created 2 -60 GB partitions, one primary, one logical on a 250 GB IDE drive.
Using usb adapter, plugged drive into usb port on XP library system.
XP system assigns two drive letters, one for the primary and other for the
logical. HOWEVER it says the primary letter drive has not been formatted. I
just formatted it last night and checked it on a w98se system, but XP system
cannot see it. Logical driver letter appears fine with it's directory
structure, but primary only shows drive letter that XP thinks is not
formatted.
What is the problem here? Or did some systems glitch\ hacker on nuke my
primary partition?
> created 2 -60 GB partitions, one primary, one logical on a 250 GB IDE drive.
> Using usb adapter, plugged drive into usb port on XP library system.
> XP system assigns two drive letters, one for the primary and other
> for the logical. HOWEVER it says the primary letter drive has not
> been formatted. I just formatted it last night and checked it on a
> w98se system, but XP system cannot see it. Logical driver letter
> appears fine with it's directory structure, but primary only shows
> drive letter that XP thinks is not formatted.
> What is the problem here?
Likely the usb adapter.
> Or did some systems glitch\ hacker on nuke my primary partition?
"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:6g4io2Fe581bU1@mid.individual.net...
> ohford <ohford@braveneworld.net> wrote:
>
>> created 2 -60 GB partitions, one primary, one logical on a 250 GB IDE
>> drive.
>
>> Using usb adapter, plugged drive into usb port on XP library system.
>
>> XP system assigns two drive letters, one for the primary and other
>> for the logical. HOWEVER it says the primary letter drive has not
>> been formatted. I just formatted it last night and checked it on a
>> w98se system, but XP system cannot see it. Logical driver letter
>> appears fine with it's directory structure, but primary only shows
>> drive letter that XP thinks is not formatted.
>
>> What is the problem here?
>
> Likely the usb adapter.
Thanks, but more likely a problem with XP.
Device is compatible with both XP and SE, but with SE it needs it's driver.
Also could be, I'm thinking, problem with difference in dos versions.
Went back to SE box and both partitions reading fine, yet XP continues to
say one is a raw, unformatted partition. Must be that XP is reading drive
differently, probably due to it's 250GB size, even though the partitions are
only 60 gb each and only two of them total.
>
>> Or did some systems glitch\ hacker on nuke my primary partition?
>
> Likely the usb adapter did.
>
ohford <ohford@braveneworld.net> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
>> ohford <ohford@braveneworld.net> wrote
>>> created 2 -60 GB partitions, one primary, one logical on a 250 GB IDE drive.
>>> Using usb adapter, plugged drive into usb port on XP library system.
>>> XP system assigns two drive letters, one for the primary and other
>>> for the logical. HOWEVER it says the primary letter drive has not
>>> been formatted. I just formatted it last night and checked it on a
>>> w98se system, but XP system cannot see it. Logical driver letter
>>> appears fine with it's directory structure, but primary only shows
>>> drive letter that XP thinks is not formatted.
>>> What is the problem here?
>> Likely the usb adapter.
> Thanks, but more likely a problem with XP.
> Device is compatible with both XP and SE, but with SE it needs it's driver.
> Also could be, I'm thinking, problem with difference in dos versions.
There is no dos version with XP.
> Went back to SE box and both partitions reading fine, yet XP
> continues to say one is a raw, unformatted partition. Must be that XP is reading drive differently, probably due to
> it's 250GB size,
Its SE that has a problem with drives over 128GB.
What version of XP are you using ?
> even though the partitions are only 60 gb each and only two of them total.
Its the drive physical size that matters, not the partition sizes.
>>> Or did some systems glitch\ hacker on nuke my primary partition?
>>
>> Likely the usb adapter did.
On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:14:46 -0700, "ohford" <ohford@braveneworld.net>
put finger to keyboard and composed:
>
>"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
>news:6g4io2Fe581bU1@mid.individual.net...
>> ohford <ohford@braveneworld.net> wrote:
>>
>>> created 2 -60 GB partitions, one primary, one logical on a 250 GB IDE
>>> drive.
>>
>>> Using usb adapter, plugged drive into usb port on XP library system.
>>
>>> XP system assigns two drive letters, one for the primary and other
>>> for the logical. HOWEVER it says the primary letter drive has not
>>> been formatted. I just formatted it last night and checked it on a
>>> w98se system, but XP system cannot see it. Logical driver letter
>>> appears fine with it's directory structure, but primary only shows
>>> drive letter that XP thinks is not formatted.
>>
>>> What is the problem here?
>>
>> Likely the usb adapter.
