111Mb partition shows as 3.2Gb

Hello,

I am trying to help a friend solve an issue... PC is Compaq Deskpro, all
original HW, one 6.4 Gb HD partitioned as 6.3 Gb and 111 Mb, both FAT32.
Here is the quirk: Drive D, fdisk showing as the 111 Mb partition, Windows
shows it as a 3.2 Gb HD. Drivespace or disk compression was not loaded, and
even after installing it from Add/Remove Progs>>Win Components, and running
it, it shows no compressed drives. Either way, I've never known a drive to
compress from 111 Mb to 3.2 Gb!!! (2:1 is the BEST theoretical ratio I've
EVER seen)

Of course, since the drive does not contain 3.anything Gb of space, trying
to write to it or trying to format it, or scandisk, simply results in write
errors, BSsOD, and ultimately a need for a hard reboot--kill and power on
again.

TIA
--
Cheers,
Alphonse

Bill
Sat Nov 13 08:09:02 CST 2004

"Alphonse" <spamaddress@eatkk.com> wrote in message news:#bJ3kDFyEHA.2676@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...

> I am trying to help a friend solve an issue... PC is Compaq Deskpro, all
> original HW, one 6.4 Gb HD partitioned as 6.3 Gb and 111 Mb, both FAT32.
> Here is the quirk: Drive D, fdisk showing as the 111 Mb partition, Windows
> shows it as a 3.2 Gb HD.

> Of course, since the drive does not contain 3.anything Gb of space, trying
> to write to it or trying to format it, or scandisk, simply results in write
> errors, BSsOD, and ultimately a need for a hard reboot--kill and power on
> again.

This may be a Compaq (supposed to be) hidden partition used by the
"quick restore setup" disks. Here's a link explaining it for the Presario-
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericSoftwareDownloadIndex?lc=en&cc=us&softwareitem=pv-13758-2&dlc=en&lang=en
Search Compaq on your specific model Deskpro for more accurate information.

If you decide you don't want to remove it, you can rehide it with a partition
manager or partition table editor. There's a good chance it should be type
decimal 12, but you may want to research that furthur.