Loosing 21GB of HDD Space on Format

Hi Guys,

I have myself a SATA 160GB Seagate Hard Drive, but I have a really annoying problem, when I format the blasted thing, I loose 21GB of space, I format using XP Pro Install CD becuase my system does not have a floppy drive, and it's driving me nuts, I delete the old partition, then create a new partition using all available space, then do a FULL format and install windows, but then it comes up as 127GB C:\, and when I go into admin tools to check things out, I find I have 21GB of unpartitioned space, which I end up partitioning as D: so I can utilize it..

Any idea's how to rectify this, and is their a way to un-partition the D: 21GB Space and merge that space to my C:?

 

You need XP SP1 or better yet SP2 to read drives over 127GB.

 

Might be an idea to keep the 21 gigs for a backup partition of all the stuff you value, like photos, music, My Documents folder, etc. Bazza

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This is an excellent answer.

So, to the OP, does your xp cd already have xp sp1 or 2 embedded on it?

 

Hi Guys,

Cool that explains it all then, becuase I have windows XP pro, the original, No SP1 or SP2 on it at all, had it for a few years now.

If a friend of mine has XP Pro with SP2, can I copy his to use as a backup of mine, but install his and use my authentic XP Pro Original CD-Key?

This would be the only way I think I could get away with utilising my whole hard drive....

 

Wow!

Thankyou very very much!

I didn't even know that was remotely possible

 

To add this:

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp

Slipstreaming the sp2 cd to your original cd, then you wouldn't even have to deal with updateing to sp2, since you already have it.

Other sites:

Good info on slipstreaming, includes ALL the LATEST patches:

http://www.ryanvm.net/msfn/

I do this at work.

 

Wouldn't this need a CD-RW? Doesn't say on his site.