>
>Thanks, but more likely a problem with XP.
>Device is compatible with both XP and SE, but with SE it needs it's driver.
>Also could be, I'm thinking, problem with difference in dos versions.
>
>Went back to SE box and both partitions reading fine, yet XP continues to
>say one is a raw, unformatted partition. Must be that XP is reading drive
>differently, probably due to it's 250GB size, even though the partitions are
>only 60 gb each and only two of them total.
Did you by any chance run FIXBOOT from an XP "Recovery" Console? If
so, then you have trashed the boot sector on that particular
partition. Win98SE is smart enough to see the backup boot sector (at
logical sector 6), but Win XP is not.
Try typing "sys x:" from a Win98 DOS prompt. Replace "x:" with the
drive letter of that partition.
- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
Franc Zabkar wrote in news2u3a4dimu2prd09iai355niiosfh042q5@4ax.com
> On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:14:46 -0700, "ohford" <ohford@braveneworld.net>
> put finger to keyboard and composed:
> > "Rod Speed" rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message news:6g4io2Fe581bU1@mid.individual.net...
> > > ohford <ohford@braveneworld.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > > created 2 -60 GB partitions, one primary, one logical on a 250 GB IDE
> > > > drive.
> > >
> > > > Using usb adapter, plugged drive into usb port on XP library system.
> > >
> > > > XP system assigns two drive letters, one for the primary and other
> > > > for the logical. HOWEVER it says the primary letter drive has not
> > > > been formatted. I just formatted it last night and checked it on a
> > > > w98se system, but XP system cannot see it. Logical driver letter
> > > > appears fine with it's directory structure, but primary only shows
> > > > drive letter that XP thinks is not formatted.
> > >
> > > > What is the problem here?
> > >
> > > Likely the usb adapter.
> >
> > Thanks, but more likely a problem with XP.
> > Device is compatible with both XP and SE, but with SE it needs it's driver.
> > Also could be, I'm thinking, problem with difference in dos versions.
> >
> > Went back to SE box and both partitions reading fine, yet XP continues to
> > say one is a raw, unformatted partition. Must be that XP is reading drive
> > differently, probably due to it's 250GB size, even though the partitions are
> > only 60 gb each and only two of them total.
>
> Did you by any chance run FIXBOOT from an XP "Recovery" Console?
> If so, then you have trashed the boot sector on that particular partition.
Rather strange name for it then.
> Win98SE is smart enough to see the backup boot sector (at logical sector 6), but Win XP is not.
Bingo. Apparently nobody ever learned anything useful from Svend while he was here.
>
> Try typing "sys x:" from a Win98 DOS prompt. Replace "x:" with the
> drive letter of that partition.
>
> - Franc Zabkar
"Franc Zabkar" <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> wrote in message
news2u3a4dimu2prd09iai355niiosfh042q5@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:14:46 -0700, "ohford" <ohford@braveneworld.net>
> put finger to keyboard and composed:
>
>>
>>"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>news:6g4io2Fe581bU1@mid.individual.net...
>>> ohford <ohford@braveneworld.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> created 2 -60 GB partitions, one primary, one logical on a 250 GB IDE
>>>> drive.
>>>
>>>> Using usb adapter, plugged drive into usb port on XP library system.
>>>
>>>> XP system assigns two drive letters, one for the primary and other
>>>> for the logical. HOWEVER it says the primary letter drive has not
>>>> been formatted. I just formatted it last night and checked it on a
>>>> w98se system, but XP system cannot see it. Logical driver letter
>>>> appears fine with it's directory structure, but primary only shows
>>>> drive letter that XP thinks is not formatted.
>>>
>>>> What is the problem here?
>>>
>>> Likely the usb adapter.
>>
>>Thanks, but more likely a problem with XP.
>>Device is compatible with both XP and SE, but with SE it needs it's
>>driver.
>>Also could be, I'm thinking, problem with difference in dos versions.
>>
>>Went back to SE box and both partitions reading fine, yet XP continues to
>>say one is a raw, unformatted partition. Must be that XP is reading drive
>>differently, probably due to it's 250GB size, even though the partitions
>>are
>>only 60 gb each and only two of them total.
>
> Did you by any chance run FIXBOOT from an XP "Recovery" Console? If
> so, then you have trashed the boot sector on that particular
> partition. Win98SE is smart enough to see the backup boot sector (at
> logical sector 6), but Win XP is not.
Thanks, but,
No, I never do anything ANY version of windows tells me to do, cuz it's
usually bull**** to get you even into deeper trouble, ha!
