Unable to manually set Virtual memory - 0MB available

Not enough memory for ScanDisk, DeFrag

OK, I've read a few past posts about this issue...about the hard drive having 8k clusters instead of 16k or 32k etc...but I don't know if that's where my issue lies.
I FDISKed like I always have from the 98 start up disk and did a clean install of 98.
I went to Virtual Memory and the let Windows manage is selected, but the user selected value is ALWAYS 0MB dispite the drive having 14GB free!
What's going on here?

 

???!

Need more information.

What is your issue?

What does the hard drive having 8k clusters instead of 16k or 32k etc... have to do with Virtual Memory?

 

rond36

My issue is exactly what I specified...I have the option of only a 0MB WIN386.SWP file - virtual memory, as the free space displayed is 0MB when infact I have 14GB.

I wasn't trying to say that the cluster size had anything to do with virtual memory...I was merely saying that all I've read about people not being able to run scandisk it's been said that it had to do with the cluster size of the hard drive and that I wasn't sure this was my issue or not...I was asking.

I'm sorry my message wasn't more clear!

PeteC

Yes, I did mean GB not MB!

The first box that's supposed to show disk space available says "OMB "! That's the point I tried to make in the initial message...it says 0 when I have 14GB free!
And because of that, MIN says 0MB and MAX says maximum UNTIL I click Let me specify...when I click Let me specify the NO MAX changes to 24123454 (not the exact number but it changes to a very long number.) If I click OK and go back to the screen it again says 0MB free, 0MB MIN and NO MAX and NOTHING is changable!

So...I was asking in the first message if this TIED INTO the cluster size. I can't see how since, again, I used FDISK just like I had every other time I reloaded the OS.

Does this additional information help anyone?

I guess the issue is, why, after a fresh FDISK, fresh format and fresh install on a 15GB hard drive that virtual memory setting page is displaying 0MB free and I can't change any of the settings, and because of that, I can not run scandisk or defrag?

THANKS in advance.

 

PeteC,

I can not change anything manually...as soon I click "Let me" the arrows become greyed out. Apparently since free space says 0GB then it won't allow any kind of editing.
I'll fire it back up and try File Checker, but this is happening just as soon as Windows starts for the 1st, 2nd time after a fresh install.
I'll get back to you...

OK, here's more:
The DOS scandisk will run if you don't shut down properly but it takes FOREVER! It takes 45 seconds just for 0% to change to 1% (it used to run alot faster!)
The properties of C: show a pie chart of all purple (used) and no pink (free) but it says 200MB used 14GB free!
And when I hit Let me and try to change 0MB for MIN it changes to -1 and greys the arrows if I click down and stays 0 and greys the arrows if I hit up! And the number 2147483647 shows up for MAX!
SFC showed NO errors.

I ran Maxtor's diag on it and it's recertified error free.

 

The scandisk that runs after a bad shutdown is the DOS version.

To confirm that the issue is cluster related, open a DOS window, enter CHKDSK and post back the number of bytes in each allocation unit, as well as the size of your partition.

 

Several months ago I used Partition Magic 7.0 and made a 818 MB partition which I use for the SWAP file and Temporary Internet Files. When I first turn on my computer this partition is only using 2.66 MB. However, I am also unable to set a minimum and maximum for my SWAP file as the box that shows disk space available always says "O MB "! I use Norton Disk Doctor and Speed Disk weekly. It just takes a few minutes and no errors are reported. This five year old computer is working just fine so I haven't tried to find a solution. I thought this was probably due to my ignorance as this is the first time I have saw where this was happening to anyone else.

 

WhitPhil,

512 if I'm reading it right.

Using FDISK the partition is 100%

 

for Joe Locke - I did not intend to intrude on your problem. I only wanted to let you know that at least one other person had a similar issue. I thought it might help if you happened to be using Partition Magic.

I usually just let PM use default settings when possible as my knowledge is limited. I started using PM when I only had a 6.4 GB hard drive so I was quite frugal setting up my drive sizes. When I got a larger drive I started out using the same small size partitions then increased the size of part of them. I suppose that is how my cluster sizes got messed up. I checked today and I discovered I am using the following cluster sizes:

C 1.07 GB - 1 K
D 841 MB - 512
E 509 MB - 512
F 1.07 GB - 4 K
G 509 MB - 512

Do I need to change all of them to 4 K using Partition Magic? It looks easy to do but I have been known to mess up the simplest of computer tasks! Thanks for all of the useful information.

 

Today I searched the archives for cluster size and spent some time reading. I found a post by WhitPhil as follows -

The error occurs because the cluster size of that partition is invalid in relation to the size of the partition. This normally happens if you use a ghost-like utility to move a smaller disk to a larger one without adjusting the cluster size. The options are to recreate the partition, or adjust it using a program like Partition Magic.

That is exactly what had happened. This evening I used Partition Magic and changed the cluster size of all of my partitions to 4 K. I haven't used the computer much since I made the change but everything seems to be working just fine. Now I can change the minimum of my SWAP file to 350 MB! Thanks for the information Windows BBS as I would never have figured this out on my own.