Thanks Anna, really apprecieate your tip. I might gonna try that after I
recover my lost files. Thank you very much. Do you know a good software that
could restore my lost partitions?

Thank you.

"Anna" wrote:

>
>
> >> >> IJVelas wrote:
> >> >> > My computer setup before reinstalling a fresh copy of WIndows XP is
> >> >> > P4 2.8 Ghz on a Intel PERL Motherboard, 1GB RAM, 128MB Video,
> >> >> > Partitioned PATA 80GB Seagate (C: 40GB, D: 40GB) hard disk, SATA
> >> >> > 250GB hard disk (E:), SATA 320GB hard disk (F:). Installed is
> >> >> > Windows XP SP2 with the latest updates by Microsoft. This setup is
> >> >> > already a year old so I've decided to reinstall a fresh copy of
> >> >> > Windows XP. After successfully installing a new Windows XP SP2, I
> >> >> > couldn't access my 320GB hard disk and everytime I boot up my
> >> >> > WIndows XP scandisk always run. I always cancel the scandisk
> >> >> > because I'm afraid that I might loose my valuable data if scandisk
> >> >> > corrects the problems found by scandisk.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Windows XP tells me that my 320GB hard disk is not formatted. I
> >> >> > opened Computer Management to see the list of drives and found out
> >> >> > that my 320GB hard disk is only detected as 130GB hard disk but in
> >> >> > the BIOS it says 320GB hard disk. After doing some research on the
> >> >> > net, I found out that Windows XP doesn't automatically support
> >> >> > large hard drives greater than 130GB (I think). I edited the
> >> >> > registry and added DWORD EnableLargeLba = 1 then rebooted my PC.
> >> >> > After the reboot, Windows XP still reports that my 250GB hard disk
> >> >> > has problems. Opened Computer Management again and checked my hard
> >> >> > drives. Computer Management now reports that my 320GB hard disk has
> >> >> > 130GB (healthy) and 170GB (unallocated).
> >> >> >
> >> >> > I also lost some data and corrupted files on my 250GB hard disk.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > I think the cause of this was Windows XP automatically reconfigured
> >> >> > the partitions on my hard drive since it doesn't support large hard
> >> >> > disks greater than 130GB.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Is it still possible to recover all my data on my 320gb hard disk
> >> >> > and 250gb hard disk drives? What should I do? I am sure that my
> >> >> > hard drives are working in good condition because I just bought
> >> >> > them a few months ago.
>
>
> >> > "Shenan Stanley" wrote:
> >> >> Windows XP SP1 and later 'automatically' (out-of-the-box) supports
> >> >> drives
> >> >> larger than 137GB.
> >> >> Your results from your research was incorrect or at least incomplete.
> >> >>
> >> >> As long as you installed Windows XP SP1 or SP2 initially (not updated
> >> >> it
> >> >> to
> >> >> SP2) - the support was there from the beginning.
> >> >>
> >> >> You may be having trouble with the drivers for the controller?
> >> >> Update those from the controller card or motherboard manufacturer?
> >> >> (If built into the motherboard - the chipset drivers should cover
> >> >> that.)
> >> >>
> >> >> No one should have suspected a hard disk issue from the information
> >> >> you
> >> >> gave...
> >> >>
> >> >> When you installed Windows XP - was it from a CD integrated with SP1
> >> >> or
> >> >> SP2?
> >> >>
> >> >> --
> >> >> Shenan Stanley
> >> >> MS-MVP
>
>
> >> "IJVelas" <IJVelas@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:DF88A5F7-91F6-4A52-888E-D6DA27979147@microsoft.com...
> >> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/303013
> >> >
> >> > Thanks for correcting me, I reviewed the article again. But why is it
> >> > that
> >> > my hard disks is not recognized correctly by Windows XP? What I did
> >> > was, I
> >> > installed a Windows XP (not SP1 and SP2) and reinstalled Windows XP
> >> > SP2.
>
>
> > "Anna" wrote:
> >> IJVelas:
> >> It would appear that when you originally installed XP (sans SP1 and/or
> >> SP2)
> >> the 137 GB disk capacity limitation was invoked, i.e., both your 250 &
> >> 320
> >> GB HDDs would have been affected. So the system would not recognize disk
> >> space > 137 GB (approx.) under those circumstances. Presumably while you
> >> were using those two HDDs during the time SP1 and/or SP2 was *not*
> >> installed
> >> you could not have utilized any disk space > 137 GB (approx) so I don't
> >> understand how you could create any data on that space - data that you
> >> infer
> >> has been lost. Are you certain about this? Are you perhaps referring to