>
> Try typing "sys x:" from a Win98 DOS prompt. Replace "x:" with the
> drive letter of that partition.
Why should I do that? W98SE is seeing both partitions just fine. It's XP
that cannot see one of the partitions, as I recall it was the primary that
XP falsely reports is raw unformatted. I can't run fdisk from this XP system
as it is a public system and won't allow direct drive access.
>
> - Franc Zabkar
> --
> Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:6gc4vmFf59isU1@mid.individual.net...
> ohford <ohford@braveneworld.net> wrote
>> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
>>> ohford <ohford@braveneworld.net> wrote
>
>>>> created 2 -60 GB partitions, one primary, one logical on a 250 GB IDE
>>>> drive.
>
>>>> Using usb adapter, plugged drive into usb port on XP library system.
>
>>>> XP system assigns two drive letters, one for the primary and other
>>>> for the logical. HOWEVER it says the primary letter drive has not
>>>> been formatted. I just formatted it last night and checked it on a
>>>> w98se system, but XP system cannot see it. Logical driver letter
>>>> appears fine with it's directory structure, but primary only shows
>>>> drive letter that XP thinks is not formatted.
>
>>>> What is the problem here?
>
>>> Likely the usb adapter.
>
>> Thanks, but more likely a problem with XP.
>
>> Device is compatible with both XP and SE, but with SE it needs it's
>> driver.
>
>> Also could be, I'm thinking, problem with difference in dos versions.
>
> There is no dos version with XP.
the command.com that comes with xp is a later version than the one on the se
box, but your correct, seeing the drive is probably occurring indepedent of
any dos under XP.
>
>> Went back to SE box and both partitions reading fine, yet XP
>> continues to say one is a raw, unformatted partition. Must be that XP is
>> reading drive differently, probably due to it's 250GB size,
>
> Its SE that has a problem with drives over 128GB.
Not sure this is relevant to the problem in OP, as I am only using the first
120GB of the drive (one primary 60gb an one extended/logical 60GB). XP may
be having a problem because the drive is larger, at 250GB, but it should
not, since I am only asking it to look at two partitions in the first 120GB,
both of which are fully functional under se. My guess is that the XP/MS
driver for the usb port cannot deal with extended/logical partitions. The
usb/ide adapter device is new and has many favorable reviews for use with
both xp and w98se, so I am doubtful it is the adapter causing the failure to
read.
>
> What version of XP are you using ?
I'll have to check, it's a public machine, so probably all the updates are
on it.
XP is asking me to format the partition it cannot see, to which of course I
am replying NO WAY JOSE. Soon as I usb connect the drive to the se box, all
the partitions are fully visible and functional again, including dir
structures.
>
>> even though the partitions are only 60 gb each and only two of them
>> total.
>
> Its the drive physical size that matters, not the partition sizes.
>
>>>> Or did some systems glitch\ hacker on nuke my primary partition?
>>>
>>> Likely the usb adapter did.
>
>
ohford <ohford@braveneworld.net> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
>> ohford <ohford@braveneworld.net> wrote
>>> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
>>>> ohford <ohford@braveneworld.net> wrote
>>>>> created 2 -60 GB partitions, one primary, one logical on a 250 GB IDE drive.
>>>>> Using usb adapter, plugged drive into usb port on XP library system.
>>>>> XP system assigns two drive letters, one for the primary and other
>>>>> for the logical. HOWEVER it says the primary letter drive has not
>>>>> been formatted. I just formatted it last night and checked it on a
>>>>> w98se system, but XP system cannot see it. Logical driver letter
>>>>> appears fine with it's directory structure, but primary only shows
>>>>> drive letter that XP thinks is not formatted.
>>>>> What is the problem here?
>>>> Likely the usb adapter.
>>> Thanks, but more likely a problem with XP.
>>> Device is compatible with both XP and SE, but with SE it needs it's driver.
>>> Also could be, I'm thinking, problem with difference in dos versions.
>> There is no dos version with XP.
> the command.com
Thats not dos.
> that comes with xp is a later version than the one on the se box, but your correct, seeing the drive is probably
> occurring indepedent of any dos under XP.
There is no dos under XP.
>>> Went back to SE box and both partitions reading fine, yet XP
>>> continues to say one is a raw, unformatted partition. Must be that
>>> XP is reading drive differently, probably due to it's 250GB size,
>> Its SE that has a problem with drives over 128GB.
> Not sure this is relevant to the problem in OP, as I am only using the first 120GB of the drive (one primary 60gb an
> one extended/logical 60GB).
Not relevant.
> XP may be having a problem because the drive is larger, at 250GB,
Thats not the problem.
