New Computer help

[BroncoBuddy82]

Hello I just Built a computer using some spare parts I had left from a previous computer and I am having a problem with the hard drive. The computer is a (new) antec 300 case with a Epox 8rga+ nforce2 mainboard, a amd athlon 2.3ghz processor, 1GB DDR SRAM, (new) lite-on cd/dvd burner (IDE), and a (new) western digital 500GB hard drive (IDE). The problem that I am having is that the hard drive only has 116GB free space available when checking the properties in windows XP. any feed back on the subject would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Teny]

#1 - Log on as administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
#2 - Click Start, click Run, type compmgmt.msc, and then click OK.
#3 - In the console tree, click Disk Management. The Disk Management window appears. Your disks and volumes appear in a graphical view and list view.

After that, see if you are able to see a total of 500GB. Partitioned or not.

 

[BroncoBuddy82]

when I get to disk management, it says that the other 337GB are unallocated, is this a problem with the hard drive it self or could something to screwed up in the bios?

 

[rohan23]

when I get to disk management, it says that the other 337GB are unallocated, is this a problem with the hard drive it self or could something to screwed up in the bios?

When you installed your new OS, you didn't partition it right. You limited the space to 177GB, was it?

 

[BroncoBuddy82]

No when I installed the OS I did not partition the drive, but it was. Is there any way to combine the partitioned sections together?

 

[rohan23]

No when I installed the OS I did not partition the drive, but it was. Is there any way to combine the partitioned sections together?

It wasn't a full partition. You will have to reinstall your OS. This time, just take the number to the maximum it will go.

 

[BroncoBuddy82]

Ok, thank everyone for all their help.

 

[wol-va-rine]

Ok, thank everyone for all their help.

actually, don't repartition and format your drive, keep the 100+ as your OS drive and just format the rest (unallocated space) and keep it as your data drive for storage, that way if anything ever happens to your OS drive and you have to reformat and reinstall your data files can be safe on the other partition/drive...

 

[dude_56013]

actually, don't repartition and format your drive, keep the 100+ as your OS drive and just format the rest (unallocated space) and keep it as your data drive for storage, that way if anything ever happens to your OS drive and you have to reformat and reinstall your data files can be safe on the other partition/drive...

Yup that's what I'd do. I always do a duel partition whenever I have to reinstall/install an O/S. One partition for the O/S, one for data.

 

[Teny]

yep, thats what i did for my Laptop.
For my desktop, i just bought another Drive, because i only had 120GB, so i had to get another one for my files.