I added a second (used) 40 GB hard drive to my Dell Dimension L500r pc. It
runs on Windows XP professional. In the process, somehow the original 40 GB
hard drive shrunk to 3 GB. The added drive also showed only 3 GB, but I was
able to initialize, partition and format it to show 37 GB. How can I
restore the lost drive space without losing my operating system?
--
Lee

First of all make sure the ribbon leads are firmly plugged into both hard
drives and the motherboard.
If you have connect the new HD on the same IDE ribbon lead as the original,
you must make sure the jumper on the new HD is in the slave position and the
old drive is set to master.

"Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote

>I added a second (used) 40 GB hard drive to my Dell Dimension L500r pc. It
> runs on Windows XP professional. In the process, somehow the original 40
> GB
> hard drive shrunk to 3 GB. The added drive also showed only 3 GB, but I
> was
> able to initialize, partition and format it to show 37 GB. How can I
> restore the lost drive space without losing my operating system?

What shows in disk management?

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

The c"/ drive says there is 3 GB.
--
Lee


"Rock" wrote:

> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>
> >I added a second (used) 40 GB hard drive to my Dell Dimension L500r pc. It
> > runs on Windows XP professional. In the process, somehow the original 40
> > GB
> > hard drive shrunk to 3 GB. The added drive also showed only 3 GB, but I
> > was
> > able to initialize, partition and format it to show 37 GB. How can I
> > restore the lost drive space without losing my operating system?
>
> What shows in disk management?
>
> --
> Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]
>
>

This has been done and both drives are working, the c:/ drive though only
shows 3 GB.
--
Lee


"Chas" wrote:

> First of all make sure the ribbon leads are firmly plugged into both hard
> drives and the motherboard.
> If you have connect the new HD on the same IDE ribbon lead as the original,
> you must make sure the jumper on the new HD is in the slave position and the
> old drive is set to master.
>
>
>

"Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:DE15AD5F-4385-4B3B-8D61-6F8E8A0B4ED9@microsoft.com...
> The c"/ drive says there is 3 GB.
> --
> Lee
>
>
> "Rock" wrote:
>
>> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>>
>> >I added a second (used) 40 GB hard drive to my Dell Dimension L500r pc.
>> >It
>> > runs on Windows XP professional. In the process, somehow the original
>> > 40
>> > GB
>> > hard drive shrunk to 3 GB. The added drive also showed only 3 GB, but I
>> > was
>> > able to initialize, partition and format it to show 37 GB. How can I
>> > restore the lost drive space without losing my operating system?
>>
>> What shows in disk management?
>>
>> --
>> Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]
>>
>>


You mean in disk management it only shows a drive that is 3GB. It doesn't
show other space?

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

If the second drive is disconnected(ide cable and power connectors), the master drive jumper set correctly, the machine rebooted to the Windows does the original drive size return.
If you double click on My Computer(how much free and used space is reported)

Note about drive jumpers- , cable select, master, master w/slave, slave etc are the usual settings.

If the original drive size returned after disconnecting the slave drive, reconnect the slave drive, set the jumpers properly, power up, and load the bios..are both drives set to autodetect ? Does the Bios report the correct drive model number.

You machine has an P3 processor thus its likely to only support IDE/PATA drives...is the new(used) slave drive of the same vintage ?

...winston



"Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:7EBB69C8-1BFF-4393-8A29-DFA22AF7F17D@microsoft.com...
:I added a second (used) 40 GB hard drive to my Dell Dimension L500r pc. It
: runs on Windows XP professional. In the process, somehow the original 40 GB
: hard drive shrunk to 3 GB. The added drive also showed only 3 GB, but I was
: able to initialize, partition and format it to show 37 GB. How can I
: restore the lost drive space without losing my operating system?
: --
: Lee

Thank you for your help. I had to wait until Monday to look at the disk
management since the troublesome computer is at work. Here is what is says:
volume layout type file system status capacity free
space fault tol.
C partition basic NTFS healthy System 4.01 GB 501 MB
no
E partition basic NTFS healthy 37.27 GB 37.08
GB no
Lee


"Rock" wrote:

> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:DE15AD5F-4385-4B3B-8D61-6F8E8A0B4ED9@microsoft.com...
> > The c"/ drive says there is 3 GB.
> > --
> > Lee
> >
> >
> > "Rock" wrote:
> >
> >> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
> >>
> >> >I added a second (used) 40 GB hard drive to my Dell Dimension L500r pc.
> >> >It
> >> > runs on Windows XP professional. In the process, somehow the original
> >> > 40
> >> > GB
> >> > hard drive shrunk to 3 GB. The added drive also showed only 3 GB, but I
> >> > was
> >> > able to initialize, partition and format it to show 37 GB. How can I
> >> > restore the lost drive space without losing my operating system?
> >>
> >> What shows in disk management?
> >>
> >> --
> >> Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]
> >>
> >>
>
>
> You mean in disk management it only shows a drive that is 3GB. It doesn't
> show other space?
>
> --
> Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]
>
>

Thank you this is an excellent suggestion. I plan to try it and get back to
you. Nothing else has worked so far.
--
Lee


"...winston" wrote:

> If the second drive is disconnected(ide cable and power connectors), the master drive jumper set correctly, the machine rebooted to the Windows does the original drive size return.
> If you double click on My Computer(how much free and used space is reported)
>
> Note about drive jumpers- , cable select, master, master w/slave, slave etc are the usual settings.
>
> If the original drive size returned after disconnecting the slave drive, reconnect the slave drive, set the jumpers properly, power up, and load the bios..are both drives set to autodetect ? Does the Bios report the correct drive model number.
>
> You machine has an P3 processor thus its likely to only support IDE/PATA drives...is the new(used) slave drive of the same vintage ?
>
> ...winston
>
>
>
> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:7EBB69C8-1BFF-4393-8A29-DFA22AF7F17D@microsoft.com...
> :I added a second (used) 40 GB hard drive to my Dell Dimension L500r pc. It
> : runs on Windows XP professional. In the process, somehow the original 40 GB
> : hard drive shrunk to 3 GB. The added drive also showed only 3 GB, but I was
> : able to initialize, partition and format it to show 37 GB. How can I
> : restore the lost drive space without losing my operating system?
> : --
> : Lee
>

"Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote

> Thank you for your help. I had to wait until Monday to look at the disk
> management since the troublesome computer is at work. Here is what is
> says:
> volume layout type file system status capacity free
> space fault tol.
> C partition basic NTFS healthy System 4.01 GB 501 MB
> no
> E partition basic NTFS healthy 37.27 GB
> 37.08
> GB no
> Lee
>
>
> "Rock" wrote:
>
>> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote

>> > The c"/ drive says there is 3 GB.
>> > --
>> > Lee
>> >
>> >
>> > "Rock" wrote:
>> >
>> >> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>> >>
>> >> >I added a second (used) 40 GB hard drive to my Dell Dimension L500r
>> >> >pc.
>> >> >It
>> >> > runs on Windows XP professional. In the process, somehow the
>> >> > original
>> >> > 40
>> >> > GB
>> >> > hard drive shrunk to 3 GB. The added drive also showed only 3 GB,
>> >> > but I
>> >> > was
>> >> > able to initialize, partition and format it to show 37 GB. How
>> >> > can I
>> >> > restore the lost drive space without losing my operating system?
>> >>
>> >> What shows in disk management?

>> You mean in disk management it only shows a drive that is 3GB. It
>> doesn't
>> show other space?

And it doesn't show any unallocated space? That is strange. Is the drive
detected properly in the BIOS? Download a drive diagnostic utility from the
drive manufacturer's web site. That will create a bootable floppy or CD.
Boot from it and run the diagnostics.

What shows if you install it as a slave drive in another XP or Win2k
computer?

This is a work computer? Don't you have an IT person to handle this?

