[StrongBad]

I wasn't sure whether to post this in the hardware board, but essentially it's a problem with XP, not the drive itself.

Here's my current relevant specs:
40GB disk, split into 2x20GB drives (1xPrimary, 1xLogical in Extended), both on FAT32 - Windows ME on one drive (C:) and Windows XP on the other (E:)
250GB disk, split into 3x83GB drives (1xPrimary, 2xLogical in Extended), all on FAT32 (D:, F:, and G:)

Here's the situation:
Windows ME can detect, read and write to all drives, but Windows XP can't see drive G: at all. If I look in Disk Management in XP it claims that the space where drive G: is supposed to be is free space, and it allows me to create a partition. Trouble is, Windows ME can't see that partition. I've tried unpartitioning and repartitioning things every way I can think of, but nothing seems to work. It seems like Windows XP refuses to see more than one logical drive, if it was made with FDisk. And it seems that Windows ME can't see any partition made with XP (even unformatted).
Why don't I just do the whole thing in XP (you might be asking)? Well, because I need these drives on FAT32, and XP allows a maximum drive size on 32GB when formatting to FAT32 (though it's perfectly capable of reading and writing to volumes up to 124GB on FAT32). Microsoft claim that this limitation is "due to design" which in other words is "we screwed it up".
Has anyone had this problem? Would a program like Partition Magic solve this?

Thanks in advance,
Peter

[Advertisements]

Why do you need all these drives in FAT32 or ME for that matter?

[GeneralAres]

Why do you need all these drives in FAT32 or ME for that matter?

[StrongBad]

I need ME because some of my programs only work on ME, and DOS-based things (which I use a lot) display much better on ME. FAT32 is important because I will also be using Linux very soon, which can't write to NTFS.

[GeneralAres]

In Windows XP you can select compatibility mode for applications that do not work right.

Edited by GeneralAres, 29 July 2005 - 07:47 PM.

[StrongBad]

There must be a way of getting XP to see the second logical drive though, I must just be doing something stupidly obvious.

[GeneralAres]

Well the partition definitely has to be created in Windows ME for it and XP to see it. After you created it in ME was it formatted? Do both, reboot and check XP again.

[StrongBad]

Doesn't work. I've put some files on the drive to make sure it really can be written to, but XP still can't see it, and claims that that section of the drive is free space.
Is it possible that Service Pack 2 would fix this? I really would rather not upgrade, since all you get is extra Microsoft junk, and as far as I can see, I already have anything that SP2 offers anyway (Firewall, AntiVirus). But if it is known that SP2 fixes these drive problems then I'll do it.

[GeneralAres]

Everyone should install SP2, not only does it include an updated Firewall, an IE pop-up blocker, an active X warning system, it also removes MSJVM, includes all the post SP2 security updates and many other features. If you care about security you will install SP2.

[StrongBad]

Well I've found a sort of solution (it'll have to do). The reason my 250GB disk isn't in just one or two parts is because FAT32 can only support up to 124.5GB, and even splitting into two would require 125GB. So I'm splitting it into 2x120GB drives and keeping one 10GB drive which I'll probably just not use, as I'll only be able to access it in Windows ME. I'll probably find a use for it. It's only 10GB though, drop in the ocean! (Imagine saying that fifteen years ago!)