Gaming Huge chunk of HDD space is gone....

[ChaosBoi]

My 80GB Hitachi Deskstar originally had 2 partitions: One with 31 GB and the other one with the remaining 45 GB (It had 76 GB in total). While looking to merge the two partitions, I accidentally converted the 45 GB partition into a Dynamic Volume and the computer restarted. Upon completion of the restart, the Disk Management only shows the 31 GB partition. The 45 GB partition isn't listed anywhere. Not as a Dynamic Volume, not as a Basic, not even as unallocated space! When I try to format the drive, it only allows me to format up to 31 GB.

Where did the 45 GB of space go, and how do I get it back?

 

[moose3]

My 80GB Hitachi Deskstar originally had 2 partitions: One with 31 GB and the other one with the remaining 45 GB (It had 76 GB in total). While looking to merge the two partitions, I accidentally converted the 45 GB partition into a Dynamic Volume and the computer restarted. Upon completion of the restart, the Disk Management only shows the 31 GB partition. The 45 GB partition isn't listed anywhere. Not as a Dynamic Volume, not as a Basic, not even as unallocated space! When I try to format the drive, it only allows me to format up to 31 GB.

Where did the 45 GB of space go, and how do I get it back?

I am guessing this was under windows?

Have you looked at computer management>disk management?
Have you tried an Ubuntu live CD and tried their gparted app to alter the partitions?
If all else fails, have you looked at fdisk?

 

[ChaosBoi]

I haven't used fdisk nor ubuntu but yes, this was under Windows and I have checked Disk Management. I've also used something called EASUS Parition Master or whatever and it couldn't find the missing 45 GB either.

 

[moose3]

Then Try fdisk, command line tool used before windows starts (use the recovery console) and just make sure it's the proper HDD, since I take it this is a spare disk not your main drive (which you don't want to mess with), and you should be able to remove all partition information and start from scratch.

Formatting will not change partition info, it only works with established partitions. You can also use a drive fitness test tool or what ever your drive manufacturer uses to wipe the boot sector of your spare drive (this will wipe out all partition info as well). If none of those work, the ubuntu live CD with the gparted program should be able to edit/wipe the boot sector info on that spare drive as well and re-partition it to use the whole drive.