Solved 3TB Hard Drive - 2TB Available

[Apprentrice5]

Hi Guys,

Recently had a problem with my external hard drive. Finally got all my files off it and did a format as that was the only way windows would pick it up.

However since i did the format it is only showing 2TB allocated and 700Gb unallocated and wont let me extend the drive.

Couple of screens attached. hope they help.

Overall View of Disk Management




Right Click options i get

 

[matts6887]

Do you know how and if the hard drive was originally set up; whether or not there was a partition set up on the drive or is it just a normal setup?

 

[Apprentrice5]

Thanks for the reply Matt,

The hard drive was an external desktop hard drive, but am now using it in a hot swap bay in my case.

So I would say it was just a normal setup? There were no partitions when I bought it

Regards
T

 

[carwiz]

You have the drive marked "Active" so Windows placed boot files on it. Legacy boot (standard BIOS) can only boot from a 2T drive or less so Windows made the partition 2T.

I'll let the brainy install guys tell you how to get rid of it.

 

[rvcjew]

if you currently have no data on it and just want to be able to use it for just storage. the fast way to make it un-active and usable is to use diskpart just select it in disk part then clean that disk (make sure you only clean the disk you want.)
you can see my pics below for an example but basically do this ina elevated command prompt:
diskpart
list disk
select disk # (# being the disk you want)
list part (to make sure it's the one you want, you can also do detail disk like my pic to see more info if your not sure it's the right one.)
clean (only clean it once your sure it is the right one)
exit

then in disk management it will show unallocated for the whole thing and windows can format it how you want.
rvcjew


EDIT: as carwiz said if that drive was in your system when you installed windows they your BCD is currently on that drive and must be moved with something like EASY BCD, or else your OS will not boot once you erase it. If you pull that drive out of your system with the machine off and then try to boot your OS will it boot? If you look at the picture that is my music drive and it was in my pc when i installed 7 on my ssd and is why it is listed as a system disk on the right side. it had MY BCD on it before i moved it to C:\

 

[Comp Cmndo]

Windows and GPT FAQ

http://www.disk-partition.com/gpt-mbr/convert-mbr-to-gpt-without-data-loss.html