Problem with partitions. Need help guys.

[Chappy]

That is by far the strangest thing I've ever seen...how in the World did you manage to get all those 0MB Unallocated space/partitions...???
That's a new one for me and I've seen just about everything...

Anyway, as stated before, if you format C:, than all you do is format C: and nothing else. If you format the entire drive, you lose everything, including all the data you want to save.
So you have a couple of options.
1- Do as ScsiRaidGuru says and get some sort of external storage to move your needed data too, and then overwrite this entire drive using an Eraser program that will also overwrite the MBR and MFT of the drive, then start clean. ActiveKill Disk works good.
2- Use a 3rd party partitioning tool to create a 150G partition on this drive, then transfer your data to it and wipe out everything but the drive letter that shows it's 150G's in size...
Be warned that sometimes Windows has a hard time recognizing NTFS formatted partitions when it's been created by something other than the Windows partition tools. I've had NTFS partitions created by Partition Magic and Windows has refused to recognize it as such and wants to format it again before it will use it.

GParted is an Excellent tool, and I would definitely try that to carve out a partition big enough to store your needed data. Remember tho, when you reformat...everything BUT that new partition must be formatted or you may end up with those weird unallocated spaces again....weird...just plain weird!

Oh yah...always remember that Formatting does NOT actually delete any data...it only removes the headers from the Master File Table to make Windows think that the space is empty and therefore useable. None of the data is actually "Gone" until it is physically overwritten by other data. That's why Eraser programs are best when dealing with weird looking things like you have, since they physically overwrite the entire disk, including the reserved MBR and MFT areas if set to do so. That should take care of those 0MB unallocated spaces you have if a simple reformat doesn't do the trick for you.

 

[wizardcia]

Chappy, I dont even know how on earth they appeared there. Its my fault but i don't know what might have caused it.
Well guys I did a format ( fresh install of windows) and nothing worked... the same 0 unallocated spaces still exist.
And after some hours of transfering data to one 80Gb external drive and a 50 GB laptop, and burn some on DVDs i managed to save some of my files. Then i though let me delete the whole drive, including partitions, so I merged ALL partitions and deleted the whole HDD to format it and install a complete fresh install of vista... then I booted again from DVD to see if they are still there, and they are still there... @#$%
I tryied almost everything, from defragmenting, to cheking for errors. AND NOTHING worked.... guys... HELP..!!!!

 

[dmex]

NOTHING worked.... guys... HELP..!!!!

Chappy did you try Gparted?

 

[SCSIraidGURU]

Did you remove all partitions and start with completely unallocated space? If you then have 0 byte partitions, I would replace your drive controller or motherboard. I have only seen bad controllers cause this type of issue.

 

[wizardcia]

Easier said than done...

 

[SCSIraidGURU]

I have done this for 25 years. I started with DOS 2.1. The best way to handle your issue is buy a backup drive or backup your data only to DVD. You don't need to backup your program files or OS. Just your data. You could order another hard drive and reinstall your OS to it and then copy the files from your current drive.

0 partitions are usually a serious problem with either drive or the controller. Investing in a backup drive is worth the money. I have three server grade tape drives. I am backing up all my workstations at home right now. At work, I also have tape drives.

Can you barrow a hard drive from someone else you know and copy your files to it. I don't want to see you lose your data. It is best to do some type of backup.

 

[johngalt]

johngalt I can't... On the black "partition" i can only access properties and there's not even the shrink or delete option available.

Well, that makes sense - because it is *unallocated* space - Shrink and delete refer to partitions, but by definition an *unallocated* space is *not* in a partition.

You'd want to click on your *partition* to merge with the unallocated spaces.

However, Michael did bring up a valid concern - it is possible that merging those things may in fact cause data loss.

Make a backup of all your data, and then merge them and see if the derive goes bananas. If it does, replace the drive. Or controller (if it is built in then I would think it is time for a new motherboard)....

EDIT: Added the following:

My bad, I see that you formatted already - but Michael asked if you deleted all available partitions and then let Vista make the partitions....

Also, guys, could this be unallocatABLE areas that have been previously determined by the drive to be bad sectors or something? Or could this be in fact caused by something in BIOS being enabled that shouldn't be / something being disabled in BIS that should not be?

Also, if you shrink your C: Drive and create a new partition, then make it a lot easier on yourself - shrink the C: drive by a small amount, say 1 GB, and then create a new partition on that 1 GB Space - and then see if you can merge the unallocated spaces with the new D: drive - at worst it *should* take out that one newly create partition but *should* leave your C:\ intact.

Guys, you think this is viable?

 

[wizardcia]

SCSIraidGURU 1st of all i am not an idiot.... I mean come on.... who copies "program files"? Its the executive what people usually save. (irony!)
And http://www.vistax64.com/members/scsiraidguru.htmlSCSIraidGURU I managed to find some storage to save my files... And I guess I do not need any backup sinse I am not messing up with the system (not any more) , my antivirus is constantly active, and what I do all the time is to edit photos, and what I could tell about my self is that I simply am an advanced home user, so... I believe it's not worth it, at least for me.
johngalt watch the second picture. I cant merge them... I see only 2 drives, the main and the partition. I never messed with BIOS, I am not yet that much familiar with it...
And I did what you told me... even before you post your help. It's very very mystery thing.!
What if I backup my data, delete partitions and erase everything on C:\?
What might occur? Anyone knows?

