[coffeedrinker]

You might want to start a new topic on partitioning a hard drive without losing data and see if someone can tell you how to do it.

Good luck and I think that could be it.

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Tried to partition it already. Nothing happened there. I might end up buying a new HD soon.

[Aushin]

Tried to partition it already. Nothing happened there. I might end up buying a new HD soon.

[db_addix]

boot up into your bios settings and see what hdd size is been picked up by the bios let me know

[Aushin]

k checking now

[Aushin]

I couldn't actually find anything in the BIOS that flat out showed me the size of my hard drive. But four programs (some that ran in Windows, others that ran before Windows booted) have confirmed the hard drive to be 55 GB. I also removed the HD a short while ago and the label on it said 60 GB.

[db_addix]

bro all i can say is back up your software that you need like my documents and pst files and reload the machine as it seems to me that system hasnt been setup the right way bro

[Neverfly]

i hope im not intruding-but on a whim-open system32 and see if you have a LARGE amount of DLL_90989852924 (number varies)

[Neverfly]

ignore my post-and i have NO Idea how that got into this section when i was reviewing a completely different section altogether:|

[Aushin]

haven't had a reply from a trained tech in about three days now. i've gotten a lot of non-tech suggestions but nothing's worked so far.

please help

[The Skeptic]

To solve the problem we must know if you have a software or hardware problem. It could help a lot if you could check the HD on another computer. You can buy or get hold of a 2.5 inch adapter for laptop disks. You take out the disk from your computer place it in the adapter and USB connect to another computer. In "my computer" of the other computer check your disk.

Another option is to run a HD diagnostic program to check and repair your disk, if necessary. In my signature there are links to diagnostic tools of most major manufacturers. Backup your data before running the tests. I wonder what a diagnosis of disk will show.

[AitrusSkyy]

Yo aush sorry have been away on a lil greyhat business meet.

Ok the following we have tried for this issue.

#1 Physically removing the HD from your laptop to confirm HD is factory 60gb by label.
#2 Updating your bios via the ibm autoupdate on their website.
#3 Updating embedded controller via ibm website.
#4 Various other updates via ibm.
#5 Attempting to add the lost GB or resize the current windows partition without deleting anything using www.download.com "Partition Logic"
#6 Confirmed through scandisk and error check that you have no bad sectors, which means the HD did not close off sections of istelf to preserve your files.
#7 Confirmed through physical and partition that your hard disk does have 55gb at least.


The previous posts by coffee reffering to lost space, is the fact that your HD may say it has 60gb factory, however in reality it only has 55 or 54, they usually round it to the nearest 5 or 10.
For example my 160 gb is actually 157gb... This however in no way creates a problem with HDs because when they are installed they are detected with the proper size.

Cleaning any duplicate files, checking for many dlls, any of that other stuff through windows is not going to fix this issue.It has nothing to do with needing to free up space, but has everything to do with adding more than half your HD that is missing.

My last and final reccomendation and most likely cause, is that windows XP when installed was installed with a custom instalation ( if by a college then possibly even with a server type instalation through a network ) and most likely when they installed XP they did not pick the full size of MB/GB available to use for the disks instalation, and/or somehow disabled it...

I would reccomend at this point, backing up your documents/music/saved game files/ and running a full system format and re-instalation via an XP home or PRO cd. If you need to purchase one, I would reccomend searching online for an OEM WINDOWS XP HOME CD ( OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer ), which usually means when you buy it, it comes with no book, and no box, just the cd and the key and the cd case, ( but believe it or not its more than half the price less than buying it at the store with the box ). If you need some links I may be able to find you a cheap windows cd...

But rather than going further and trying either useless hours long steps, or trying for days "possible" fixes, a format will clean your system as well as ensure proper install...

Also you cant exactly try that HD in another pc, unless it is a laptop, most assuredly would not do that unless it was the same laptop, because when you switch HDs to another pc, they must install new drivers for everything from the monitor to sound card to motherboard etc... and in some cases I have seen HDs crash attempting this resulting in a whole new format.

Edited by AitrusSkyy, 02 August 2006 - 07:21 PM.

[The Skeptic]

Hi AitrusSkyy.

Eveything that you suggested is logical. However, I think it is too early for reformatting. Where I live a copy of Win XP Home Edition cost about 120 dollar and it will be pity if you end up formatting without results. What I suggested is to use an 2.5" adapter to attach the HD to another computer but NOT to format it, just to see what volume you get in "my computer". Another thing is to check the HD with one of the manufacturer's utilities. For some reason I find that most people do not use these powerful tools which I constantly use to diagnose and repair HDs. For safety reasons you should backup your data beforehand.

If eventually you get up formatting the disk you should have the option of pressing F10 during bootup to reach the recovery partition of the IBM.

[wannabe1]

Hi Aushin...

I'm going to kind of start over here, so bare with me if I should cover ground you've already been over.

Right click on "My Computer" and choose "Manage". Expand "Storage" and click on "Disk Management". Post me a screenshot of the Computer Management window.

Let me know if you have a problem with the screenshot and I'll post instructions on how to do it.

wannabe1

[nerdcentral]

do you have multiple partitions... maybe one of them is not the NTFS type and maybe for that reason your computer cant read the partition. its possiblem since this happened to my friend. although i dont remeber why his computer couldnt read partition types other that ntfs.

[nerdcentral]

maybe if you try re-installing the windows operating system. not reformat.
since it re-installes all the drivers and what not, it may able to detect that extra memory that is missing. this will mean that you will not lose your files and programs. although, it will mean that the service packs that you may have installed will be gone and you willl have to re isntall them... which is a nag since the microsoft.com site never works for me.

get it from this link
http://download.micr...935-SP2-ENU.exe

its way faster...
the file is the same and its legal. it does the genuine check and all that stuff from the installation itself.