Solved Aaagh. Me hates formatting a new HDD

[AaLF]

Every few years or more one needs to initiate a new HDD. This one is 6TB WD 3.5


And every time I forget the trick needed to not stuff it up. I followed the sellers instructions and sure enuff it's split into two partitions. One accessible the other off in the twilight zone.


Does anyone know the formula to convert this into one big accessible partition of 5500?

 

[Snick]

Hi AaLF,

Resize/Move Partitions - EaseUS Partition Master Guide
EaseUS® Partition Master Free

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Anytime you have a drive larger than 2TB, you have to format it as GPT, not MBR, to be able to use the full capacity of the drive.

 

[johnhoh]

As was said, you need it to be GPT not MBR. Converting from MBR to GPT takes one minute

Change a Master Boot Record (MBR) into a GUID partition table (GPT) disk | Microsoft Docs

 

[AaLF]

Anytime you have a drive larger than 2TB, you have to format it as GPT, not MBR, to be able to use the full capacity of the drive.

As was said, you need it to be GPT not MBR. Converting from MBR to GPT takes one minute

Change a Master Boot Record (MBR) into a GUID partition table (GPT) disk | Microsoft Docs

Just confirming -
Here are the two MBR partitions with options available -




and the option on the left is -



So convert to GPT now or do I somehow have to get those two partitions deleted first?

 

[johnhoh]

yes you have to delete the partitions. I prefer to do things from the command line but here are the instructions for either way, from the link I posted
Converting using the Windows interface
1) If the disk contains any partitions or volumes, right-click each and then click Delete Partition or Delete Volume.

2) Right-click the MBR disk that you want to change into a GPT disk, and then click Convert to GPT Disk.

Converting using a command line
1) Open an elevated command prompt by right-clicking Command Prompt and then choosing Run as Administrator.

2) Type diskpart. If the disk does not contain any partitions or volumes, skip to step 6.

3) At the DISKPART prompt, type list disk. Note the disk number you want to convert.

4) At the DISKPART prompt, type select disk <disknumber>.

5) At the DISKPART prompt, type clean.

Note: Running the clean command will delete all partitions or volumes on the disk.

6) At the DISKPART prompt, type convert gpt.

 

[AaLF]

yes you have to delete the partitions. I prefer to do things from the command line but here are the instructions for either way, from the link I posted
Converting using the Windows interface
1) If the disk contains any partitions or volumes, right-click each and then click Delete Partition or Delete Volume.

2) Right-click the MBR disk that you want to change into a GPT disk, and then click Convert to GPT Disk.

Delete partition is not offered. One partition offers "conveert to simple volume" and the other nothing is offered.
Since the option to delete partitions is not offered I'm not willing to go into command line.


View attachment 408191View attachment 408192

 

[johnhoh]

Delete partition is not offered. One partition offers "conveert to simple volume" and the other nothing is offered.
Since the option to delete partitions is not offered I'm not willing to go into command line.
View attachment 408191View attachment 408192

That's up to you I guess, however the command line instructions are pretty straightforward. By the way when I click on your attachment, nothing is found.

 

[Snick]

You cannot delete unallocated space!
Create a new partition on the unallocatated space.
Extend partition.

 

[AaLF]

That's up to you I guess, however the command line instructions are pretty straightforward. By the way when I click on your attachment, nothing is found.

johnhoh, Here is the current disk -



And here is the Command Prompt (so far).





Scary stuff for a bloke who has rarely ever played with black screens. Partition One appears as 2047 of free space. Partition Two doesn't exist sort of.


Tell me again my next steps plz.

You cannot delete unallocated space!
Create a new partition on the unallocatated space.
Extend partition.

hi Snick -


As you can see from the pic. right-clicking on "Partition 2" offers me no option to create a new partition. Been so long since I did this back office stuff I've forgotten how. plz remind me the steps.

 

[johnhoh]

j
And here is the Command Prompt (so far).
View attachment 408196

Your new disk is shown as Disk 0, so the next step is type into the command line:

select disk 0

and then press enter

then type

clean

and press enter again

then type

convert gpt

and press enter

At that point, your new disk will be one giant partition and you are done

 

[Snick]

Have you tried EaseUS Partition Master?

 

[AaLF]

Your new disk is shown as Disk 0, so the next step is type into the command line:

select disk 0

and then press enter

then type

clean

and press enter again

then type

convert gpt

and press enter

At that point, your new disk will be one giant partition and you are done

Woooooooooooooooo.

Have you tried EaseUS Partition Master?

In the past I have. But look at that jpg above. My first Command Prompt in many many years. It worked.


thanks peeps. Always count on Win7 Help forum to dig me out of trouble.

 

[johnhoh]

long live the command prompt

 

[Snick]

johnhoh,
That always works!