250GB HDD only showing as 137GB

[Guest]

I have just put my new HDD in my machine to use as a master. I have installed
windows xp pro but it only shows as 137GB instead of 250GB.

When I right click on my computer and click manage then click disk
management there is 104GB un-allocated. If I right click that and click new
partition a window appears.

What I need to know is. Do I need to have a primary or extended partition to
get the rest of my HDD back? I dont want another drive like D: or somethin. I
just want the rest of my C: drive back.

Cheers

 

[Bob I]

Does your motherboard support >137 gb drives?

 

[Guest]

yes the motherboard etc does support them.

Im just wondering if I need to choose primary or extended partition on the
partition utility to get the rest of my HDD.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Why can I only see 127 to 137 GBytes of my 160 GB drive in Windows XP?
http://www.seagate.com/support/kb/disc/faq/137_winxp.html

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I have just put my new HDD in my machine to use as a master. I have installed
| windows xp pro but it only shows as 137GB instead of 250GB.
|
| When I right click on my computer and click manage then click disk
| management there is 104GB un-allocated. If I right click that and click new
| partition a window appears.
|
| What I need to know is. Do I need to have a primary or extended partition to
| get the rest of my HDD back? I dont want another drive like D: or somethin. I
| just want the rest of my C: drive back.
|
| Cheers

 

[Anna]

yes the motherboard etc does support them.

Im just wondering if I need to choose primary or extended partition on the
partition utility to get the rest of my HDD.

Paul:
The problem arises because most likely when you installed your 250 GB drive,
your XP OS did not include SP1 or SP2. The original version of XP did not
support large-capacity drives, i.e., drives > 137 GB. When you subsequently
updated the OS to SP1 and/or SP2, the full capacity (roughly 232 GB or
thereabouts) of your drive was recognized, however, the disk space beyond
the 137 GB is considered "unallocated space". You can, of course,
partition/format that disk space (even create additional partitions if you
want), but you can't "merge" that space into a single volume using XP's
built-in utility (Disk Management). For that you will need to use a
third-party program such as Partition Magic.
Anna

 

[Mike Mueller]

Most likely the issue is that you are using a non-SPd
version of XP- support for drives >137did not appear until
SP1 came out. What I would do before you start installing
software is to download the full version of SP1 or SP2 and
then burn what is called a slip-stream CD. This will
basically give you a new XP install CD, which will have SP1
or 2 already built in.

Mike


:I have just put my new HDD in my machine to use as a
master. I have installed
: windows xp pro but it only shows as 137GB instead of
250GB.
:
: When I right click on my computer and click manage then
click disk
: management there is 104GB un-allocated. If I right click
that and click new
: partition a window appears.
:
: What I need to know is. Do I need to have a primary or
extended partition to
: get the rest of my HDD back? I dont want another drive
like D: or somethin. I
: just want the rest of my C: drive back.
:
: Cheers
:

 

[Tim Slattery]

What I need to know is. Do I need to have a primary or extended partition to
get the rest of my HDD back? I dont want another drive like D: or somethin. I
just want the rest of my C: drive back.

Others have answered the question about why you originally saw only
137GB of your disk. As to whether you should make the rest into a
primary or extended partition, IMHO it doesn't matter. The bootable
partition must be primary, and evidently it is, or you wouldn't be
able to boot up. So long as you don't intend to make a dual-boot
system, so that you'd be booting from the new partition, it can be
either primary or extended. WinXP will handle either one.

 

[Manny Borges]

Actually the built in diskpart command can probably extend this drive.

--
Manny Borges
MCSE NT4-2003 (+ Security)
MCT, Certified Cheese Master

The pen is mightier than the sword, and considerably easier to write with.
-- Marty Feldman

 

[Ron Martell]

I have just put my new HDD in my machine to use as a master. I have installed
windows xp pro but it only shows as 137GB instead of 250GB.

When I right click on my computer and click manage then click disk
management there is 104GB un-allocated. If I right click that and click new
partition a window appears.

What I need to know is. Do I need to have a primary or extended partition to
get the rest of my HDD back? I dont want another drive like D: or somethin. I
just want the rest of my C: drive back.

Cheers

In addition to what the others have said about using the remainder of
the hard drive's capacity there is an additional option.

Use a third party partitioning utility such as BootItNG from
www.bootitng.com to enlarge the existing partition so that it uses the
entire capacity of the drive. BootItNG is not free but the trial
version is fully functional and works for 30 days. To enlarge the
partition you do not need to install it. Just create the diskette and
then boot your computer with that diskette.

Note that if you do this then you will also need to create a new
Windows XP install CD with Service Pack 2 slipstreamed into it so you
can do a Repair Install etc. should that be necessary.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

 

[Anna]

..

Actually the built in diskpart command can probably extend this drive.

Manny:
I'm aware that the diskpart command can be used to add or delete partitions,
but to my knowledge it cannot be used to merge partitions, or as you call it
"extend this drive". Have you ever accomplished this feat
(non-destructively, of course) using diskpart?
Anna

 

[Plato]

Most likely the issue is that you are using a non-SPd
version of XP- support for drives >137did not appear until
SP1 came out. What I would do before you start installing
software is to download the full version of SP1 or SP2 and
then burn what is called a slip-stream CD. This will
basically give you a new XP install CD, which will have SP1
or 2 already built in.

Or, if you have $89 to spare and no time/inclination, to create a
slip-streamed cd, just get the new MS XPSP2 upgrade CD.

 

[Lil' Dave]

In addition to what the others have said about using the remainder of
the hard drive's capacity there is an additional option.

Use a third party partitioning utility such as BootItNG from
www.bootitng.com to enlarge the existing partition so that it uses the
entire capacity of the drive. BootItNG is not free but the trial
version is fully functional and works for 30 days. To enlarge the
partition you do not need to install it. Just create the diskette and
then boot your computer with that diskette.

Note that if you do this then you will also need to create a new
Windows XP install CD with Service Pack 2 slipstreamed into it so you
can do a Repair Install etc. should that be necessary.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

Used OEM (buy with hardware) XP CD, and MS XP SP2 CD. Used autostreamer to
slipstream, and make one resulting CD ISO file. You need a burner that can
burn an image file to CD. Autostreamer is free.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/System-Tweak/Autostreamer.shtml