Cloned Instead of Transferring Files

Would it be possible to post a screenshot of what Disk Management shows?

 

Glorya, here is a link to the WD instructions for formatting your drive using Windows Disk Management http://tinyurl.com/3dy2pa.

 

I have just received information from Western Digital telling me to get a replacement drive. I have contacted the seller who gave me an authorization number for return. I am sooooooo very concerned that there might be my private information on it. Do you think I should use the "Write 0's" on it again which will take another 2-3/4's hours to make sure there is nothing on it? And how will I know that the area that shows my "C" drive was wiped clean? I have a lot of banking info, etc. that probably went on it when I made the mistake at the beginning and did the clone?

 

Disk 0 and disk 1 cannot be the same external drive. They have to be two separate drives. So disk 0 is your system drive, and disk 1 is the external. Disk 0 is always the system drive.

If you are returning the external, just run the "Write zeros" program again and your data will be erased ... I doubt the vendor will go to the trouble to try to extract your data.

Have you tried the suggestion in Message #18?

 

I don't remember if I did use #18 suggestion. I just redid the 0's again to try to ensure that my data is gone. The thing that bothers me is that it still shows 232.88GZ unallocated in Disk 2 under Disk Management (still does not show exteral drive anywhere else) and not the full 250 that is supposed to be on this external drive. What and where could the other 17.12GZ be and does it still contain the information when I originally cloned my C drive (meaning my information)? I am disconnecting the external HD, packing it up and taking it to be shipped tomorrow a.m. I am then sending the Acronis disk back to another vendor who says that this can be done within 90 days. I definitely do not want to use that program ever again. I FIRMLY believe that program exacerbated my problem after I foolishly did a clone not a backup and tried to rectify my mistake.

Thank all of you for your time and effort. I appreciate it. I am sure I will be back on this board when I get my replacement HD.

If you can think of what/where the missing GZ is/are and if you think it still contains some info, could you please, pretty please, respond. Again, many thanks.

 

The GBs are not missing. 232GB for a 250GB drive is the correct formatted capacity. The sizes are just calculated differently.

An 80GB drive will end up around 75GB formatted.
A 160GB drive will end up around 150GB formatted.
A 250GB drive will end up around 232GB formatted.
A 320GB drive will end up around 298GB formatted.

 

Thank you so very, very much. I have become so paranoid reading about ID theft, I didn't want to experience it because of my stupidity (not knowing what to backup/clone and, consequently, leaving the door open to access my "C" drive where all my info is contained when sending it back). I feel better now because of your help. Tomrrow, it goes back! You slowed down my heartbeat!