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General discussion

New hard drive only shows as 31.4gb instead of almost 160gb

Jan 17, 2007 3:21AM PST

I've been doing a little research and I see that I'm not the only one with this problem but I haven't been able to find any solutions that work for me. Let's get this out of the way...I installed a Seagate Internal 160gb hard drive. The computer is a HP Pavillion 2600 and is running XP SP2. My old hard drive is still installed. I think it is an 80gb hard drive. What can I possibly do to show the full 160gb of the new drive so I can transfer my files to it and eventually get rid of the older hard drive? First things first, though - I need it to show as 160gb. Thanks for any advice.

Discussion is locked

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That can be proper if...
Jan 17, 2007 3:49AM PST

You created a FAT32 partition. Windows limits that to only 32GB.

Bob

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Well, thanks Bob
Jan 17, 2007 5:17AM PST

but how on earth do I change that? I'm a novice so please take it easy on me.

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Skip trying to make it show. Look at what you want to do.
Jan 17, 2007 6:34AM PST

"What can I possibly do to show the full 160gb of the new drive so I can transfer my files to it and eventually get rid of the older hard drive?"

There should be migration software from the drive maker to clone your existing drive to the new drive and then they instruct you to swap the drive locations.

Have you done this?

Be sure not to trip up this clone process by attempting to format ahead of time.

Bob

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I'm not sure
Jan 18, 2007 2:37AM PST

The new drive came with DiscWizard for Windows. I followed some steps to make the new drive the boot drive while keeping the old drive as well. The new drive wouldn't hold all of the stuff from the old drive so now I have an incomplete copy. I can't get everything to the new drive because the computer won't recognize that it is 160gb.

I just wish they would have included a manual for idiots. I don't know where to go from here.

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Disk Management
Jan 18, 2007 7:58AM PST

Go to XP's DISK MANAGEMENT. There you should see both of your hard disks.

Delete all partitions on the new Seagate drive.
Create at least one partition.
Format it with NTFS (not FAT32).


Alternative: Go to Seagte.com and download the SeaTools program. Use it to create one large NTFS partition on the new drive.

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(NT) Correction: "Seagte.com" should be "Seagate.com"
Jan 18, 2007 8:00AM PST
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New drive is formatted NTFS
Jan 18, 2007 11:05PM PST

I just looked and the new drive (I) shows as NTFS. My old drive is partitioned C & D with C formatted NTFS and D formatted FAT32. I don't use D at all. It only contains the recovery disks info for HP. Now what? Thank you so much for any and all suggestions.

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Stop looking at it and take action
Jan 19, 2007 12:32AM PST

In Disk Management:
1. Delete all partitions on the 160GB drive (YOU MUST DO THIS!)
2. Create one large partition on the 160GB drive
3. Format the partition with NTFS

If Disk Management doesn't work, then try SeaTools.

If SeaTools doesn't work, then use the free KILLDISK utility to "wipe" the drive clean. Then you can "initialize" it in Disk Management.

Bottom line: You have some work to do.

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How HD will not recognize but 32 GB
Aug 6, 2010 8:49AM PDT

I just run into this problem today. Although this is an old post and hopefully it was resolved by now maybe someone else needs this info. I realized that I had indeed set the jumper to the 32GB cap. Pay close attention to labels for they can be confusing.
1) To fix this just remove the jumper completely
2) Make sure system drive is jumpered to primary
3) Connect both on cable with end connector on system drive
4) Connect new drive to middle or other connector
5) Boot computer and you should see full size of drive
6) Proceed to copy, clone or ghost data from system drive

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BTW, what's the model number of the hard drive?
Jan 19, 2007 12:35AM PST

Some models have a jumper setting that limits it to ~32GB. This can be changed.

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Model # is ST3160812AS-RK
Jan 19, 2007 2:41AM PST

I did what you suggested with disk management and it still shows as 31.49gb. I've been reading about the limitation on the jumpers but I don't have any idea where they are or how to change them even if I could find them.

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What do you mean
Jan 19, 2007 10:16PM PST

by "initialize" it in disk management?

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a plan of attack
Jan 20, 2007 1:21AM PST

1. Before you do anything else, I would see how your system BIOS lists the hard drive. Does it show the proper model number and that it is 160GB?

2. The details on initializing, partitioning and formatting:
http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2cfd04d2e817f010VgnVCM1000005106090aRCRD&locale=en-US

3. I see that model is a SATA-300 HD. Your motherboard may not handle those very well, so try jumpering it as SATA 150.

4. If everything else fails, I would try wiping it clean with KILLDISK and starting over.
http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm

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Well, happy Monday everyone.
Jan 22, 2007 1:43AM PST

I looked in the BIOS (after having to google it so I would know how to find it) and this is what I see - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v256/agirlnamedbari/other%20stuff/pictures105.jpg and http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v256/agirlnamedbari/other%20stuff/pictures106.jpg Nothing seems right.

By the way, I don't have a clue about the whole jumper issue. I don't even know where jumpers are. I'm lost. I'm doing this myself to save cash and because I want to learn more about computers. I'm beginning to think that I bit off more than I can chew.

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RE: Well, happy Monday everyone.
Jan 22, 2007 2:16AM PST

Thanks! You did well in posting the BIOS pictures. I didn't see your SATA hard drive there. Look in the other menus to see if there are any SATA settings or if you see your SATA hard drive model number.

I want to make sure of some details. I went to HP's website and found no Pavilion 2600--do you have a different model?

