Missing Hard drive space.

[Predator]

I have a 200 gigabyte hard drive, and when I install Windows and all that usually I should have around 187 gigabytes free. But when I reformatted my computer, my partition only had 139 gigabytes, and when I finished reformatting and installing XP i have 125 gigabytes in my hard drive? Also, I'm pretty sure I have only one partition, I had around 185 gigabytes of hard drive space on drive C before, and around 6 gigabytes on D:\ but it was for system files only, now I don't even have that extra 6 gigabyte drive :? .

 

 

 

I have reformatted 3 times now.

[Bmms]

it could be possible that you didnt reformat it the way you wanted and made more then 1 partition on it and one is using up some space?

[blade995]

What type of partition did you format the drive in? If it's FAT32 there is a limit to 137GBs.

 

 

 

Windows XP by default uses the NTFS file system which does not have a size limit and is better than the above.

 

 

 

To check to see what it is go to my computer and right click on the drive, click properties and it should say it next to "file system".

 

 

 

If you have the original disks that came with the computer it "should" have put that back, if not you probably can't get it back. NOTE: That was not a separate physical hard drive it was partition or space that is sectioned off that the computer thinks is a second drive.

[Predator]

It is NTFS. And yes, I THINK I had cd's that came with the computer. I should have because I have a Compaq and it was a Presario when I first got the computer, there were 2 drives labeled Presario and it came with a bunch of programs, now it's just a regular computer, but it doesn't seem to work now. It locks up and it does not recognize my sound card at all.

[thrash-boy]

i have exactly the same problem with my pc.

 

i have a 160gb HD and win xp only shows 142gb.

 

its in NTFS.

 

 

 

I was reading up on it ahwhile ago, and aperently win xp has a problem where it doesent read the whole lot or something (i forget).

 

i had a link to it on the windows KB somewhere, but ive lost it. ill get googlin.

 

 

 

*starts googling*

 

*gives up*

 

*searches in book marks*

 

 

 

:) got it!

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316505

 

 

 

read that.

 

basicly it has a few possible sollutions (described in there):

 

Method 1: Run Windows XP Setup to Determine Whether the Hard Disk Space Is Accessible

 

Method 2: Update the System BIOS or Use a Boot Manager

 

Method 3: Use Fdisk or a Third-Party Partitioning Utility

 

 

 

basicly just read the link.

 

 

 

hope it helps

[mastermule52]

Or choose your file system when you first install windows/format the drive :o

[blade995]

It is NTFS. And yes, I THINK I had cd's that came with the computer. I should have because I have a Compaq and it was a Presario when I first got the computer, there were 2 drives labeled Presario and it came with a bunch of programs, now it's just a regular computer, but it doesn't seem to work now. It locks up and it does not recognize my sound card at all.

 

 

 

It's not recognizing your soundcard because you probably didn't install the drivers :wink: .

 

 

 

Hard drives are always going to be smaller than they are advertised to be. Windows and other operating systems measure a measure a megabyte in 1024KB while Hard Drive makers measure a megabyte at 1000KB. That should have not caused the big loss of space that has happened to you though.

[Predator]

Okay well, I don't know what is wrong with my computer so I'll probably take it to the shop because it's real messed up.

 

 

 

There are 2 partitions when I use XP as a boot disc.

 

 

 

1 partition with 131 gigs

 

and another with 8 megabytes.

 

 

 

I CANT find out what type of Presario it is because it doesn't say anywhere and I checked my brothers computer which is the exact one I checked in the properties of my computer and it didn't say anything, their website is crap and doesn't help.

 

 

 

It doesn't recognize ANY sound card, I cant even find a driver for Sound Blaster Audigy PCI 7.1 because their website is bad too, and when I downloaded one it said there was no sound card. I took it out to use my on-board sound and it doesn't work either. When I play Oblivion sometimes it locks up and when I go on msn and start a new conversation it freezes for a while, and when I alt tab out of Oblivion and back in it locks up adn gets a blue screen. I don't know how to fix this so I'll probably just take it into the shop.

 

 

 

On the compaq website it says you can download drivers so maybe that will help? BUt i cant seem to find out how to tell which type of Presario I have because there are a ton on the site.

[Predator]

Added new info to first post.

[blade995]

The UPS is not the power supply. Well it technicaly is a power supply but it's external. It is used to regulate power to the computer and supply power to the components that it's plugged into when your power goes out.

 

 

 

If you bought a new power supply because of that message, then you realy need to read up more.

[Predator]

Well, my moms blew up so we bought a new power supply over 450 watts for myself and I can give my old one to my mom, but then why does it still show the message? I guess I'll look that up. It says that the GeForce 7900 needs 450 watts and my old one had 300 watts, so i figured i would need a new one :? . I fixed the hgraphics card problem, 2 down, 1 to go, stil lcan't figure out about the hard drive.