Yes to the first and second questions.
 
The 3rd install (mine) was fresh since it was formatted in NTFS before.

I looked at the partitions with Partition Magic and there is a 7.8MB unallocated space in the primary partition. Fdisk doesn't show this.
Any idea what that is or how to merge it?

I think you are misunderstanding what 'unallocated' space is. Unallocated space doesn't occupy ANY partition, because it's not partitioned space of any kind. It's just unpartitioned space on the HD.
 
A primary partition doesn't contain unallocated space. It may (and usually does) contain unused formatted space, however, as OS, programs and/or data will usually take up only a portion of the partition.
 
Personally, I wouldn't bother messing around with FDISK. Instead, I'd do all partitioning in Win2K Setup, as it's much easier and less confusing to do it there. Later, when you've fully installed Win2K, you can use Disk Management to create or modify further partitions. I usually create one bootable primary partition and one appropriately-sized extended partition using Win2K's Setup, then complete the making of further partitions (I personally favour just one primary partition and the rest logical partitions) in Disk Management, ie I split the extended partition into logical partitions. There's no reason why you shouldn't choose to use three or even four primary partitions, though. It's up to you.
 
To find out exactly what you've got, or not got, by way of partitioning on your now-Win2K machine, look in Disk Management, as it's nicely shown there, graphically (including any unallocated space). First, make sure all partitions are unhidden, then click on Start/Settings/Control Panel/Admin Tools/Computer Management. Then click on Disk Management.

This 'unallocated space' shows connected to the primary partition in Partition Magic.
 
This was partitioned using the Windows setup.

Perhaps you've not partitioned the hard disk properly. On the assumption that you're using Win2K, DO LOOK IN DISK MANAGEMENT, as that will show you graphically (simple boxes) the true state of partitioning of your hard disk, including any unallocated space. Forget about playing around with Partition Magic for the moment.
 
Have a look in Disk Management and then report back here what you find.
 
It should show:
 
How many partitions you have created.
What types of partitions, ie primary, extended or logical.
The size of each partition.
The file system of each partition.
Whether there's any unallocated space on the HD and, if so, what size.

Disk Management reports of this 60GB drive:
 
C: 4.97 GB
D: 50.91 GB
 
Partition Magic reports:
 
C: 5,098 MB
D: 52,148 MB
Unallocated 7.8 MB

I presume that the PM figures should be GB, not MB?
 
Anyway, this doesn't add up. Partition Magic is saying that the hard disk has 7.8MB of unallocated space and yet Disk Management is not showing that. If there truly IS 7.8MB of unallocated space there, Disk Management will show it. Look in DM again.
 
Other than that, the differences in sizes of the partitions between DM and PM are probably due to one of them using formatted sizing, the other not.
 
To what file systems are C and D formatted? FAT32 or NTFS? Which OS(s) are you using? What kinds of partitions are these? Primaries, logicals? DM will show all this information.
 
Do remember that, if you're using Win2K and FAT32, Microsoft do not recommend using a partition size greater than 32GB, as beyond that capacity, file access becomes slow and inefficient.
 
It strikes me as very odd that you've partitioned your root drive to only 4.97GB. For a 60GB HD, that's not an immensely usable partition size, as you'll immediately use up around 2GB just with the OS and a half dozen sizeable programs.
 
Personally, I would split a 60GB HD into three 20GB partitions, or something like that. I'd make one of them the Primary bootable (with the OS and programs in it), the other two would be an Extended partition comprised of two Logicals. I'd reserve one of the Logicals for an image of C:, and the other Logical I'd use for storing drivers, etc. You could use three Primary partitions instead, though. It's up to you.
 
You're obviously doing something silly here. Perhaps one or more Partition Tables has become corrupted? In your shoes, I'd back up any personal files created so far, then re-format all existing partitions and start again, creating fresh partitions. In FDISK, I think there's an /mbr command you can use, to clear the master boot record and it might be useful to consider using that before you resize and re-format the partitions.

Quote:I presume that the PM figures should be GB, not MB? No.......... 5,000 GB? That would be a REALLY large drive wouldn't it?
It's not there in Disk Management. Yes, it doesn't add up.
Both partitions are FAT32.

If I wipe the drive with zero's or whatever Maxtor has to offer and used the image of the drive that I have already made and restored the image after I repartitioned and formatted, would that work? Or, because I imaged the drive the way it is now, would it still cause problems?

I assume it is because the drive was NTFS before has something to do with all of this. As I said I'm not comfortable with NTFS yet. Not to say I will never use it, but I didn't want to jump ships at this time especially with someone else's box which this is. If I have to troubleshoot something I have to know how to do it and with NTFS I would guessing.

Earlier today (Sunday) I spent about 30 mins adding another reply, only to find that when I went to submit it, I got 'session invalid' and the whole lot was lost!
 
(Moderator, please note). I'm a slow typist, I'm afraid. There must be a built-in timeout on replies, or something. Anyway, THIS reply will consequently just be a pre-cursor to a more full set of suggestions I'll leave here in 24 hrs time.
 
In the meantime, I'd say that there's absolutely nothing wrong with using FAT32 partitions for Win2K. I use FAT32s on MY main Win2K machine, and NTFSs on my other. The one's no more difficult to install or use than the other. There are operational advantages and disadvantages to each, though.
 
In preparation for my next reply, how about finding or making a Win98 startup floppy? You'll need that for the suggestions I'll make. You've clearly got yourself into a right old partitioning mess and it's best that you fully clear the HD and start again from scratch. So wait for my reply.

Quote:Earlier today (Sunday) I spent about 30 mins adding another reply, only to find that when I went to submit it, I got 'session invalid' and the whole lot was lost! It's happened to me. Try hitting the back button and do a copy/paste and start a
new reply next time.

