Recovering lost space on HD

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by Hiker, Dec 24, 2007.

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  1. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    This isn't a TI question per se but a Seagate DiscWizard (SDW) question. The truth be know it may not even be that, since the cloning appeared to go without a hitch until I tried to boot with the new drive. Let me try to explain, please bear with me.

    I cloned my present 60GB Seagate HD on my Dell E1505 laptop using SDW to a 120 GB Hitachi HD using a Ultra sata enclosure. Everything appeared to go fine. I transfered the cloned Hitachi to my laptop but upon booting got a bluescreen error message to check for viruses, something about new HD's, for safety sake will not boot to Windows etc. to run Checkdisk f. I ran a diagnostic test and everything appeared to fine but I still couldn't boot using the new drive. Switched back to my old drive and am here now.

    Later, I put the new drive back in the enclosure, hooked it to my laptop and tried to open and explore. At the time it asked to format, but then wouldn't. Fast forward...

    Later I was able to format and run a checkdisk (fix errors). Problem being, it appears Dell's Media Direct resized the drive to the Seagate HD size.

    Now that I've formated the drive (and can use it for storage), I can't use the procedure outlined in the link above, without trying to clone again.

    Bottomline, I'd like to recover the lost space using the USB F drive.

    At that point, I'll probably do a clean install on my old drive eliminating Dell's Media Direct and try over

    Any ideas?
     
    Last edited: Dec 25, 2007
  2. DwnNdrty

    DwnNdrty Registered Member

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    That is a common problem when cloning - the larger cloned drive takes on the size of the smaller original drive. Since you now have the original back in the laptop try using Disk Management to regain the size of the Hitachi drive. Otherwise try this workaround:
    ================================
    If you have already cloned/restored your drive and just want to regain the missing (unallocated) space proceed as follows:
    1. Make the bootable True Image Rescue cd, if you have not already done so.
    2. Boot with it and from its main menu choose Manage Acronis Secure Zone.
    3. Create an SZ of any size less than the missing unallocated space. Do not accept the default to activate the Startup Recovery Manager.
    4. OK back to the main menu.
    5. Go right back into the Manage ASZ.
    6. Choose to Delete the SZ.
    7. When asked what to do with the space, accept the default to append it to the existing partition.
    8. Back out to the Main Menu, Exit the process, quickly remove the CD and reboot the system (if it doesn't self reboot).
    ====================================
     
  3. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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  4. Oldjim

    Oldjim Registered Member

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  5. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    Thanks guys Merry Christmas! I'll check out the threads. In the meantime, I put the new now formatted HD back in my laptop used the bootable Hitachi Feature Tool and thought I gained the space back, switched it out with my old HD, and put it back in the enclosure. Here's what I found.
     

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  6. DwnNdrty

    DwnNdrty Registered Member

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    Hmmm ... do you know what is in the used space of about 118Mb?
     
  7. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    BTW, I don't care if I have Media Direct, and would actually prefer the space, since it appeared Seagate DiskWizard, doubled the Dell hidden partitions. I thought about doing a clean install prior to cloning. Wish I had, from what I've been reading it may have alleviated the problem.

    Also, I really need directions in layman's terms, spelt out. If you could. I do have a SDW recovery CD.

    I'd prefer, if possible, being able to recover the lost space in the USB enclosure. If that can't be done, will I be able to use the fix inside my laptop without an OS or will I have to re-clone?
     
  8. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    No, not that technical, but from reading my guess it could possibly be something to do with Media Direct and why it shrinks the disk.

    On another thread (there's so many, it's making me dizzy)

     
  9. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    Here's an interesting tidbit from one of the links above...

     
  10. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    Playing around a little bit, I attached the HD in the enclosure and used Road Kills Sector Editor and tried to follow Brian's instruction as closely as possible (noob here) but choose logical F.

    Anyway, the used space on the HD is now 62MB.

    If I put the HD back into my laptop and use the Hitachi Feature Tool, upon closing it leads me to dos A:\ . I don't know the command to get out and end up just powering down using the on/off button.

    So, what do you think I should do now?
     
  11. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    Well, I tried the Hitachi Feature Tool again and both it and the BIOS recognized the HD as having 120GB.

    Pulled it out, put it in the enclosure but properties still has it at 54.4GB with 62MB being used.

    I've never reinstalled Windows, but have good directions.

    In a worse case scenario if I use my XP CD that came with the Dell with the new HD and things don't go according to plan, will I still be be to boot using my old drive?

    If XP installs, but the HD is still at a reduced state, will I be in a better position to correct the problem?

