My HD got smaller after :)

[Eston]

Hello everyone,
Got a new PC that had installed Vista Home and HD160GB

I didn't like to much Vista, so I decided to install XP.
Figured two bootup partitions will be nice and maybe one day I will go Vista, but in the mean time XP will be fine.

To do that I had to get Acronis and I created second partion 30GB just fof XP.
That went fine and partition was created.

Then friend show up and he offered to install XP and I kept working on my other PC.

As he was doing something on PC he call me and said that I am only showing 130GB. I explained that I created other 30GB partition.

I fugered it's better to stop now, don't install XP. Go back to VISTA, call acronis, wipe the 2 partition and then make new install of XP.

After reboot Vista won't start.
Ok then, I wasn't crazy about it anyway so let's whipe the HD with install XPCD.

Well that didn't happen. When instaling XP, my HD only show 130GB (30GB gone).
I fugured, after XP install I will install Acronis and see all the partitions and make the adjustment as need it (deleted, make it large or ?).

Installed Xp, installed Acronis but can't see the partion that was created before. My HD is now 130GB - lost 30GB

What can be done please?

TIA

 

[mancunian]

Install XP Service Pack 2. You need SP2 to see the full 160 Gigs.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: mancunian
Install XP Service Pack 2. You need SP2 to see the full 160 Gigs.

Actually, it's SP1, not SP2. Also, partitions aren't recognized until after they're formatted.

 

[Eston]

Thank you both.

Now, I am more confused (sp1 or sp2)
The particion I made with Acronis was formated NTFS.

TIA

 

[myocardia]

It's SP1, which stands for Service Pack.

 

[mancunian]

Originally posted by: myocardia

Originally posted by: mancunian
Install XP Service Pack 2. You need SP2 to see the full 160 Gigs.

Actually, it's SP1, not SP2. Also, partitions aren't recognized until after they're formatted.

That's as maybe.

However, it seems rather futile to install SP1 these days, hence the advice to install SP2.

 

[oynaz]

You are not exactly making it easy for the poor man.

@ Eston. Install Service Pack 2 our your XP. That should help.

 

[Eston]

I just check and I have:
WindowXP professional service pack 2

What's the solution now?

TIA

 

[mancunian]

Have you looked in Control Panel ---> Administrative Tools ---> Computer Management ---> Disk Management?

Check there, if you see 30Gb of unallocated space, you'll need to format it before the OS will recognise it as available.

Let us know what you see in Disk Management.

 

[Eston]

I'll be honest.
Friend left his XPcd and I installed from his.
Just cheked via My computer and it's XP pro - not sp2

I do have ORIGINAL window XP pro sp2 right front of me, but changed the case (me or ?) and don't have the serial # (just very fancy CD)

Probably I can get it from sowhere. I am not buying a new xpCD again!!

Longest I am sure that will solve the problem, I will reinstall the OS with sp2

Everybody is sure that this will cure the problem?

What about right in the beginning when I place the cdXP in. It does ask some questions. Can at this time all the partitions be recovered and deleted and just create 2 new ones?

Sory being so stupid and thank you again for all your help

 

[mancunian]

You don't need to reinstall XP, just download the SP from Microsoft's site and run the installer.

If you install with just the XP CD without SP2 on it, you'll be left in the same situation, one 130 Gig partition.

You can download SP2 here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta...-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

 

[Eston]

I see:
C: 39.06 GB NTFS
D: 39.06 GB (I created this partition for future Vista, but it's not formated yet)
49.87 GB Free space (haven't done anything to this yet)

I have 160 GB HD - I promise

 

[mancunian]

You will most likely only see about 147 Gig in Windows due to the way hard drive manufacturers show their numbers. This is normal for what Seagate etc. call a '160 Gig' drive.

However, you still seem to be missing 17 Gigs somewhere. I would at least install SP2 and then look at what you can see.

 

[Eston]

I am downloding the sp2 right now. Hope it will work. If not, technician can have a look.

I just do it, becouse I am curious and like to make it happen (almost there).
If not, oh well. cook some dinner instead

Thank you all for your help.

 

[mancunian]

You're welcome.

It's late here in Europe so I'm off to bed shortly, but I'll have a look here again tomorrow to see how you've gone on.

