Windows 7 Ultimate doesn't see second partition after clean

DusanDusanDusan · Feb 3, 2015

Hello everyone. I am having a problem with a laptop with a single HDD with 2 partition, one for system (C

and one (D

for music, pictures etc.

First, the laptop had Windows 7 32bit but because of some unknown issue (occasional BSOD when turning on) and because a technician thought it was a hardware problem, he installed Win XP to see how it runs. I wasn't home at that time so I didn't do the install of Win XP myself. It was working fine, but I was asked after a while to install Win 7 32bit again. I booted and setup didn't show D: which was strange since it was working fine in the previous Win 7 and XP, nothing was changed and all of the data were there. I backed up that drive, just in case, and installed a clean version of Win7, formatted the C and thinking that it was some weird error and it would show up in My computer anyway. After completing the install, I can't see D:. I can see main partition with the system and strangely system partition (100mb one) in My computer. Can't access the other partition with the data. Disk management window shows that partition but it doesn't have a drive letter or anything. Now for the fun part, I tried adding a drive letter, entering properties of that drive but I can't do anything. Anything at all.

What can I do now? How can I restore the full size of the HDD now when I can't even see that partition in Windows setup when starting a clean install? I don't mind reinstalling Win 7. I have included a picture. HDD partition with 135Gb is the problem.

Edited the link.

PizzaTheHutt · Feb 3, 2015

I can't access the link - maybe upload the picture to imgur?

Godloki · Feb 3, 2015

Try right clicking on computer, then go to manage. Then go down to disk management click on your partition at the bottom and assign it a drive letter.

PizzaTheHutt · Feb 3, 2015

Godloki :

I think OP has said that when he tries that, it doesn't let him?

DusanDusanDusan · Feb 3, 2015

Sorry for the picture. Here's another link: http://i.imgur.com/degC0JA.jpg

I can't assign a drive letter or open properties for that drive or anything.

PizzaTheHutt · Feb 3, 2015

DusanDusanDusan :

Maybe have a try at mounting it with Active@ Partition Recovery?

DusanDusanDusan · Feb 3, 2015

I installed it. I just go to Recover button? Never used this before.

PizzaTheHutt · Feb 3, 2015

Yeah, just recover and see what happens

DusanDusanDusan · Feb 3, 2015

When I click on Recover button it says it's not ready for recovery and the reason is that it already exists as a live logical drive. When I click on that drive below SuperScan (on the left, in the local system devices), I can see everything, I mean the data it had before so I guess that's good. Can I somehow assign new drive letter? It's showing that partition as "1:Local disk".

PizzaTheHutt · Feb 3, 2015

Are you able to rewrite the partition info to retrieve the data or does it not let you do that?

DusanDusanDusan · Feb 3, 2015

How do I do that? I can't see that option anywere.
Sorry for asking such ridiculous questions.

PizzaTheHutt · Feb 3, 2015

It's not a ridiculous question - you just don't know how to use the software which is my fault. Go to tools and click "restore partition info"

DusanDusanDusan · Feb 3, 2015

It's the demo version and I need to register for it. Damn. I am on academic network now so I can't download torrents etc.

PizzaTheHutt · Feb 3, 2015

If you right click on the partition, is recover working? Can you try that? (try to use in place recovery, if you cant, just copy the data to another hdd.)

DusanDusanDusan · Feb 3, 2015

I can't recover. Says it already exists as a live logical drive. The partition table already contains partition information for this drive. I have a backup for these files already, I made it before installing the Win 7. Can I delete it, is there a way? It's not necessary to save the file, I just want to be able to access those 135GB of HDD space, even if it will be unallocated space.

PizzaTheHutt · Feb 3, 2015

If you want to just delete it, you can use something like Minitool Partition Wizard to wipe the partition and extend your other one to take up the space created.

DusanDusanDusan · Feb 3, 2015

I guess it's the best answer for this. I can delete this one and create a new partition by starting a clean install again. What do you think, will I be able to see that HDD space as unallocated once I delete it?

PizzaTheHutt · Feb 3, 2015

DusanDusanDusan :

It will show up as unallocated - letting you do whatever you want to do with it e.g. create a new partition or extend the existing one. You can use minitool to create a new partition - you don't need to reinstall - as long as you allocate it a letter it should be fine. I'm going to sleep now so I'll be back in a bit

DusanDusanDusan · Feb 3, 2015

Thanks for everything. You helped me a lot. I will try to delete it now and I will post the result here.

DusanDusanDusan · Feb 4, 2015

Minitool kinda worked. I say kinda cause it still had an issue, it was showing the partition half as an unallocated space and half as a primary drive. Weird but anyway I managed to delete everything, create new partition and start fresh. Now the drive is fully visible, I had to do another format on it in Win though, don't know why, and everything is fine for now. Just need to transfer the backup and I am all set. Thanks for everything PizzaTheHutt.

PizzaTheHutt · Feb 4, 2015

DusanDusanDusan :

Good to hear you got it working! Glad to see I could be of some assistance

Windows 7 Ultimate doesn't see second partition after clean

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