> >> data
> >> on the 137 GB partition? And (in this connection) you mention only the
> >> 320
> >> GB HDD as being affected by lost data. Not the 250 GB one although you do
> >> indicate there is a problem with lost files & corrupted data re that HDD
> >> but
> >> it's not clear whether you're referring to the problem involving disk
> >> capacity recognition here.
> >>
> >> Now when you fresh installed XP w/SP2 to your 80 GB HDD (it *was* to that
> >> HDD, right?), the system would now recognize the full capacity of your
> >> 250
> >> GB & 320 GB HDDs, however the additional disk space > 137 GB (approx)
> >> would
> >> have been designated as "unallocated" - disk space that you could
> >> partition/format on both the 250 GB & 320 GB HDDs. Again, I'm assuming
> >> the
> >> 250 GB HDD was similarly affected as the 320 GB, presuming that the 250
> >> GB
> >> HDD had been installed when you originally installed the XP OS without
> >> SP1
> >> or SP2.
> >>
> >> The problems you mention re scannow and that "Windows XP tells me that my
> >> 320GB hard disk is not formatted" indicate that something is amiss with
> >> your
> >> system - probably having something to do with your fresh install of XP or
> >> something else. Assuming this is practical I wonder if at this point it
> >> would be advisable to undertake a new fresh install of XP - making sure
> >> that
> >> *all* other HDDs and storage devices are disconnected from the system
> >> during
> >> this fresh install (presumably to your 80 GB HDD - I take it for one
> >> reason
> >> or another you prefer the OS to reside on that HDD rather than on one of
> >> your large-capacity HDDs. I don't know why - it wouldn't ordinarily be my
> >> choice but I take it you have your reasons). I'm assuming you would have
> >> no
> >> difficulty re:installing your programs & applications following the fresh
> >> install.
> >>
> >> Or in lieu of a new fresh install of the OS you could perform a Repair
> >> install on that boot drive. Again, ensure that all HDDs & storage devices
> >> are disconnected from the system during that operation.
> >>
> >> I'm not sure whether you'll be able to restore any lost data from your
> >> two
> >> SATA HDDs after this. There may be other problems affecting this
> >> situation.
> >> Anna
>
>
>
> "IJVelas" <IJVelas@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:92F904A6-717A-4F4E-8E5F-091193EFF6D7@microsoft.com...
> > On my previous setup, I just addedd the 2 hard disks and set them up using
> > Computer Management that's why I didn't encounter some problems. But when
> > I
> > did a fresh install, that's when I encountered problems with my hard
> > disks.
> >
> > Regarding the scandisk, It only scans my 250GB hard disk so I'm sure that
> > there is no problem with my latest install of Windows XP SP2. But just in
> > case I will also try your advise.
> >
> > The reason why I use the 80GB hard drive as my operating disk because if
> > my
> > system gets damaged, I could easily reinstall a fresh copy of Windows XP.
> > That's what I've been doing ever since. This problem happened because I
> > was
> > not familiar that Windows XP does not handle large disk not until it
> > happened
> > to me. I hope you guys could help me find a way to restore the data in my
> > hard drive.
> >
> > Thanks.
>
>
> I really don't have any further comments to make re your specific problem(s)
> and I would suggest you re:read my former comments together with the
> questions I raised...
>
> But I did want to comment on your statement that the reason you install the
> OS onto your 80 GB HDD (I assume it's a PATA drive) rather than on one of
> your large-capacity (and presumably faster) SATA HDDs is "because if my
> system gets damaged, I could easily reinstall a fresh copy of Windows XP.
> That's what I've been doing ever since.". In my opinion, what you *should*
> be focused on is establishing & maintaining a comprehensive backup program
> that you will routinely use. In that vein you might consider employing a
> disk imaging program or any other backup program that you're comfortable
> with. And in so doing use your 80 GB HDD as the recipient of the backup
> material (assuming it can handle the backed-up data) either as a internal or
> external HDD. And use one of your large-capacity SATA HDDs to install the
> OS together with your programs & applications. Your overall performance
> should significantly improve.
>
> I realize all this is for the future. First you have to solve your present
> problem(s). Good luck.
> Anna
>
>
>