I have just installed a new Samsung 205GB HDD, but when I click on My Computer - Properties, it shows the HDD size as 29GB. I used Acronis True image to copy everything from the old HDD (40GB) to the new HDD. How do I get the new HDD to show the full size?

What is your Operating System and Service Pack level?

XP SP2?

What is your file format? NTFS?

How is it seen under Disk Management?

(Right click My Computer then click Manage then Disk Management)

Do you see multiple partitions here?

I am using windows XP Home Edition with SP2 installed.
File system says NTFS.
3 partitions
1 - HP Recovery
2 - HP Pavillion (C
3 - Unallocated

Can you elaborate the size of the partitions?

Do they add up to 250GB?

Unallocated being the vast majority I would assume?

3 partitions
1 - HP Recovery 4.59GB
2 - HP Pavillion (C: ) 26.9GB
3 - Unallocated 201.39 GB

Close enough to 250GB - I guess the missing 10GB is the operating system

System Restore (System Volume Information) as well as Recycler are files installed by XP even on a fully formatted drive. These files will be on every partition and the default use is 12%. As well as Windows gauges Disk Space slightly different from hard drive manufacturers e.g.

Two things - the 60 GB will be decimal Billion. File and partition
sizes are done in a corresponding binary measure -
1G = 1024M; M = 1024K; K = 1024 so you get a factor of 1.073 odd,
Hence the 55.8

Second there are a *lot* of files that are occupying space but which you
can't see. At Control Panel - Folder Options have View set to show
Hidden files, and *not* Hide Protected mode ones. Also this will be an
NTFS drive and so when My Computer tells you the free space it is also
allowing for the space reserved for the file system tables (MFT Area)


--
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)

So as I see it your XP is on C: plus you have the HP recovery partition. This would be the HP data to restore the computer to factory settings.

Unallocated space: Here you can create partitions as you will: by right clicking in the blank space on the right side of Unallocated you should get the option to Create partition or Format.

okay. Please excuse my ignorance as I am a novice at this, but do i want to create a primary partition or an extended partition. I would like my C drive to show the full HDD size.

You cannot extend the C: drive using XP without a Clean Install.

And in order to Clean Install you would need a Microsoft XP CD (not an HP Recovery).

Without a Clean Install you would need third party software such as Partition Magic (just, for example, being the most common)
http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoff...d=sp&pvid=pm80

However it runs @ $80 US.

Other products here:

http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...ition+software

Using XP's capability you would only be able to create new partitions. E: F: G: etc.

ok. Thanks

No problem. Let us know if we can help further.