 

[Eston]

Took me 1 hr to downlod the sp2 patch, but it was worth it. Itt works!

Now I can see:
C: 39.06 GB NTFS
D: 39.06 GB
49.87 GB Free space
21.05 GB Unallocated

Back to drawing board and get Acronis do the magic or can I use Xp to do it. If yes, how?
E: & F: has to be format to?

I am thinking ?? Please corect me if you see anything dumn.
C: 30.00 GB NTFS (for XP)
D: 30.00 GB NTFS (for feature Vista)
E: 50.00 GB (for doc, email, music, video, photos, web etc.)
F: 45.00 GB (downloads)

I have one more 160GB that I can install and that would be used for back up of C:, E:

What do you think?

TIA

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: Eston
Took me 1 hr to downlod the sp2 patch, but it was worth it. Itt works!

Now I can see:
C: 39.06 GB NTFS
D: 39.06 GB
49.87 GB Free space
21.05 GB Unallocated

Back to drawing board and get Acronis do the magic or can I use Xp to do it. If yes, how?

XP has a feature that can combine or split partitions, but you lose any data on them. To use XP, just right-click on My Computer, select Manage from the drop-down box that appears. Then, click on Disk Management (on the left side of the window that will appear), and right-click on each logical drive, for the options.

E: & F: has to be format to?

No, that isn't necessary.

 

[Eston]

I found it no problem, but I am stuck big time. Let me expalain.
I can see all 4 partitions.

I have:
C: 39.06 GB NTFS
D: 39.06 GB
49.87 GB Free space
21.05 GB Unallocated

C: 39.06 GB NTFS (leave XP alone - as is)
D: 50.00 GB like to make it bigger and have to change the format to? (it will be for for doc, email, music, video, photos, web etc.)
NTFS (for feature Vista)
E: 45.00 GB (downloads)
F: 21.05 GB (for Vista - in case one day)

How can I achieve the above? I tried for hours and I am stuck.

TIA

 

[myocardia]

Umm, your numbers aren't adding up. Get out your calculator, and add up what all of your current logical drives combined equal; it will be 149.04 GB. <<That's all you're ever going to have from that disk, no matter what you do. There isn't any way to make it larger, so you're either going to have to have two 45 GB partitions, plus a 21 GB partition, or have a 50 GB + a 40 GB + a 21 GB.

And the only way to change the size of the partitions is to delete two (or more) logical drives, then partition them into different sized logical drives.

edit: I'd recommend that you get rid of the 21 GB idea, and just buy another hard drive later, if you decide to go with Vista. You could then have 51 GB + a 60 GB logical drives, or any other combination that works best for you.

 

[Eston]

All done.
The problem with the last partion was marked as Primary and the XP Disk managment won't touch it. I had to use another program to change it to Logical and then everything fell in place.

Now I have:
C: 39GB Primary NTFS (XP) (easy backup or mirror)
D: 50GB Logical FAT32 (for my docs, photos, music etc.) can easily be backed up to extra HD
E: 39GB Logical FAT32 (downloads)
V: 21GB Logical FAT32 (this one I can change it later to NTFS when need it for Vista)

I still have free 160GB extra HD for all the backups, mirror etc.

I like it.

Any confirmation on my success (with help from here - I sure was stuck on sp1 > sp2)

TIA
Ivone

 

[myocardia]

Why did you make your logical drives FAT32? I'd make them all NTFS, personally.

 

[Eston]

Originally posted by: myocardia
Why did you make your logical drives FAT32? I'd make them all NTFS, personally.

No special reason. Thinking if Primary is NTFS so the secondary partitions should be FAT32.

BTW: why is NTFS format better ? (I can change that in a flash)
What's negative about FAT32?

TIA
Ivone

 

[myocardia]

NTFS is both faster, and slightly more "stable", at least in XP.

edit: It also less does better when it hasn't been defragged in awhile, unlike FAT32.

 

[Eston]

I will change it to NTFS asap then

Thank you very much for your help.

 

[mancunian]

Myocardia is spot on, NTFS is much better than FAT32 for the reasons he stated.

FAT32 is an outdated file system from the days of Windows 95/98. You are also limited in certain respects, such as file size, security features, etc. So converting to NTFS is a wise move.

Good that it's now sorted.