 [from 1997] bundled with cabsdk.exe, because it does not have the current date/time stamp bug, like most newer makecab.exe versions do.

And it is safe [in my experience] to use even newer files from IEAK 6.0 SP3 [4.11 MB, all available languages (25) in separate ZIPs].

More info:

CAB SDK:

http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#CAB

IEAK:

http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#IEA

HTH