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

I am a school teacher and this is my personal computer that I took to work.
The IT people have been very helpful, but cannot spend time on my computer
since it doesn't belong to the corporation.
--
Lee


"Rock" wrote:

> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>
> > Thank you for your help. I had to wait until Monday to look at the disk
> > management since the troublesome computer is at work. Here is what is
> > says:
> > volume layout type file system status capacity free
> > space fault tol.
> > C partition basic NTFS healthy System 4.01 GB 501 MB
> > no
> > E partition basic NTFS healthy 37.27 GB
> > 37.08
> > GB no
> > Lee
> >
> >
> > "Rock" wrote:
> >
> >> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>
> >> > The c"/ drive says there is 3 GB.
> >> > --
> >> > Lee
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > "Rock" wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
> >> >>
> >> >> >I added a second (used) 40 GB hard drive to my Dell Dimension L500r
> >> >> >pc.
> >> >> >It
> >> >> > runs on Windows XP professional. In the process, somehow the
> >> >> > original
> >> >> > 40
> >> >> > GB
> >> >> > hard drive shrunk to 3 GB. The added drive also showed only 3 GB,
> >> >> > but I
> >> >> > was
> >> >> > able to initialize, partition and format it to show 37 GB. How
> >> >> > can I
> >> >> > restore the lost drive space without losing my operating system?
> >> >>
> >> >> What shows in disk management?
>
> >> You mean in disk management it only shows a drive that is 3GB. It
> >> doesn't
> >> show other space?
>
> And it doesn't show any unallocated space? That is strange. Is the drive
> detected properly in the BIOS? Download a drive diagnostic utility from the
> drive manufacturer's web site. That will create a bootable floppy or CD.
> Boot from it and run the diagnostics.
>
> What shows if you install it as a slave drive in another XP or Win2k
> computer?
>
> This is a work computer? Don't you have an IT person to handle this?
>
> --
> Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]
>
>

Ok, I tried disconnecting the slave and restarting the primary drive. The
original drive did not return to the 40GB size. It stayed at its current
size of 4.01GB. (I did a disk cleanup to make a little more space.) Could
the drive simply be damaged? Could I clone the OS to the second drive and
put it in the place of the primary drive? I know I would have to change the
jumpers. I just don't want to lose my OS. Could I then try initializing,
formatting and partitioning the primary drive in the secondary drive position?
--
Lee


"...winston" wrote:

> If the second drive is disconnected(ide cable and power connectors), the master drive jumper set correctly, the machine rebooted to the Windows does the original drive size return.
> If you double click on My Computer(how much free and used space is reported)
>
> Note about drive jumpers- , cable select, master, master w/slave, slave etc are the usual settings.
>
> If the original drive size returned after disconnecting the slave drive, reconnect the slave drive, set the jumpers properly, power up, and load the bios..are both drives set to autodetect ? Does the Bios report the correct drive model number.
>
> You machine has an P3 processor thus its likely to only support IDE/PATA drives...is the new(used) slave drive of the same vintage ?
>
> ...winston
>
>
>
> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:7EBB69C8-1BFF-4393-8A29-DFA22AF7F17D@microsoft.com...
> :I added a second (used) 40 GB hard drive to my Dell Dimension L500r pc. It
> : runs on Windows XP professional. In the process, somehow the original 40 GB
> : hard drive shrunk to 3 GB. The added drive also showed only 3 GB, but I was
> : able to initialize, partition and format it to show 37 GB. How can I
> : restore the lost drive space without losing my operating system?
> : --
> : Lee
>

"Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote

>I am a school teacher and this is my personal computer that I took to work.
> The IT people have been very helpful, but cannot spend time on my computer
> since it doesn't belong to the corporation.
> --
> Lee
>
>
> "Rock" wrote:
>
>> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>>
>> > Thank you for your help. I had to wait until Monday to look at the
>> > disk
>> > management since the troublesome computer is at work. Here is what is
>> > says:
>> > volume layout type file system status capacity
>> > free
>> > space fault tol.
>> > C partition basic NTFS healthy System 4.01 GB 501
>> > MB
>> > no
>> > E partition basic NTFS healthy 37.27 GB
>> > 37.08
>> > GB no
>> > Lee
>> >
>> >
>> > "Rock" wrote:
>> >
>> >> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>>
>> >> > The c"/ drive says there is 3 GB.
>> >> > --
>> >> > Lee
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > "Rock" wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>> >> >>
>> >> >> >I added a second (used) 40 GB hard drive to my Dell Dimension
>> >> >> >L500r
>> >> >> >pc.
>> >> >> >It
>> >> >> > runs on Windows XP professional. In the process, somehow the
>> >> >> > original
>> >> >> > 40
>> >> >> > GB
>> >> >> > hard drive shrunk to 3 GB. The added drive also showed only 3 GB,
>> >> >> > but I
>> >> >> > was
>> >> >> > able to initialize, partition and format it to show 37 GB. How
>> >> >> > can I
>> >> >> > restore the lost drive space without losing my operating system?
>> >> >>
>> >> >> What shows in disk management?
>>
>> >> You mean in disk management it only shows a drive that is 3GB. It
>> >> doesn't
>> >> show other space?
>>
>> And it doesn't show any unallocated space? That is strange. Is the
>> drive
>> detected properly in the BIOS? Download a drive diagnostic utility from
>> the
>> drive manufacturer's web site. That will create a bootable floppy or CD.
>> Boot from it and run the diagnostics.
>>
>> What shows if you install it as a slave drive in another XP or Win2k
>> computer?
>>
>> This is a work computer? Don't you have an IT person to handle this?


Ok, but you didn't answer any of the questions. We can't see your computer,
only you can. As an alternative you could take it to a competent computer
repair shop, not the local Geek squad.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

your suggestions are all good ones, and I haven't responded because I haven't
had time to run a diagnoistic on the computer, or trying putting the primary
drive on another computer as a slave. Thank you for all your suggestions. I
hope to address these next week sometime.
--
Lee


"Rock" wrote:

> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>
> >I am a school teacher and this is my personal computer that I took to work.
> > The IT people have been very helpful, but cannot spend time on my computer
> > since it doesn't belong to the corporation.
> > --
> > Lee
> >
> >
> > "Rock" wrote:
> >
> >> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
> >>
> >> > Thank you for your help. I had to wait until Monday to look at the
> >> > disk
> >> > management since the troublesome computer is at work. Here is what is
> >> > says:
> >> > volume layout type file system status capacity
> >> > free
> >> > space fault tol.
> >> > C partition basic NTFS healthy System 4.01 GB 501
> >> > MB
> >> > no
> >> > E partition basic NTFS healthy 37.27 GB
> >> > 37.08
> >> > GB no
> >> > Lee
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > "Rock" wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
> >>
> >> >> > The c"/ drive says there is 3 GB.
> >> >> > --
> >> >> > Lee
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> > "Rock" wrote:
> >> >> >
> >> >> >> "Lee" <Lee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> >I added a second (used) 40 GB hard drive to my Dell Dimension
> >> >> >> >L500r
> >> >> >> >pc.
> >> >> >> >It
> >> >> >> > runs on Windows XP professional. In the process, somehow the
> >> >> >> > original
> >> >> >> > 40
> >> >> >> > GB
> >> >> >> > hard drive shrunk to 3 GB. The added drive also showed only 3 GB,
> >> >> >> > but I
> >> >> >> > was
> >> >> >> > able to initialize, partition and format it to show 37 GB. How
> >> >> >> > can I
> >> >> >> > restore the lost drive space without losing my operating system?
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> What shows in disk management?
> >>
> >> >> You mean in disk management it only shows a drive that is 3GB. It
> >> >> doesn't
> >> >> show other space?
> >>
> >> And it doesn't show any unallocated space? That is strange. Is the
> >> drive
> >> detected properly in the BIOS? Download a drive diagnostic utility from
> >> the
> >> drive manufacturer's web site. That will create a bootable floppy or CD.
> >> Boot from it and run the diagnostics.
> >>
> >> What shows if you install it as a slave drive in another XP or Win2k
> >> computer?
> >>
> >> This is a work computer? Don't you have an IT person to handle this?
>
>
> Ok, but you didn't answer any of the questions. We can't see your computer,
> only you can. As an alternative you could take it to a competent computer
> repair shop, not the local Geek squad.
>
> --
> Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]
>
>