[TheTechIsIn]

What OS are you using?

It would be easy to see whats going on if your using XP, or Win2000.

 

[TheTechIsIn]

no problem, hopefully I can help figure this out for you, I do need a little additional information however :

In the "My computer Tab" do you have 2 hardrives showing up or just the 1 with the 2gb?,

have you verified this space reading by doing a dir command in the command line?

Do you have a dual boot system?

What program/steps did you use when you copied the old drive?

And finally do you have partition experience (Just in case you above answers lead us to that. )

 

[TheTechIsIn]

The ability to learn is alway a plus...


Anyway try this out and let me know what you see,

Start > Programs > Accessories > Command Line / MS Dos Prompt > Type "fdisk" , it may ask you about large drive access or something like that (I cant remember references to LBA I think,) but anyway if it does just answer "yes"

You will be given a screen and there should be 4-5 options on it (I'm going from memory so I may be wrong but close anyway) You looking for an option that reads something like "Display Current Drive Information" (Think its option 4) When the screen is brought up write down the information in it and post back the results.

** IMPORTANT ** :no:
To exit that program just use a series of ESC's do not change ANYTHING, Options 1&2 are BAD, once your back at the prompt just type exit to close the window.

 

[TheTechIsIn]

Ok, last couple questions, when you copied the information from the old drive to the new one, was it brand new ie no previous partitions on it?

It looks like the drive has been partitioned as 2gb and the rest left as unpartitioned space.

Did you reinstall the OS after the copy from the old drive?

(What I'm trying to figure out here is if you noticed any problems with your old OS, because there should of been serious problems if your old OS was used to 40gb then it was only 2 all of a sudden)

But you would not have noticed any problems if you installed a clean OS or if the drive was new so let me know.. also are you missing files/directories that you used to have?

 

[TheTechIsIn]

Hmm...

Ok, I'm giving my answer with a little less confidence than normal, because I cant seem to wrap my mind around how this could happen, and even if it could, why you aren't getting so many errors as to not be funny... Anyway..

According to your fdisk report, you have 1, 2 gb partition that is active(Bootable) and the remaining amount of space is unpartitioned.

You now have 3 Choices (in my opinion)

1) Simply go back into fdisk and make another primary dos partition with the rest of the 36-37 gb's , doing this however will create a drive D with the space not combine with the already existing C.

2) Boot disk > Repartition and format everything into one big drive
But I really don't like to recommend the wiping of an OS so I would personally not do this one.

3) Use a partition manipulation program like Partition Magic to try to make one big drive (I have no experience in this program so I cant help you there, but I'm sure there is documentation for it.) The only problem is I'm not positive it can do it, and it costs $.

If you don't have an aversion to two drive letters on your system I would go with choice #1 and just start installing future programs to your new 36-37 gb D drive.


Also note: Use windows Fat 16 to Fat 32 converter program if you go with choice #1 , Fat32 is better than 16. This program can be found in Start > Accessories > System Tools > Fat Converter ? (Something like that anyway)

 

[TheTechIsIn]

Good, glad you got it fixed.

 

[TheTechIsIn]

I had problems with this one to, couldn't understand how it could happen without the OS that was already installed not having a heart attack.

I do the same thing with the partitions, if need arises to reinstall the OS its the easiest way to do it.

Welcome to the board by the way.