    Added: Just looked at Computer management. Why the discrepancy from top to bottom?
     

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  12. DwnNdrty

    DwnNdrty Registered Member

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    I could understand how your head is spinning from having to read so many different links. One person who might have just what you need is GroverH. Search for any message by him and in his signature are links that may help to clarify things.
     
  13. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    Yeah, and it's not just links on this board. At times I must have 15 tabs open. Thanks, I'll look for Grover.
     
  14. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Hiker,

    I've been away. A few quick comments. If you zeroed the third sector on the F: drive then you still have LBA-3 as it must be zeroed from the Physical drive. Start Roadkil and when you see the popup menu select Physical 1. Click Open and at the bottom of the window you will see

    Current 0000000000 of (another number). Write down the second number. Close Roadkil. Start Roadkil and select Physical 0. Write down the second number. This is to confirm which HD is your external HD as its number should be around

    0230000000

    Zero LBA-3 on your external HD.



    Now, could you download dsrfix.zip from Dan's page....

    http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/fixes.htm

    Unzip the archive and burn dsrfixcd.iso to a CD. You don't need the other files in the zip. The 120 GB HD now need to be internal. Boot to the CD and type dsrfix at the prompt and press Enter.

    Let us know these two numbers..

    48-bit user secs and the

    48-bit max secs

    (If it's not 48-bit, what is the number?)
     
  15. GroverH

    GroverH Registered Member

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    Sorry, but any assistance that I can offer on Dell and HPA would be referring to prior postings. The resident expert on this topic is already providing assistance and that is Brian K.
    http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/mediadirect.htm

    DwnNdrty may have been referring to my link to the "Useful Forum Threads" sticky link which contains a posting to
    "Upgrading hard drive on Dell computer that contains MediaDirect/Host Protected Area"

    Some previous postings on this topic have been:
    Dell MediaDirect functionality(not) post TI imaging (Rickk January 15)
    https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=161730

    Restore on larger hard disk changed disk size(by PartrickR March 3)
    https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=167401

    How To Question - Restore and Eliminate one Partition (by annetis Sept 7)
    https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=184900

    I LOST 60 gb in a CLONE AS IS HELP! (dins93 June27)
    https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=178680

    HD Clone does not work (by uhu February 27)
    https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=166906

    MBR restore? (DELL) (bylabman June 28, 2006)
    https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=137223

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Also, supplement your info with searches on keywords on the topic

    HPA + Media site:www.WildersSecurity.com

    Restore on larger hard disk changed disk size site:Www.wildersSecurity.com
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2007
  16. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    I may have have fixed it, but I'm getting conflicting reports. With Windows I was able to format and check the disk for errors. I'm able to move files in and out. Problem is with Partition Magic which shows it as bad.

    Trying to format I got this error message. Is this because it's an external drive? I can "browse" in the partitions in my internal drive, but not the external F drive so I don't know what's in the used space.

    Operation (1 of 1)
    Formatting partition: F:
    (BADMBR, Primary volume, 114471.0 MB on Disk:2)
    New label and type: (NTFS)



    Is there a way to fix this? I still need to know if I can install XP on this disk, in case of problems, will my existing HD still work?

    The snaps shots below
     

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  17. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    Thanks for all the help guys. Brian in lieu of my recent "experiments" experiments, what should I do? :doubt:
     
  18. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    Brian, before I begin, it looks like I can undo the changes I made yesterday (atleast it says there's an option.)

    .
     
  19. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    For physical drive1

    0 of 0234441647

    physical drive 0

    0 of 0114270343

    I don't get this at all. LOL....
     
  20. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Hiker,

    Another hiccup.

    Try this. From the PMagic boot discs, not from Windows, delete the BAD partition on the external HD. Then create a primary NTFS partition on the external HD.

    Boot to Windows and see what the above screens show.
     
  21. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Physical drive 1 is your external HD. Each sector is 512 bytes, roughly 1/2 KB, so around 2 million sectors per GB.
     
  22. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    I didn't make any boot disks. It appeared to be floppy which I don't have. Let me look to see if I can make a CD.
     
  23. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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  24. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    Brian, thanks for your time. I downloaded Partition Magic, no CD. Which of the Parted Magic should I download? Live CD

    Edit: I figure it out! Downloading LiveCD now.
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2007
  25. Hiker

    Hiker Registered Member

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    I think that may have worked... Screenshot looking in Partition Magic below.

    If that's OK now the question, if I deleted 4th partition (Media Direct?) in my current HD and added it to C drive, then cloned using Seagate DiskWizard, would that work without having to go through this entire routine again?

    Anything else I need to do?
     

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