3TB HDD - Second partition missing with clean install

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PearlJam

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I have a WD 3TB HDD which was formatted to 2TB and 1TB before. Can't remember how I did it. Now the smaller partition is unallocated and I can't seem to find a way to activate it with the data that was on it before.

Any Ideas?

I did try some free software I found through google which didn't work.
 
Assuming its Windows

Control Panel
Administrative Tools
Computer Management
Disk management
Check out what it finds. It might require a drive letter allocating to it
 
You put the OS on it didn't you?

Some older BIOS can't boot >2tb for OS drive.
 
Hmmm. I got this issue too, but I'm a bit fuzzy on exactly what I did.

You need a third party partitioning tool to do it. Can't remember the one I used. Even the WIn8 paritioning tool can't do it. Took me forever to work that out only to find that Windows still can't install on it.
 
Strange one: Have got a i7 with Windows 7 on it and I can see my 3tb straight away.

How did you access it before?
Is it an external drive in a USB case?

If your machine has some limit on the 2Tb partition, why not split this into 2 x 1Tb partitions and see if its happy then?
 
haha, I remember it was a 3rd party tool, but also can't remember what it was.

It is internal and windows itself on my machine can't partition more than 2TB. I am going to try and see if it will work on my HP Microserver with Freenas, then just leave it in there. I have in anycase already lost all the data
 
PearlJam said:
haha, I remember it was a 3rd party tool, but also can't remember what it was.

It is internal and windows itself on my machine can't partition more than 2TB. I am going to try and see if it will work on my HP Microserver with Freenas, then just leave it in there. I have in anycase already lost all the data
Click to expand...
Hang on the data you can still get back if you just messed up the partitions.

Use a tool like GetDataBack.

If you lose data, the first step is always to quit messing with the drive. The more you mess with it the less data can be recovered.
 
Keeper said:
Is it a GPT partition table?
Click to expand...

Was thinking the same thing, a MBR partition only supports up to 2.2TB, so if it's MBR that would explain the problem with the third TB you're trying to use.

You can check if it's GPT but running,,, CMD, DISKPART, LIST DISK ,,, a star in the GPT column will tell you if it's GPT or not
 
I've never run into that, I would try using some good partition management software and see if you can get missing partition back (with luck it may just be set to hidden or otherwise disabled) and get the data off. Then I would recommend making all partitions GPT or better 1 GPT partition over the entire drive. There is seldom any benefit to making multiple partitions on a non OS drive. Unless you're doing or using something that requires it, just use folders instead.

www.easeus.com has some good free partition management software at www.partition-tool.com/download.htm

Or for some good paid for software check Paragon, O&O Software, Easeus etc.
 
To have a partition for the OS larger than 2.2TB you need the drive partitioned using the GPT format and a motherboard that either has special features to work with a GPT drive of that size, or a UEFI BIOS. If its partitioned using MBR, 2.2TB is your limit and no drive will allow you to go higher than that.

The only option is partitioning the second part of the drive as another primary partition and either storing stuff on there yourself, or creating a symbolic link so that you can have the OS interpret the second partition as an extension of a folder.
 
I used to have it as two discs on my pc (the two partitions) and it worked flawlessly.

But I have just installed it on the Microserver with Freenas and it works...I don't know much about it (just following the guides) but I did it as a ZFS drive
 
PearlJam said:
I used to have it as two discs on my pc (the two partitions) and it worked flawlessly.

But I have just installed it on the Microserver with Freenas and it works...I don't know much about it (just following the guides) but I did it as a ZFS drive
Click to expand...

Then you just install Windows on the first partition and use the drive manager, right-click and select format and you get the option to create a secondary primary partition. There are command line tools to do this as well.
 
NAG - Wesley said:
Then you just install Windows on the first partition and use the drive manager, right-click and select format and you get the option to create a secondary primary partition. There are command line tools to do this as well.
Click to expand...

I have a separate 1TB for the windows install and it doesn't quite work as easy as that. But all is good as it is already in the server and working

Thanks guys
 
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