For all you computer gurus.
What is the simplest way to add a partition to the hard drive
on my Windows 98 IBM notebook computer.

I want to store all my DOS programs on the E: partition.
The D: partition is currently assigned to a BackPack CD
drive.

Paul Lamar

Greetings Paul
Yes you can add a partition without losing existing data by contracting the
size of the existing C: partition to create space, and then creating a new
partition.  You need the program "Partition Magic". Semantic's "GDisk" which
is part of their "Ghost" drive imaging package will also do it. Microsoft's
Fdisk.exe won't.
I have both programs at the office and will look tomorrow.

Note however, that most machines with a Win98 original installation vintage
won't recognise the CDROM in BIOS and so you would expect the CDROM to get
shunted to E:, and the new partition to be D:. I suspect that this would not
be a problem  but if you want CDROM access from DOS off a floppy, it will
require creation or re-specification of the CDROM driver and DOS driver
(MSCDEX), in Autoexec.bat and Config.sys respectively.

Incidentally, You mention that you can't see drive C: if you boot from a DOS
disk? This is probably because you are using a version of DOS <6.2. From
memory, ver. 5 only created and recognised 16 bit FAT (File Allocation
Table) partitions, whereas ver. 6.22 creates and recognises 32 bit FAT
partitions. I don't have an IBM machine here, but two other reasons for non
recognition are
     a) the partition is marked as hidden (GDISK can do this) or
     b) its formatted as an NTFS partition.

The bottom line; Yes its easy to do, Partition Magic is the method of choice
,if you can wait a day or so...

Kind regards
Aden
021117

Ah So! Thanks Aden. That cleared up the mystery. I do indeed have
a 32 bit fat. No need for DOS access to the CD. All the DOS
programs I want to run fit on a 1.5 meg floppy.

Paul Lamar
Hi Paul,

The other way is to upgrade to Windows 2000, When you up grade you don,t lose any information and you can convert to NTFS at

the

same time. With Windows 2000 you can have as many partitions as you want, also you can run one with Linux.
I use Windows 2000 and have another partition with a second copy incase the first gets a virus. I just delete the infected partition

and

use

the next one.
Regards Don

The big problem is, as Aden pointed out, Windows is not at all suited to real
time stuff. Anybody got an old DOS running notebook computer in
good condition they want to sell?

Paul Lamar
Hi Paul,

You can also have a DOS partition with 2000

Well that might be the answer. Partition and then install 6.22
instead of what ever weird version of DOS that comes with 95 and 98.
Perhaps then I can get real control over the serial ports.

I will need a 6.22 (32 bit FAT) boot disk mailed to me as just emailing it
don't work. Certain floppy tracks must be written with the DOS sys command.

Thanks Don.

Paul Lamar

I will look for a DOS 6.22 and send it to you, I am sure I have one here as I have had to use this version of DOS to over write OS2 Warp.

I will have to copy DOS 6.22 to 3.5 disc as they may not copy to anything else.
Regards Don

You can copy all but the boot disk. It must be sys'ed from a running
version. 

Thanks Don. 

Hold off on sending it from Oz. I might find a version in the states.

Paul Lamar
 
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