# Externall Hard Drive lost space after "Formatting"??



## Ambar88

I had been using my 750GB external hard drive with no complications on Windows XP, but when I connected it to my new laptop which runs Vista, t told me I had to "Format" the drive. I was OK with it deleting all the files, but I had no idea it would reduce the memory of the external hard drive from 750 to 40GB 

Can someone please tell me how to get back that 710GB back? There's no way I can manage with an external hard drive that small


----------



## Cromewell

Open disk management and see if the rest of the space is unallocated. If it is you can either delete the current partition and recreate one for the entire drive or you can just partition the remaining space.


----------



## Ambar88

How does one get to disk management?


----------



## Cromewell

Right click on my computer (just called computer if this is vista) and pick manage. In the tree on the left you may have to expand storage by clicking the little + beside it. You'll see disk management there.


----------



## Ambar88

Seems like the formatting on XP isn't working. For some reason the format window says the capacity is 811GB now, and the loading bar isn't moving


----------



## Cromewell

The formatted capacity on a 750GB drive should be ~698GB. Are you able to delete any existing partitions on the drive? If so delete everything on it and then repartition and see if that fixes it.

If you can't do anything try doing the same steps on the Vista laptop, I think they made some improvements to disk management.


----------



## Ambar88

I deleted all of the partitions on the drive, but now it does not even recognise it is connected. PartitionMagic still does though, but it only says that it's a "BAD" type drive instead of an NTFS type, and it doesn't allow me to change it at all, perhaps this is because it's only the trial version?

My external hard drive has gone from small to useless now


----------



## Cromewell

You can give this a try first http://blog.atola.com/restoring-factory-hard-drive-capacity/ but at this point I'd probably just go to this next one I'm going to link.

Failing that use http://hddguru.com/content/en/software/2006.04.12-HDD-Low-Level-Format-Tool/ and make sure you pick your external drive. You don't want to wipe any other drive. If you aren't sure it's your external don't run it.


----------



## Ambar88

Ok, seems to be working now, and I have 698 GB of memory now, however it's split into three separate drives. Ah well, guess that will do.


----------



## Cromewell

Better than nothing I suppose. You probably don't want to be messing with it anymore now that you've got it working though.


----------



## Gweilo

Cromewell said:


> Failing that use http://hddguru.com/content/en/software/2006.04.12-HDD-Low-Level-Format-Tool/ and make sure you pick your external drive. You don't want to wipe any other drive. If you aren't sure it's your external don't run it.



Hi there, I found this thread searching for a solution to this problem. I tried solution suggested above and now my laptop won't see the external drive. After I had run the low level format tool and went to eject the drive windows told me it was corrupted and to run Chkdsk which I did and now no drive, although it does show up when I go to 'Safely Remove Hardware'.

Any help appreciated 

I'm running XP SP3 btw.

I also just noticed it's showing up in Administrative tools.


----------



## Cromewell

> I also just noticed it's showing up in Administrative tools.


Go there and try to create a partition on the drive. After wiping the drive it's like a brand new drive (unless there is mechanical failure or something) so you need to partition it.


----------



## Gweilo

Ok, forgive my ignorance but how do I go about that?


----------



## Cromewell

I'll give you full directions from your desktop. Click on the start menu and then right click on my computer and pick manage. Click the + sign beside Storage (if it's a - this is already done) then click on disk management. You should see a drive with unallocated space in the bottom of the right pane. Right click on it and pick create partition. Then just follow the wizard steps.


----------



## Gweilo

Ok, did that. When I went  into Disk Management there was a red 'No Entry' type symbol by the external HD icon, I right clicked and the only options I was given were, Initialize, Properties and Help. I clicked initialize and the No Entry symbol has disappeared but Drive still not showing up.


----------



## Cromewell

After initializing you need to do the partition creation process. I forgot about that step.


----------



## Gweilo

That's done it, thank you so much for your help. You're a star!!


----------

