250GB hard drive shows as 131GB

[stockriderman]

I installed a new drive and it shows only 131gb. How do I get the rest?

 

[shoRunner]

lol...try a search, this has come up hundreds of times.

service pack 1...then go to control panel---> administrative tools-->computer management ---> storage ---> disk management

and you can partition and format the rest there, or use partition magic to merge it with your current partion

 

[d2arcturus]

Is it new or used? If used, reformat it, it probably has a 131GB partition.

 

[stockriderman]

Sorry,I meant how do I merge them. I did see that there's unalocated space,but I dont want to have 2 drives.Just 1 big one. Don't really wanna spend 70 bux for the partition magic software.

 

[KoolDrew]

Use Acronis Disk Director to resize the partition.

 

[dirkoneill]

How old is your ata controller/computer? I just had this happen to me when i bought a new 250GB drive. The ata controller card was too old to recognize the size. What are you working with?

 

[FlyingPenguin]

Requirements for support of 48-bit LBA (Exceeding 137Gb HDD size limit):


OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:

Windows 2000 with Service Pack 3 or better or Windows XP with Service Pack 1 or better

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS:

Your hard drive controller must support 48bit LBA (Large Block Addressing) - check the motherboard manufacturer's website for BIOS update and/or motherboard chipset driver update that MAY add this ability.

Alternately, you can install an add-on 48bit LBA capable controller card.

 

[shoRunner]

Originally posted by: shoRunner
and you can partition and format the rest there, or use partition magic to merge it with your current partion

 

[alexXx]

if you slipstream a winxp cd with sp2(or get ms to send you one and i beleive they will for free if you own xp) then reformat/repartition/reinstall windows and it will be full size. the problem lies in that winxp by default cannot accept a drive bigger than 137gb. sp1 and sp2 support them but they arent available at install unless you slipstream or have a new xp cd

 

[sonoma1993]

if you are using window xp, have to install sp1 or newer to get the full 250gb tobe recongize.

 

[BOLt]

Originally posted by: shoRunner
lol...try a search, this has come up hundreds of times.

service pack 1...then go to control panel---> administrative tools-->computer management ---> storage ---> disk management

and you can partition and format the rest there, or use partition magic to merge it with your current partion

When I tried to merge my partitions I got lots of data corruption and lost about 80% of my 100GB E partition. Does lots of disk fragmentation mess up merging?

 

[alexXx]

it shouldnt

 

[Some1ne]

Sorry,I meant how do I merge them. I did see that there's unalocated space,but I dont want to have 2 drives.Just 1 big one. Don't really wanna spend 70 bux for the partition magic software.

No special software required. Do:

1. Right click on 'My computer' -> Manage -> Disk Management

2. Locate your new drive in the bottom-right part of the dialog. Right click on the existing 131 GB partition and select "Delete Partition". The entire drive should now display as unallocated space.

3. Right click the unallocated space, and then create a new partition that is the size of the drive's capacity, and then format it as you like.


EDIT: I'm assuming that as a new drive, there is not yet anything on the 131 GB partition that you want to keep. The above procedure will kill any data currently on it, so if you do have things on the 131 GB partition, back them up before doing it.

 

[GTaudiophile]

What about Win2K? Does installing SP4 cause Windows to recognize such drives?

 

[stockriderman]

I did have an sp2 and all the updates. It still did not recoignize the correct drive.
All hardware is brand spanking new-to all who asked.

I actually just "borrowed" Partition Magic and it all worked. I now have 230gb or so.

 

[stockriderman]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
What about Win2K? Does installing SP4 cause Windows to recognize such drives?

If you have Maxtor,go to their website. They have a tool that enables drives capacity to ver 137GB.