 

[SCSIraidGURU]

Advanced home user?

I am a senior network engineer and extreme power user. My workstation is a file server running Vista x64 Ultimate. I follow best practices methods that I have been taught over 25 years. I do backup my entire computer for a disaster recovery authoritative restore. I can restore everything from tape. I decent backup solution that is fast and easy to use is worth the month, if you value your data. For me, restoring and getting up and running quickly is important. I have over 130 A/V and CAD applications to install and configure each time. So a disaster recovery restore helps during issues.

Most home users don't value their data until its lost. Their address books and e-mails are gone. Family pictures and tax data are gone. You just need one power failure or Trojan Horse to wipe out your computer and data. No Anti-virus is perfect. Your issues with partitioning and dual booting could cause partition damage and data loss.

 

[wizardcia]

SCSIraidGURU, in case you didnt know we are not the same... For you you PC is a part of life, for me its just a machine...I cant afford to watch any courses, thats why I rely on myself, and when I don't understand something, I ask.
If i had the opportunity to back-up my data I would have already done it, but not all of us have the economic strength some people have...
You do it because you can, I do every possible thing.
And you compare me with yourself? I dont even know how old you are but as I understand you seem older and wiser than me.
I ask nothing more than help and the solutions you provide are difficult to me, and as I know... there is always a second way. Thats why I post my questions, to see what have I done wrong and learn from my mistakes, and to get extra information from you... "expert" users.

I do save my data on DVDs, but not all.
Thanks. Vic. Seventeen (17) year old, high school student.

 

[dmex]

Hey Wizardcia,

Ready to give the Gparted LiveCD a shot for merging/resizing the partitions?

Steven

(Click Image for full View)

 

[SCSIraidGURU]

Try DMEX's approach.

 

[wizardcia]

dmex thanks for help but.... what exactly do you want me to format as NTFS?
I dont see the 0unallocated spaces and I already deleted and reformated as NTFS the whole HDD.
I can only see these "unallocated spaces ONLY when i boot from DVD.
I cant see them through any program... not even from that you showed me...
To say in general... we have here around 10 good hackers who know the PCs from A to Z... and we cant resolve a problem that occured from a user like me.
Shouldnt microsoft be informed?

 

[SCSIraidGURU]

You should see only one unallocated space on each hard drive that has no partitions in the installation setup area of Vista. Can you take a picture of what you see in the Vista setup? If you have more than one unallocated partition. Try to delete each of them. I beleive its D and L to delete and confirm.

 

[cageysee]

Hi Wizard CIA do you have any CDRW discs or DVDRW discs that you can copy over your files that you do not want to lose or is there anyone close that has an External hard drive you could borrow to hold your files while you format your drive I assume you only have one hard drive
Cageysee

 

[wizardcia]

Cageysee... Yes... and its not mine... I already did what you told me... and it didnt helped at all.

 

[SCSIraidGURU]

Mount the drive in another computer and see if you get multiple unallocated areas. Can you run the manufacturer tools on the drive to detect a bad drive.

 

[dmex]

Cageysee... Yes... and its not mine... I already did what you told me... and it didnt helped at all.

If your trying to install Vista on a SATA drive you will need to supply the controller driver during setup before Vista can see/use the drive properly...What options have you set in your BIOS relating to SATA/RAID?

Steven

 

[wizardcia]

Ok guys, sorry for the delay, I guess I solved it. Thats what I did:
I didnt installed any driver. I didnt formated or deleted again anything. I didnt use Gparted. You know what I did?
I sent my hard drive back to the manufacturer and after a day they called me and told me that my HDD was a working piece of ... rubbish. He told me I need to throw it away and buy a new one,
I asked him what was the problem and he told me that he found somewhere inside the drive something like a virus, but not a virus, that wouldnt allow you to edit your HDD and that it had automatic option to erase everything on HDD after some restarts, PFEW.
Its more than a virus he told me and he was very very shocked by the things he saw in my HDD
Well let me conclude...
Something like a virus, but not at all a virus, will kill your HDD and all data and you wont even be able to install any OS ever.
Now I have a brand new 500GB Western Digital HDD with all my data saved. ( what a relief)
---- Best solution, If you see 0 unallocated spaces on your HDD, send it back to your manufacturer, always have a backup of your data on external HDD , never download warez :S, and always listen to you superior users.!!!
Thank you all guys... I guess its solved now.

 

[SCSIraidGURU]

It is a boot sector virus that corrupted the partitioning tables. You don't see them that often anymore. WD had an employee install one in the firmware a few years ago. Only way to fix it is replace the drive. Even a low level format can't reach it.