Hint: http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support/prod_info.html

Even though some older motherboards used by major system makers have SATA connectors, some are disabled and some aren't supported in the system BIOS. That is the reason for investigating the computer model's specifications.

* * * * *

The following diagram shows the back end of a Seagate SATA hard drive and where the jumper pins are. There may be a jumper cap that covers two of the pins. Depending on the desired setting, the jumper cap may be moved to other pins or removed completely.

http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=5e81781e73d5d010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD&locale=en-US

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Well thank you.
Jan 22, 2007 2:34AM PST

I actually have an HP 735n with a 2600 processor so I didn't really complete that part. There is nothing in the BIOS about the new hard drive. Should I try to set it up with the DiscWizard program or is there another way?

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strange
Jan 22, 2007 3:00AM PST
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Ummm should I have mentioned that I purchased
Jan 22, 2007 3:33AM PST

and installed a controller card so I could hook up the Sata hard drive? I didn't have any extra PCI slots so I bought a controller card with IDE and Sata slots.

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PCI card driver
Jan 22, 2007 4:38AM PST

What's the make & model of the PCI SATA controller card?
Did you install the driver that came with the PCI SATA controller card?

Hint: Don't let Windows XP automatically install the driver. Use the CD that came with the SATA controller card.

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Here is the info on the controller card -
Jan 22, 2007 9:25AM PST
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=010&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=200064032848&rd=1&rd=1

After looking at all the info on this little driver cd, I think I may have installed the wrong thing. I remember the card being recognized at some point. Is it possible that I uninstalled it in all this mess? Are you ready to pull my hair out, too?

Below is a screen shot of what I see when I look at driver cd. Each folder has a couple folders inside with readme files and setups.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v256/agirlnamedbari/other%20stuff/untitled.jpg
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"no name" controller from eBay
Jan 22, 2007 5:49PM PST

It's too bad you don't know the the exact model number of the card. If you did, you could go to the maker's website to get the latest driver and check for a firmware upgrade. Anyway, I guess you have to work with what you have.

Your goal is to install the driver located on the CD.

When you insert the CD in the computer, if a program automatically runs, then use that to install the driver. If not, do the following:

DO THESE STEPS IN ORDER. DO NOT SKIP ANY STEPS!!!

With the computer off, disconnect the 160GB hard drive.

Turn on computer and:
- Open your Device Manager and look in SCSI and RAID Controllers.
- Tell us what controllers are listed
- Rt-click on the VIA controller and select Properties
- Click on the Driver tab and note the driver details (manufacturer, date, version, etc.). Tell us that info.
- Click the Update Driver button.
- Select "NO, not at this time" and click Next
- Select "Install from a list or specific location" and click Next
- Select "Search for the best driver in these locations" and check "Search Removable media (floppy/CD-ROM). Click Next.

Turn off computer and:
- Jumper the hard drive at 1.5Gb/s instead of 3.0Gb/s.
http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=5e81781e73d5d010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD&locale=en-US
- Connect data and power cable to SATA HD.

Turn on computer. Go to Device manager and follow the earlier instructions to delete all partitions and then create at least one partition. Make sure to format with NTFS.

Result?

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correction
Jan 22, 2007 7:17PM PST
Turn on computer. Go to Device manager and follow the earlier instructions to delete all partitions and then create at least one partition. Make sure to format with NTFS.

Should read as:

"Turn on computer. Go to DISK MANAGEMENT..."
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I'm going to print this out and try it this afternoon
Jan 22, 2007 11:06PM PST

as soon as my daughter is down for a nap. Thank you so much for all your help. I'll let you know what happens.

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Here's the info -
Jan 23, 2007 2:27AM PST

VIA VT6421 RAID Controller

This is what it says on the driver tab -

Provider: VIA Technologies, Inc.
Date: 5/12/2004
Version: 5.1.2600.310
Signer: Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher

When I tried to update the driver as you instructed it said that there were no better driver found than the one that was already installed.

I have a question about the jumper issue. When I looked just now, I see a little white block around the two right pins on the right. Should I remove it completely or just switch it to the two left pins?

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Looking at that diagram on Seagate's website...
Jan 23, 2007 3:14AM PST

Is my hard drive upside down or is theirs? Does it matter? I thought I put it in right. The jumper is on the outermost pins so that means that it is already limited to 1.5gb/s.

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pin diagram
Jan 23, 2007 6:47AM PST

There should be some description near or above the actual jumper pins that tells you what the different jumper positions do. It may even be on the sticker on the top of the HD.

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Try the driver from the CD anyway
Jan 23, 2007 6:49AM PST

If it doesn't work, you can always uninstall it and then let Windows install the other driver.

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Good morning - Instructions have been completed
Jan 23, 2007 11:37PM PST

The jumper was in position for 1.5gb/s block already (the sticker confirmed that) so I didn't have to do anything there. I hooked it up, started the computer, set up the drive and formatted it NTFS. It still shows as 31.4gb and the BIOS hasn't changed since the pictured that I posted a few days ago. Why isn't the computer recognizing this new hard drive in the BIOS? I've noticed that my computer is a lot faster starting up and even more reliable when the new hard drive is unplugged. So, what's next?

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RE: Good morning - Instructions have been completed
Jan 24, 2007 12:03AM PST

Download and install Active Killdisk to a floppy. Boot to the floppy. Wipe the drive clean.
http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm

Then use use Disk Management to initialize it. Partition and format it (NTFS).

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Cannot load DOS! Press any key to retry.
Jan 24, 2007 2:05AM PST

That is the error I get when I try to reboot with the floppy drive.