> but it should not, since I am only asking it to look at two partitions in the first 120GB,
Not relevant.
> both of which are fully functional under se.
Yep, thats the important bit.
> My guess is that the XP/MS driver for the usb
> port cannot deal with extended/logical partitions.
Guess again.
> The usb/ide adapter device is new and has many favorable reviews for use with both xp and w98se, so I am doubtful it
> is the adapter causing the failure to read.
It may well be what killed the primary copy of the MBR.
>> What version of XP are you using ?
> I'll have to check, it's a public machine, so probably all the updates are on it.
> XP is asking me to format the partition it cannot see,
Thats normal when it decides its RAW.
> to which of course I am replying NO WAY JOSE.
> Soon as I usb connect the drive to the se box, all the partitions are fully visible and functional again, including
> dir structures.
Likely because SE can see the copy of the MBR and XP doesnt bother to use it.
>>> even though the partitions are only 60 gb each and only two of them total.
>> Its the drive physical size that matters, not the partition sizes.
>>>>> Or did some systems glitch\ hacker on nuke my primary partition?
>>>> Likely the usb adapter did.
But its only nukes the primary copy of the MBR not the partition itself.
That should have been obvious from the fact that SE sees it fine.
On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:37:35 -0700, "Q" <Q@Q.mm> put finger to
keyboard and composed:
>
>"Franc Zabkar" <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> wrote in message
>news2u3a4dimu2prd09iai355niiosfh042q5@4ax.com.. .
>> On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:14:46 -0700, "ohford" <ohford@braveneworld.net>
>> put finger to keyboard and composed:
>>
>>>
>>>"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>>news:6g4io2Fe581bU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>> ohford <ohford@braveneworld.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> created 2 -60 GB partitions, one primary, one logical on a 250 GB IDE
>>>>> drive.
>>>>
>>>>> Using usb adapter, plugged drive into usb port on XP library system.
>>>>
>>>>> XP system assigns two drive letters, one for the primary and other
>>>>> for the logical. HOWEVER it says the primary letter drive has not
>>>>> been formatted. I just formatted it last night and checked it on a
>>>>> w98se system, but XP system cannot see it. Logical driver letter
>>>>> appears fine with it's directory structure, but primary only shows
>>>>> drive letter that XP thinks is not formatted.
>>>>
>>>>> What is the problem here?
>>>>
>>>> Likely the usb adapter.
>>>
>>>Thanks, but more likely a problem with XP.
>>>Device is compatible with both XP and SE, but with SE it needs it's
>>>driver.
>>>Also could be, I'm thinking, problem with difference in dos versions.
>>>
>>>Went back to SE box and both partitions reading fine, yet XP continues to
>>>say one is a raw, unformatted partition. Must be that XP is reading drive
>>>differently, probably due to it's 250GB size, even though the partitions
>>>are
>>>only 60 gb each and only two of them total.
>>
>> Did you by any chance run FIXBOOT from an XP "Recovery" Console? If
>> so, then you have trashed the boot sector on that particular
>> partition. Win98SE is smart enough to see the backup boot sector (at
>> logical sector 6), but Win XP is not.
>
>Thanks, but,
>No, I never do anything ANY version of windows tells me to do, cuz it's
>usually bull**** to get you even into deeper trouble, ha!
>
>
>>
>> Try typing "sys x:" from a Win98 DOS prompt. Replace "x:" with the
>> drive letter of that partition.
>
>Why should I do that? W98SE is seeing both partitions just fine.
Win98SE saw the XP FAT32 disc just fine but Win XP did not.
>It's XP
>that cannot see one of the partitions, as I recall it was the primary that
>XP falsely reports is raw unformatted. I can't run fdisk from this XP system
>as it is a public system and won't allow direct drive access.
I would hook the drive up to your Win98SE box and use DOS Debug from a
Windows DOS box to dump the boot sector of the "raw" partition.
The following commands will dump the boot sector of logical drive n:.
debug
-L 100 n 0 1
-D 100 2FF
-Q
Replace the "n" with 0,1,2,3,... where 0=drive A:, 1=drive B:, 2=drive
C:, etc. The drive numbers are in hexadecimal, not decimal.
If you don't see a FAT32 signature, then something is wrong.
You can dump the backup boot sector (#6) as follows:
debug
-L 100 n 6 1
-D 100 2FF
-Q
You might also like to try running Scandisk. It may be that one copy
of the FAT is corrupt, in which case Win98SE would transparently use
the good copy. It might be a good idea to disable automatic repair,
though.
- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.