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normevans01

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20 years ago

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August 26th, 2006 18:00

Windows does not recognize increased hard drive size

I used a hard drive cloning program (PC Inspector Clone Maxx) to copy everything from my old 30Gb HD to my new 60 Gb. Windows boots OK and the applications run, but when I open the properties window for the new drive it is still showing a 30 Gb where there's really a 60. The BIOS recognizes it's a 60, when XP first booted on the new drive it put up a "Found New Hardware" window correctly identifying it as a 60, but even after many reboots and cold starts Properties is still telling me it's a 30 Gb. How do I fix this?
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer,
Norm Evans
  • tgsmith

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    Posted August 26th, 2006 19:00

    Norm,

    You didn't indicate the brand of either your old or new hard drive.  The reason System Properties sees 30Gb rather than 60Gb is most likely due to the method you used to clone the drive.  The cloning software did not update the Windows XP installation file which maintains a record of the system drive's parameters.   No problem if the drives are identical (same manufacturer and model).  I recommend downloading installation software from the manufacturer of the new drive as listed below:

    Hitachi / IBM - DFT "Drive Fitness Test"
    http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htm
    All HDs.

    Western Digital "Data Lifeguard"
    http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp#dlgtools
    WD drives only

    Maxtor "Powermax"
    http://www.maxtor.com/en/support/downloads/powermax.htm
    Maxtor and Quantum HDs. Will diagnose other HDs.

    Fujitsu "FJDT"
    http://www.fel.fujitsu.com/home/drivers.asp?L=en&CID=1
    Fujitsu drives only

    Samsung "hutil"
    http://www.samsung.com/Products/Har...ities/hutil.htm
    Samsung HDs only?

    Seagate "Sea Tools"
    http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools
    Seagate HDs only

    Toshiba - N/A
    No tools available. Use Hitachi/IBM, Maxtor or third party programs

    You should reconnect your old drive as the primary master drive and your new drive as the secondary master drive (I usually just disconnect the CD-Rom and use it's cable).    Download the applicable software above.  When you go to prepare the new drive, make sure you tell the software that it will be your new boot drive. The software will fix the problem you are currently experiencing.

    Tony

     

    Message Edited by tgsmith on 08-27-200607:25 AM

  • 486

    0

    Posted August 26th, 2006 20:00

    Hello Tony,

    Thanks very much for the info and my apologies for omitting the drive make and model. Both old and new are Hitachi Model DK23FA. The cloning setup and process I used was exactly what you described, except for the key element of the copying software. I'll download the program at the Hitachi site and see how it does.

    Thanks again,
    Norm
  • tgsmith

    2862 Posts

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    Posted August 26th, 2006 20:00

    Norm,

    Can't remember if Hitachi's Drive Fitness Test includes cloning capability, but Western Digital, Maxtor, and Seagate utilities do.

    Tony

  • 486

    0

    Posted August 26th, 2006 23:00

    when you clone the drive, does it clone everything including the windows OS. If it is, maybe it has cloned the partition size as well (w/c is 30gb), so that's the reason maybe why it's reporting 30gb on your 60gb drive. You can check on the partition by going to Computer Management (right click my computer, left click on manage), and from there, choose, disk management and it should give you info about the new/old hdd. Hopefully, you can find 30gb of unpartitioned space
  • gudgeon

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    Posted August 27th, 2006 09:00

    Norm

    Did you use the trial version of the software or the full version? Most trial versions of cloning software make a partition of the same size as the original - if you pay for the full version, I expect you'll get the desired result. However, if you do buy cloning / backup software, I'd recommend trying Casper XP 3.0.