I do have a couple of bootable floppies BTW.

If I use the Maxtor utility and write zero's to the drive, Fdisk this, repartition and format can I use the Image file to restore the previous image or will there be problems because of theis unknown problem?

BTW, there is no known problem within Windows that I can see other than this unallocated space (which isn't a big loss I realize) and the fact I can't use Drive Image from the Windows interface (onlt from the floppy).

Thanks for that tip, Videobruce. Do hang on until I've retyped that lot (which might not be until tomorrow).
 
The floppy will need to be a startup (boot) floppy, made with either Win98 or WinME, with at least fdisk and format on it.
 
I can't vouch for that Maxtor utility. It sounds very iffy to me. Forget that and use the method I'll suggest.
 
I presume that the firmware of the HD is set so that the HD's UDMA rate is commensurate with that of the m/board?
 
I won't be able to account for any weird overlay software that might be in use with your HD. I'm not familiar with that.

No overlay software.
 
If I remember correctly I did delete the partition and recreate it and the extended aprtition. The formatting was done on the 2nd partition within Windows because of the size of the 2nd partition.

Videobruce, here's what I suggest you do:
 
1. Copy any important personal files (My Documents) to a CD-R or CD RW, so that you can put them back later. Don't do anything with imaging, as it's clearly not working properly.
 
2. Ensure the BIOS is set to boot from a floppy first. Using a Win98 startup floppy, boot with it to an A prompt. Format the C and D partitions, to delete their data. Then, still at the A prompt, type:
 
fdisk /mbr
 
(space between fdisk and /).
This will reset the master boot record on the HD.
 
3. Remove the floppy and power off the PC. Power on again, re-enter BIOS and set order to boot from CD first. Put the Win2K CD in the drive and exit BIOS (F10). Be ready to immediately press a kybd key when prompted, to allow Win2K to install.
 
4. Allow Win2K Setup to start. At some stage you'll be required to give it a sniff of your WinME CD, as it's an upgrade.
 
5. In the Setup, do your partitioning and sizing. Choose to delete the existing partitions, then create new partitions. Choose sensible partition sizes. I suggest you make one bootable primary partition and (initially) one large extended partition (it's not compulsory, though). But leave also 100 - 300MB of unallocated space. Later, in Disk Mngt, you'll be able to split the extended partition into logicals. It's easy to do that in Disk Mngt. Note that Setup shows unformatted sizes, Disk Mngt shows formatted sizes.
 
(CONTINUED BELOW).

(CONTINUED).
 
6. Allow the Win2K installation to complete. Remove the CD. In Device Manager, basically configure your IDE drives to UDMA. Note the current letters of your CD-ROM drives (look in either Windows Explorer or Disk Mngt). Install Service Pack 3 immediately. After that, install WinZip, your chipset drivers, DX81NTeng.exe, and graphics driver (in that order). You'll then have a decent screen to view.
 
7. Enter Disk Mngt and there re-letter your CD-ROM drives further on, until you've split the extended partition. It's very easy to do; rt-click and choose from the menu to delete the existing CD-ROM drive letter, then re-letter from the dropdown list. Create logical partitions, eg two, from the extended. Use default cluster sizes. Job done! Check with the Disk Mngt graphic that you've now got the very partitions you want, plus that 100 - 300MB left over. Go back and re-letter the CD-ROM drives, so that they're last again.
 
8. Complete the installation of the remainder of your drivers and apps. Finally, when everything's working, install and run Drive Image. Make the DI Recovery floppies again. Image from C to one of the logical partitions and/or to one or more fresh CD RWs.
 
Later, I can tell you how to fully and properly hide the least-used partitions, to prevent them from unauthorised access and corruption.
 
Although DI 2003 claims to be an all-Windows user interface, I suspect that it still reverts to Caldera DOS in order to perform imaging and restoring. Unless something goes drastically wrong, you don't need to use the DI Recovery floppies for imaging and restoring, as it's done instead by way of a 'virtual' floppy, in Caldera DOS. At least, that's the way it works in DI v5.0.
 
Phew!

It sounds as you are saying the MBR is corrupted.
 
If I do the MBR deal would I be able to use that image file I already have as I really don't want to reload everything again since this is all FAT32?
 
I was typing as you were completing your 'continued' part.
 
Drive Image does work in Windows except when it is imaging a active partition, then it creates a virtual floppy. That was the big change from the last version where it only created a bootable floppy to use in DOS, NO Windows interface.

Yes, the MBR might well be corrupted.
 
As for the other question, no.

Why not? Same file system.

Yes but the File Allocation Tables will have changed, as well as probably several other things. You'll need only a 1-bit difference between everything on the original partition and everything on the image file, including where exactly all the files sit, for the restoring to fail.
 
There's only one way to do these things and that's properly, I'm afraid. I appreciate that reinstalling Win2K and all your apps is a very big job but this exercise is, after all, very special and a one-off. Quite clearly, your partitioning and imaging at present are 'up the creek', so I think you've no option but to start again.

If I had a 60GB HD, I'd probably partition it thus:
 
25GB C: MAIN DRIVE (containing OS and programs).
25GB D: IMAGE DRIVE (reserved for image of C).
9.7GB E: BKDUP (copy drivers, etc)
300MB unallocated (for HD administration, if required).
 
I'd make D and E logicals, part of an extended.
 
Everyone has their own likes and dislikes about partition sizing and types, though.
 
Here, I don't think it matters a hoot if you use FAT32 or NTFS.

If it was my machine I would do it your way, but it isn't . I'll let it go. There are no problems AFAIK. I got to get the box back to him soon anyways.
 
Much thanks...............