Hard drive problems

[Big Andy]

About a year ago now my windows XP went crash and would not boot the computer (desk top) which in itself didn't bother me as I was in the process of buying a laptop. There were two drives, the original 80G C: and another 400G F: which I added myself for extra storage. To cut a long story short today I took the 400 out and conected it to the "new" laptop in the hope of taking any documents (mainly music) off and refomating as an extra backup.

When I open it up to look the only thing I can see on there is a copy of Windows and nothing else??? It also says the drive is only 127G in size. I'm guessing my files are still there but in someway hidden on the missing/invisable part of the drive. I strugle to understand computing at the best of times and am in way over my head so any help to find the missing 270G would be much appreciated. Andy.

PS and yes I have learned my leason about backing up. :bang::bonk::bonk:

 

[neil_g]

if you go into disk management, can you see a section of disk that is kind of greyed out?

(disk management = right click computer/my computer -> manage -> disk management)

 

[Big Andy]

Thanks Neil. I've now done that and at of the top of the screen it says it's a 128G drive with 500M used and in the lower portion it says 372G ????? Any idea how I get to view whats on the invisable bit?

 

[arad85]

Interesting. HDD size of 127G is a known issue point (google "127G drive limit"). How are you connecting the disk to the PC? Does the BIOS of the PC support drives over 127G? Which OS are you running?

 

[Big Andy]

Hi Andy I will google that in a moment. My C: drive is a 140G so the BIOS must allow for drives bigger than 127G (I would assume) and I'm running Vista on the laptop and the 400G drive comes from my old desk top which was running XP. The 400G worked ok on that until windows failed to boot.

 

[ChrisH]

Did you have a password on your old PC ?

 

[Big Andy]

Ok I googled 127G drive problems and read this

http://msmvps.com/blogs/jeffloucks/...-file-size-limit-unmountable-boot-volume.aspx

Unfortunatly it might as well be in chinese as my aged worn out brain hasn't a clue what all that meant although he appears to be talking about the same thing (I think). Sorry to be a knob but this white mans magic left me behind years ago. :nuts:

 

[Big Andy]

Hi Chris yes I did have a password although not sure what it was now but could probably work it out if ness.

 

[arad85]

How is it connected to your new laptop?

 

[Big Andy]

I'm using a Lexi IDE to USB2 lead. Hope that makes sense

 

[neil_g]

Thanks Neil. I've now done that and at of the top of the screen it says it's a 128G drive with 500M used and in the lower portion it says 372G ????? Any idea how I get to view whats on the invisable bit?

was it partitioned in your old computer?

 

[Big Andy]

Sorry I don't know the answer to that, can only say possibly.

 

[neil_g]

the bit that says 370 can you right click and assign a drive letter? does it appear after that?

 

[DekHog]

Sounds like a problem with the USB enclosure to me if all was working fine in the PC - you need to get it attached by some other means, or use another USB enclosure to see if the problem still persists - DO NOT format, repartition, assign drive letters, or do anything else to the 400Gb drive until you have tried this....

 

[Big Andy]

Ok I've done that but it appears to have made no difference it's now drive S: top and bottom of screen and still the same size.

I really do appreciate your Sunday afternoon time on what is my problem after all.

 

[Big Andy]

Hi Derek only just noticed your post it must have come up when righting my last. I'd already changed but have now changed back again. Nothing seems to have altered it's just as usless and starting to think about a 4lb shifter, at least I'll feel better.