Microsoft KB Archive/291588

= Small Disk Partitions May Not Work as a Basic Disk =

PSS ID Number: 291588

Article Last Modified on 11/14/2003

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional

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This article was previously published under Q291588



SYMPTOMS
Programs that retrieve disk geometry information may show that very small SCSI disks have one cylinder. Such a disk may not work as a basic disk, and you cannot perform operations on such a disk by using Logical Disk Manager. Also, the disk properties show the size of the disk as zero bytes.

If you upgrade the disk from a basic disk to a dynamic disk, the disk may work correctly and show the correct disk size.



CAUSE
When you use third-party tools such as EMC solutions to create small disk partitions (roughly 8 MB or smaller), the partition appears as a small physical disk in Logical Disk Manager. The underlying software components that retrieve the disk geometry information report that the disk has one cylinder. Because Logical Disk Manager does not support small disks with one cylinder as basic disks, the disk appears as a disk with a 0-MB size.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, use larger partitions, or use Microsoft utilities such as Fdisk or Disk Manager to create disk partitions.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.



MORE INFORMATION
Microsoft does not support small disks with one cylinder as basic disks.

The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

Keywords: kb3rdparty kbenv kbfix kbprb KB291588

Technology: kbwin2000AdvServ kbwin2000AdvServSearch kbwin2000Pro kbwin2000ProSearch kbwin2000Search kbwin2000Serv kbwin2000ServSearch kbWinAdvServSearch

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