500 GB HDD only shows 127 GB in BIOS, OS, and other OS's

[theweathermanpro]

Hello,

I've built me a new computer back in November 2011, and have used Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit SP1, Ubuntu 9.04, 10.04, Win XP Pro SP2, and Quimo. I've had no problems on this before, untill now. I have a Western Digital 500 GB 7200 SATA II HDD, and Windows Professional SP1 64 bit (The current OS that I'm using and recently upgraded to) installed on my main boot drive which is an Intel SSD 80 GB. The SSD works perfectly. The HDD, however, only shows 127 GB of capacity in Windows Explorer, BIOS, and Disk Management. I need to get all of my 500 GB, so I can install other OS on my system. Ubuntu shows 500 GB of capacity in GParted, when viewing it in Nautilus, it shows just a little over 130 GB.

I've tried going over and formatting the drive over and over again. I've tried specifing partitions in Windows installation, file systems in GParted of Ubuntu, heck, I've even tried multiple SATA/AHCI Drivers that were not compatible with my hard disk controller. I'm currently using the correct AHCI driver for my system with Win 7 Pro SP1 64 bit. The only way for me to get Windows to show me a 500 GB capacity, is to reinstall Windows and never turn the system off. The capacity with two partitions stay displayed everywhere, even in the BIOS, unless I completely shut down the PC. So, I'm wondering if there is anything else I can do? I've tried many drivers for AHCI. I've tried other OS's. I've tried checking my BIOS for large disk support, but that option is not available.

My BIOS settings for SATA devices are in AHCI mode currently. I want to keep this mode, so I can use my WD HDD later in Windows XP Pro, after I get this issue fixed. I'm planning on making my system a triple boot system with W7, WinXP, & Ubuntu. Once again, no unallocated space is showing up in Disk Management.

PLEASE HELP!!!

Thanks!

If anyone needs more information, I will be glad to tell it.

Also I forgot to add, that I was able to get 500 GB capacity with my previous OS, which was Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 32 bit. I'm doing a clean install of Windows 7 Professional SP1 64 bit.

AND I can get the full capacity to show up, only when I fully format the HDD, then leave the computer on forever or warm boot it. But once I do a cold boot, then the partitions go away, and I'm left with 128 Gb of unallocated space.

 

[theweathermanpro]

It is Windows 7 Pro SP1 64bit. I tried doing what you said with deleting that partition for that drive, and I'm still receiving only 128 GB unallocated.

I can get 465 GB unallocated, but then after a perform a cold boot, the hard disk resets to 131 GB in BIOS, 127 GB in Win/DOS, and shows 465 GB in Linux.

Any more suggestions/methods/questions?

 

[theweathermanpro]

That windows professional sp1 64 bit... is that windows 7 or xp? if it's xp upgrade it to at least SP2.. then with either OS go to control pannel/ administrative tools / computer management / disk management.... highlight your drive right click it and delete volume this will remove your partition now you can repartition your drive and use the full disk formatted NTFS.

It is Windows 7 Pro SP1 64bit. I tried doing what you said with deleting that partition for that drive, and I'm still receiving only 128 GB unallocated.

I can get 465 GB unallocated, but then after a perform a cold boot, the hard disk resets to 131 GB in BIOS, 127 GB in Win/DOS, and shows 465 GB in Linux.

 

[theweathermanpro]

when you get 465GB unallocated thats when you should repartition and format.

I do repartition and format, but has soon as I perform a cold boot, then the HDD resets back to 127-131 GB.

I know it's very weird. I'm thinking the hard disk is going bad.

 

[syhmple]

it's not your hard disk going bad. I am having the same problem. Went to buy a new 500gb hard disk and now both my 500 hard disks are showing only 127 gb each. I suspect it's capacity is limited by BIOS or OS? can anyone help?

 

[theweathermanpro]

Thanks for your response, syhmple! I still haven't figured out what could have been wrong with the HDD. So, I've RMAed the WD HDD, since it was still under manufacturer warranty. I should get it within 2 weeks. Once it comes, I will post an update to this and tell if it worked or not. I believe that maybe doing an error scan within Windows was a cause of the issue. Because I did an error scan before everything went chaotic. Once I reinstalled Windows, then that is when my capacity issue began. Did you, syhmple, do an error scan and that is when the problem arose, or did you get a new motherboard when your HDD changed capacity size?

Best Wishes!
Justin

 

[theweathermanpro]

YESSSS!!! I got my new WD HDD and it works perfectly! I get 465 GB of capacity.

Thanks to all for everyone's help, tips, and advice!

Syhmple, If I was you, I would double check your BIOS settings. Are you running in AHCI mode or are you doing a RAID setup? Maybe IDE? I can try to help, if you give me more information on your problem with HDD capacitys.

Thanks!
Justin
theweathermanpro

 

[theweathermanpro]

Hello Everyone!

I'm back again. The problem that is listed in the thread above has happened again!!!

I went to install a new SSD for my boot drive in Windows 7 Professional 64 bit Edition, and after doing a secure erase on my Western Digital RE4 500 GB HDD in IDE mode, becuase that is the only way to secure erase my HDD with Hdderase.exe program, I still get a capacity of 137 Gb after changing my BIOS settings back to AHCI mode. Ubuntu linux is still showing a 465 GB capacity, but windows and my BIOS show 137 GB. This is just crazy, I can't beleive this has happened again.

I used Western Digital's utility for HDD's and I get a message after doing an extended test, that says that the sectors are in great condition, but the health status comes up as warning. While in Ubuntu, I do a health SMART scan, and everything seems to be just perfect.

Is it possible that I need to install SATA drivers for Windows 7?

I know that 3 years ago, I had the same hard drive when I first purchased it, and from a clean installation of Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit, everything comes up just fine, and I did NOT have to install SATA F6 drivers and anything close to that. I just ran the setup and everything just worked.

Any help would be very appreciated. I'm completely lost, and would like to avoid going through the Western Digital RMA process all over again. I'm planning on calling WD Support tomorrow, to hopefully try to fix the problem, I'll post anything that I found out from them tomorrow.

 

[fzabkar]

It appears that a HPA (Host Protected Area) has been created. If so, then you can restore your drive's full native capacity using HDAT2 or HDD Capacity Restore Tool.

For example, to "change the native size" of your HDD, see page 5 of the HDAT2 user guide:
http://www.hdat2.com/files/cookbook_v11.pdf

If HDAT2 doesn't see your drive, then temporarily reconfigure your BIOS for legacy or IDE compatibility mode. This will make your SATA drive look like PATA.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Host_protected_area for more information.

 

[theweathermanpro]

Best answer selected by theweathermanpro.

 

[theweathermanpro]

It appears that a HPA (Host Protected Area) has been created. If so, then you can restore your drive's full native capacity using HDAT2 or HDD Capacity Restore Tool.

For example, to "change the native size" of your HDD, see page 5 of the HDAT2 user guide:
http://www.hdat2.com/files/cookbook_v11.pdf

If HDAT2 doesn't see your drive, then temporarily reconfigure your BIOS for legacy or IDE compatibility mode. This will make your SATA drive look like PATA.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Host_protected_area for more information.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! That was the exact problem, I did not know that SATA drives had an area on them called the "Host Protected Area." I would have been replacing the drive if it wasn't for your help.

Thanks again for all of the help!

Regards,
Justin