# New Western Digital 80 Gig Hard Drive



## jraquel (Aug 25, 2003)

I can not get my new WD800 SE hard drive to be reconized by my computer. I have downloaded from WD, the fikes that says to use for a new startup but it does not work.

I put it in a computer with XP Pro and used the compmgmt.msc command to make the partition and formatted it with th NTFS system because FAT 32 was not an option . Why can't I format it from dos bootup in A drive with FAT 32?

I certainly do not like the WD hard drives.

OH YEAH! It says it has over 65 meg used but doesn't tell me what is in this area. I only have 76 GIG showing as usuable.


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## ace_coffee (Oct 26, 2006)

did you try connecting your new drive as a secondary hard drive then going in a formatting it?
I used to do this all the time, pretty easy.

As for the NTFS, W98 won't be able to read that - but you didn't tell us what os you were using it with originally.


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## jraquel (Aug 25, 2003)

Yes I tried connecting it as a slave HD and the computer sees it but will not let me do anything with it (format).

I want to use 98. I understand 98 can't read NTFS, but that was the only way I could get it to even do anything. I have not tried to put it in the 98 yet. What I was wanting to do was "GHOST" my 98 HD to the new one as a backup.


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## MMJ (Oct 15, 2006)

jraquel said:


> I can not get my new WD800 SE hard drive to be reconized by my computer. I have downloaded from WD, the fikes that says to use for a new startup but it does not work.


Below you said that you formatted it... So the computer seems to have seen it 



jraquel said:


> I put it in a computer with XP Pro and used the compmgmt.msc command to make the partition and formatted it with th NTFS system because FAT 32 was not an option . Why can't I format it from dos bootup in A drive with FAT 32?


What is wrong with NTFS?



jraquel said:


> OH YEAH! It says it has over 65 meg used but doesn't tell me what is in this area. I only have 76 GIG showing as usuable.


That is used mainly by *System Restore*


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## gurutech (Apr 23, 2004)

If you are going to Ghost the drive, you don't need to format it. The Ghost program will (technically) do that for you automatically...


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## jraquel (Aug 25, 2003)

MMJ said:


> Quote:
> Originally Posted by jraquel
> I can not get my new WD800 SE hard drive to be reconized by my computer. I have downloaded from WD, the fikes that says to use for a new startup but it does not work.
> 
> ...





> If you are going to Ghost the drive, you don't need to format it. The Ghost program will (technically) do that for you automatically...


*Will "GHOST" give me the full 80 gig when I "GHOST" it"? BUT!!!!!!
Why can't I format it through the Windows 98 computer? I think WD has something that has to be installed before using the full size of the HD. Seems like that is a bad thing to have. My Maxtor HD didn't do this when I installed it.
Thanks for all the help guys. Y'all are a great group.*


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## MMJ (Oct 15, 2006)

Oh, Sorry. 

Win98 (or your mobo) might not support 80gig


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## ace_coffee (Oct 26, 2006)

Settle down there....we're just trying to help...


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## MMJ (Oct 15, 2006)

ace_coffee said:


> we're just trying to help...


which he thanked us for 


jraquel said:


> *
> Thanks for all the help guys. .*


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## gurutech (Apr 23, 2004)

jraquel said:


> *Will "GHOST" give me the full 80 gig when I "GHOST" it"? BUT!!!!!!
> Why can't I format it through the Windows 98 computer? I think WD has something that has to be installed before using the full size of the HD. Seems like that is a bad thing to have. My Maxtor HD didn't do this when I installed it.
> Thanks for all the help guys. Y'all are a great group.*


Yes, Ghost will give you the option to "expand" the new partition to the full 80gb.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Whether you like or dislike NTFS has nothing to do with it. Win98 won't recognize it. 

The reason Win98 can't format it is because you set it up with NTFS in the first place. 

So you need to run FDISK, remove the non-DOS partition and repartition as FAT32. Then you can format it.


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