[Gusterv10]

I recently reformatted my HD and re-installed windows and I noticed that it says my C: is only 31 GB when I know it was 250 GB a couple weeks ago! I then went into BIOS and checked the specs on the HD and BIOS also says 33 GB. Even before Windows was installed, when I was just setting up BIOS boot sequnce, I noticed that it said I had 33 GB but I didn't really process it. Does anyone know what's going on?

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IS BIOS set to auto-detect your hard drive? Whichever way it's set I'd change it.

IS this IDE? noticed you've had some cable issues lately.... make sure this is the right type of cable. (UBER GEEKS please correct this if wrong) I believe there are 2 main types of IDE cable. I think the one you want is 40 pin... if this is a new drive glance at specs and see what it needs. Did it come with a new cable?

This could/should give you someplace to start without hurting anything. Either issue could cause the symptoms you are seeing.

I'm sure an UBER will be along soon.

[bobmad]

IS BIOS set to auto-detect your hard drive? Whichever way it's set I'd change it.

IS this IDE? noticed you've had some cable issues lately.... make sure this is the right type of cable. (UBER GEEKS please correct this if wrong) I believe there are 2 main types of IDE cable. I think the one you want is 40 pin... if this is a new drive glance at specs and see what it needs. Did it come with a new cable?

This could/should give you someplace to start without hurting anything. Either issue could cause the symptoms you are seeing.

I'm sure an UBER will be along soon.

[Gusterv10]

Thanks for the reply. My BIOS is set on auto-detect. And I am using the IDE controller not SATA. I'm using brand new IDE cables that came with the mobo. I have another HD set to Primary Slave and BIOS read that drive fine, 120 GB it's on the same cable, so it can't be that. I also checked to see if I accidently created a partition but BIOS just crunches the numbers, doesn't really look for partitions. I'm really stumped. I just spent $400 on new mobo, video card, ram and CPU I don't want to go out and buy a new HD as well, I hope this can be fixed.

[SRX660]

You might have run across the FAT32 problem that started in Windows XP. If you are using a windows CD to format a new drive as FAT32 the windows CD will only see 32 gigs of the drive. The easist way to get around this is to intall the drive in a newer computer with XP already installed and use the computer management to format the drive with the NTFS file system . This will get your 250 gigs back.

SRX660

[Gusterv10]

Thanks for the advice. Before I even reformated the drive, BIOS only detected 31 GB, that's why I'm kind of iffy whether it has to do with how I formated the drive. It wasn't brand new either, it already had data on it. And I didn't use FAT32 to format it, I used NTFS. Eventually I will just try formatting it again but for now any other suggestions are greatly appriciated.

[Tyger]

Some drives allow you to reduce the size by use of a jumper, this is for use on older machines. You might want to see that that jumper is not being used. Also some BIOSs will only work on 32gb drives, that's the reason for the jumper. If your hard drive came with a CD use it to format the drive with the jumper in place, then remove the jumper. The CD may have overlay software which will overcome the BIOS limitations.

[computerspecialist101]

I second what Tyger said about the jumper on the drive so check that. another thing to check is in windows, open my computer and right click on the drive and select properties. next click on the tools tab. check to make sure dick quotas are NOT enabled. Most likely it is a jumper.

[Gusterv10]

Thanks a lot guys, I'm going to look more into that. The jumpers are set to a really weird setting but it's the only way I could get the drive the power on. I have two jumpers to vertically on the two middle pins. BUt I really hope that it's just a jumper problem because I could really hate to go out and buy a new HD. More suggestions are open I'll be back and leave some feedback about messing with the jumpers. Thanks again!

[computerspecialist101]

can you give us the model of hte hard drive that you have and the manufacturer of it. as well as a better description of how the jumper is set. such including whether it is on the top or the bottom and how many pins over it is.

[Gusterv10]

Sure thing.. It's a SAMSUNG SP2514N 250GB. Let me see if I can draw out what the jumpers look like:

::[][]:

The [] is the jumper(s). There are two of them.

[computerspecialist101]

Good News!!


I have figured out why it is limited. it is because you have a jumper limited the capacity. there should be two rows with four collums of pins. the third collum should have a pin connecting rows one and two only. nothing else should be on it.

here is a link to a diagram: http://downloadcente..._Eng_200704.pdf

[Gusterv10]

I just logged in to tell you I ran into that same thing! I got all my 250GB back! Thanks a lot for all the help! The only problem now is that my BIOS recognizes all 250GB but My Computer still says it's 32GB. Worst case scenerio I'll reformat but it's a bummer having to re-install drivers. Ah well. Thanks again! Let me know if you know of any tools that will make Windows recognize all 250GB.

[computerspecialist101]

You will need to get a program called partition magic from symantec to be able to resize the partition to allow full access unless someone has a great cheaper or free tool that will work, but in my opinion, partition magic is the best. you can get it directly from the manufacturer asa download to instantly have it work, or for 20 dollars less, including shipping, you can wait about a week. from the manufacturer: http://www.symantec....r...p&pvid=pm80

from my good friends at buycheapsoftware, which are a great legit site: http://www.buycheaps...ductID~2740.asp

whatever you decided, let us know when you have it and i will be willing to do a step by step walkthrough to help you get the rest of your hard drive space back.

[Tyger]

You may not need to get Partition Magic, sorry about that computer-specialist, but that's an expensive bit of software and he may only need to remove the old 32gb partition and add a new partition which will be 250gb without the jumper. Then he can format it with XP SP2. The old partition has information in the master boot record that limits it to 32gb, a new partition should show the whole 250gb.

[computerspecialist101]

at his other thread, he mentions that he is reinstalling windows on the now 250 gb drive. but some problems came up. heres a link to it. http://www.geekstogo...on-t159843.html