[rameam]

I recently set up a new 160 g WD HD using Data Lifeguard Tools, partitioning it into 4 40 g drives. I had it set up as slave to my old one. When I booted, all the drives showed up in My Computer. Then I used PC Inspector Clone Maxx to clone my old HD onto the first partition (D). Clone Maxx did not show each partitioned drive. It showed the 160 g as 128 g. Not being well-versed in computer technology, I went ahead and cloned it. After activating that drive and setting it up as master, it booted fine but no longer shows the unused partitions, even when I reset it as slave. It shows the 160 g HD as 40 g, the same as my old drive.

How do I reclaim the 3 40 g partitions? Someone suggested that I needed to format them, but I don't know how to do so when the OS does not see them.

I d/l Resize from zeleps, which is supposed to resize partitions without data loss, but I don't know that it would help this situation.

My OS is WinMe. Computer is Compaq 5108US.

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Here are some links, the first does not seem to apply since you are running an older version of Windoze:

http://wdc.custhelp....li=&p_topview=1

then at the bottom select:

How to install, partition, and format an EIDE hard drive larger than 137GB (128GB binary) using Data Lifeguard Tools 11 and the Intel Application Accelerator in Windows 98SE/ME.

http://wdc.custhelp....li=&p_topview=1

http://support.micro...b;en-us;q327202

You might search the posts here since I know this has been talk about before. The problem is that the size is greater than the OS was designed for at the time.

Edited by Kemasa, 02 January 2006 - 03:09 PM.

[Kemasa]

Here are some links, the first does not seem to apply since you are running an older version of Windoze:

http://wdc.custhelp....li=&p_topview=1

then at the bottom select:

How to install, partition, and format an EIDE hard drive larger than 137GB (128GB binary) using Data Lifeguard Tools 11 and the Intel Application Accelerator in Windows 98SE/ME.

http://wdc.custhelp....li=&p_topview=1

http://support.micro...b;en-us;q327202

You might search the posts here since I know this has been talk about before. The problem is that the size is greater than the OS was designed for at the time.

Edited by Kemasa, 02 January 2006 - 03:09 PM.

[dsenette]

can you get into disk management in windows? (not sure on the steps to get there in me..sorry)...if so...do you see the other partitions there?

[rameam]

I tried several times to get back here after getting your emails, but perhaps the server was busy or down for awhile, because the page wouldn't load.

Anyway, I'm here now.

I finally got the drive up and running. I had to delete partitions, reformat, and run Data Lifeguard Tools 11.1 cd. Apparently I did not do something right the first time. I've learned since that I did not have to run Clone Maxx, because the DLT cd did everything.

One thing I don't understand is why Clone Maxx caused the last three partitions to disappear. Maybe it is not designed to work with partitioned drives.

I have an AMD Athlon chip, so as I understand, I cannot use the entire drive without installing an Ultra ata controller card. Since I bought the HD so I could clone my OS (it cost very little after rebates, thus the 160 g), as long as I can use the first 3 40 g partitions without data loss, I'll be satisfied.

Please correct me if I'm wrong: If I don't put any data in the final partition, there won't be any danger of losing data, and I can continue to use the drive as a 120 g HD.????

[Kemasa]

Clone Maxx might just clone the entire disk, as the source disk. I am not sure since I have not used it. I am not sure if there is an option to clone just one parition, but if it clones the entire disk, that would explain why it would wipe out the other partitions.

Have you tried updating the BIOS on your motherboard? If not, then you would need a controller card (or so the web pages say). I think that if you upgrade to XP, then you can make use of the disk.

You should be able to use the rest of the disk without a problem.

[rameam]

I knew that upgrading to XP or if I an Intel processor, I could use the entire drive. One day I may get the controller card.

It's working fine the way it is, so I'll leave it for now.

I surely appreciate your help!

[dsenette]

i think that what happened with the clone maxx stuff did was just mark the other partitions as inactive...they were probably still there...but when it wrote the MBR ...it dropped the other partitions off of the list..but...glad you fixed the problem

[warriorscot]

As far as i know of there is no limit to how much of the drive you can use because you have an AMD cpu that would be down to the motherboard but i doubt that is a problem, if you dont have SP2 for windows then you cant use more than 130gb as drives larger than that didnt exist when they released xp.

To me you did a very long winded way of doing something very simple the easiest way to get your data off the old drive would have been to simple copy and paste it into one of the drives and reinstall windows fresh onto one of the partitions on the new drive, installing windows fresh is never a bad thing as it cleans out all the junk a computer accumulates over the years.

[rameam]

Thanks to all who posted. I am also glad to have it up and running. Learned a lot during the process.

Being rather new here, I don't know how to close this thread.

[dsenette]

we don't close threads....so..don't worry about it

[rameam]

Thanks!

[Kemasa]

Actually, geekstogo does close threads, but that only occurs if there is a problem like asking for help regarding illegal activity or if it is a duplicate thread.

[dsenette]

we also do close them in malware....just didn't feel like typing all that when...."we don't close threads...don't worry about it" worked just fine...

[Kemasa]

Except that people see the other closed topics, which is no doubt why the person asked.