external HDD not showing true capacity


  1. Posts : 279
    21H1 (OS Build 19043.1081)
       #1

    external HDD not showing true capacity


    when win ten first came out i used a 1TB external HDD to create a recovery drive now with a new laptop i decided to reformat the drive but widows says it has only 32 GIG on it and dose not show any directories or anything? whats up
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 5,169
    64bit Win 10 Pro ver 21H2
       #2

    Try formatting it again and use NTFS rather than FAT32.

    Alternatively if it is already in an NTFS format use Disk Management to examine the drive and right click on it to see if you can extend the volume to its full size.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 279
    21H1 (OS Build 19043.1081)
    Thread Starter
       #3

    will do, will try tonight many thanks (Under computer mngt) right
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 279
    21H1 (OS Build 19043.1081)
    Thread Starter
       #4

    dmesal said:
    will do, will try tonight many thanks (Under computer mngt) right
    i checked it out in disk mngt and found the space 800+ gig so i formated the drive and asigned a drive letter but i did not see a way to start from scratch and make it just one drive i used to be able to previously in DOS and such ?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 13,895
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #5

    dmesal said:
    when win ten first came out i used a 1TB external HDD to create a recovery drive now with a new laptop i decided to reformat the drive but widows says it has only 32 GIG on it and dose not show any directories or anything? whats up
    Yeah, 32GB is a limit of Windows and FAT32 and Win10's procedure hits that limit, did it to me with a 64GB Thumb drive and Windows can't correct it except with NTFS. When I see the problem I boot to a GPARTED CD and can correct the partitioning issues, just did it today on a 1TB drive rescued from a computer to delete all the Win7 'extras', gives it a fresh [out-of-the-box] start when I will need it. GPARTED can format in several different types for use in other Operating Systems.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 279
    21H1 (OS Build 19043.1081)
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Many thanks Gparted keeps popping on this forum I'll have to wait until i get in port to DL

    Many Thanks again
      My Computer


 

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