1st post

Well hope you guys can help me.
I have a 20 gig hard drive on a micro computer.
When i installed xp on it i didnt know about partitioning at the time so it automaticaly divided into 2 gig and 18 gig.
Because i was a bit of a newbie a couple of years ago i didnt want to start messing around with stuff so left it as it was, only problem was as you can imagine everytime i downloaded something i would have to transfer it straight away from my 2 gig part (c: drive) to the 18 gig partition ( e:drive) anyway after months and months of doing this and running out of space i decided to do something about it. I borrowed of my brother some sort of partition and was messing about with it but to no avail.
Now one day when i put the computer on whether it be me messing around or a virus i went on my computer and had a ? mark over the e:drive and it couldn't find it.
Non of my programmes would work either,.
i lost everything.
I have tried loads of programmes to find lost files etc... but to no avail.
But if i right click on my computer, manage, storage, and disk management it tells me i have a c drive with 2 gig that is nearly full and the other one says new partition 17.08 gig with only 1.8 gig remaining.
So i know that the partition and stuff is still there, it just cant access it.
I have tried to rename it to e drive and f drive but for some reason it wont let me.
I can right click on the 18 gig but it wont let me alter anything, like mark opartition as active or change path etc.

So does anyone know how i can get it back or is it a lost cause?
I know if the FBI had my computer they would be able to do it so there must be a simple tool for us simpletons out here.

Cheers in advance if any one can be bothered to read all this dribble.


Tedfat

 

Just had a look at the properties for the c drive and gone into driver properties and it is showing 2
1 says c\windows\system32\DRIVERS\disk.sys
and the other says

c\windows\system32\drivers\PartMgr.sys

So i it looks like i maight have partioned something or dome something with partition magic.
When i go and have a look at the file i can't open it cause it doesnt know what programme to open it with.
Should i delete????!!!!!!
Or is that a big no no,lol

Mr Bungle

 

@@@

 

it dont look good ted. maybe some will come along and help, but it looks like reformat and reinstall to me...

 

Are you using XP Home or Pro?

 

I'm using xp home

Tedfat

 

I think if the worst comes to worst, it just would be good not to lose all my photos and music files etc....
I just dont understand that how come it knows there is 1.8 ggi left out of 17 but wont let me access it. I ran an anti virus prog a few weeks ago and it actually came up with ( harmless) stuff in files that are in the old e drive.

Tedfat

 

Have you tried System Restore?Hopefully you have a restore point from before this problem started....?

 

Hmmm i don't think i have tried that but in all honestly i cant remember.
Bit rusty on system restore , its a long time ago i did it.
Could you advice me on the best way please.
Your help and time is greatfully appreciated.

tedfat

 

well managed to do system restore but it was switched off, also i cant run it as i dont have 200mb of space left to run it.
Can i not run my computer from a specific date ( last known good configuration) or something?

 

Tried last known config but obviously with the time involved over the past few weeks that didnt work.
Am i buggered ???
LOL

Tedfat

 

You might try puting that drive in another pc and see if you can copy files to save

wrs

 

Tried that one thanks but all it came up was with 2 gig of hard drive.
Not the 18 i am missing

tedfat