Help with Drive path and Unallocated space.

[Rahjja]

Hi! I am sorry if this has already been asked but I've searched everywhere for answers to my exact problem and questions and can't find any.

 

The issue: My HDD drive path is missing and majority of the drive is unallocated space. Drive is seen in Disk Management and Device Manager. Drive is not seen in file explorer.

 

My PC and background information: I am using a laptop. It was recently repaired by the manufacturer. When I spoke to the manufacturer (ibuypower) I was told the SSD was replaced and the HDD was not touched. The SSD was replaced because the old one failed. This laptop has a 256 GB SSD, 1 TB HDD, and an optical drive. Original OS was Windows 8 which was what was reinstalled with the replaced SSD. I turned the laptop on, verified Windows, and then I was assisted by Microsoft last night in updating to windows 10. Free upgrade is over which is why I had to get them to do it manually. All updates were installed. I have not installed anything else.

 

Steps I have already taken: From Device Management I right clicked the drive and searched automatically for a driver update - latest is installed. Uninstalled the HDD and restarted to force an update but still no update is needed.

 

Possible solution: I am aware of the fact that the drive needs a path. From Disk Management if I right click the Disk 1 (the HDD), the options available to me are Convert to Dynamic Disk, Properties, and Help. To the right of the Disk label I have 2 sections: BLUE - System Reserved 350 MB NTFS Healthy (System, Active, Primary Partition) BLACK - 931.17 GB Unallocated.

 

From what I have gathered my next step would be

1) Convert disk to dynamic

2) Extend Volume of the BLUE area to include the Unallocated space

3) Assign a letter for the Drive 

 

-OR-

 

1) Create New Simple Volume in BLACK area.

2) I have no idea.

 

I haven't tried either solution because I am not familiar with the differences in formatting options for the new volume. From what I understand there is a choice between Fat32 and NTFS and I don't know which would be correct. Also, in extending the Reserved System space, is NTFS the format I want for the whole drive or does it need to be reformatted? Also, are any of these options erasing the data on the HDD or was everything already erased from the fact that the SSD was replaced?

 

Any help/guidance is appreciated.

 

THANKS!

 

A link to the picture of my Disk Management and Device Manager:

https://gyazo.com/ed534ca01ad188a6a8f1edeef6c62eb4

[LaP]

Download a free partition manager like MiniTool Partition Wizard and try to recover the deleted partition from the drive and then once recovered assign a drive letter to it.

 

Windows 10 Anniversary deleting partitions is a very common problem.

 

https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmanager/partition-disappears-in-win-10-anniversary-update.html

 

 

[+BudMan MVC]

where did he say anything about deleted partition or need to recover anything?

 

Is there something on this 350GB partition that you need?  Not sure where you got the idea you need to switch to dynamic?  Right click on the 350GB partition and assign it a drive letter you want to use.  Since optical is F use D: for example  What is on this partition?  Anything?  You can then just expand this partition to use up the unallocated space.

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

diskpart?

[Rahjja]

  On 03/09/2016 at 15:35, LaP said:

Download a free partition manager like MiniTool Partition Wizard and try to recover the deleted partition from the drive and then once recovered assign a drive letter to it.

 

Windows 10 Anniversary deleting partitions is a very common problem.

 

https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmanager/partition-disappears-in-win-10-anniversary-update.html

 

 

Expand  

I don't think the upgrade to windows 10 was the culprit since windows 10 is on the SSD and it is the HDD that has the issue.

[Rahjja]

  On 03/09/2016 at 15:47, BudMan said:

where did he say anything about deleted partition or need to recover anything?

 

Is there something on this 350GB partition that you need?  Not sure where you got the idea you need to switch to dynamic?  Right click on the 350GB partition and assign it a drive letter you want to use.  Since optical is F use D: for example  What is on this partition?  Anything?  You can then just expand this partition to use up the unallocated space.

Expand  

There is nothing on the 350 GB partition that I am aware of. Running a recovery on the HDD indicates that there is no data on the HDD at all. It appears as if when the SSD was replaced for whatever reason the HDD was wiped or possibly replaced as well.

 

If I extend the System Reserved area will that cause an issue with the operation of the drive? "Reserved" sounds important. Is it not better to create a New Volume?

 

Another person with a slightly different problem had a PC "expert" reply to his post and it was said the Dynamic Setting was necessary. I have a different issue though, which is why I was reluctant to try any of these solutions.  

[Rahjja]

  On 03/09/2016 at 15:57, Obi-Wan Kenobi said:

diskpart?

Expand  

I have no idea what you are asking here. I am sorry.

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

  On 03/09/2016 at 17:07, Rahjja said:

I have no idea what you are asking here. I am sorry.

Expand  

google is your friend....I'm kinda busy right now, but look up diskpart....it's a command based tool. built into windows. if you do use it, be EXTREMELY careful. it's very powerful, but yeah, look into it, man.

[Rahjja]

  On 03/09/2016 at 17:16, Obi-Wan Kenobi said:

google is your friend....I'm kinda busy right now, but look up diskpart....it's a command based tool. built into windows. if you do use it, be EXTREMELY careful. it's very powerful, but yeah, look into it, man.

Expand  

I am capable of utilizing google, thank you. I understand people get busy, and I appreciate the response despite your schedule, however a word with a question mark does not convey much information.

Is your question have I tried that program? Or your suggestion is for me to use that program? I am not too savvy on coding and would thoroughly screw those commands up so I don't think it is a good option for me personally, but a good suggestion. Thank you.

[LaP]

  Quote

There is nothing on the 350 GB partition that I am aware of. Running a recovery on the HDD indicates that there is no data on the HDD at all. It appears as if when the SSD was replaced for whatever reason the HDD was wiped or possibly replaced as well.

 

If I extend the System Reserved area will that cause an issue with the operation of the drive? "Reserved" sounds important. Is it not better to create a New Volume?

 

Another person with a slightly different problem had a PC "expert" reply to his post and it was said the Dynamic Setting was necessary. I have a different issue though, which is why I was reluctant to try any of these solutions.  

Expand  

 

There is something on the 350MB partition. You can browse it using any free partition manager software without assigning it a drive letter. You can find on this partition the bootloader i think.

 

Well if you are sure there's nothing on the drive then just create a new partition with the unallocated space. I don't know why the System reserved partition is not on the same drive as the c partition (should be). But you should not mess with the system reserved partition.

 

You can create a new partition with the disk manager. Right click on the unallocated space and choose the create a new partition option. If you are sure you have nothing to recover from the HD of course.

Edited September 3, 2016 by LaP

[LaP]

  On 03/09/2016 at 15:47, BudMan said:

where did he say anything about deleted partition or need to recover anything?

 

Expand  

He said he just upgraded to windows 10 and there was unallocated space on his HDD that was not there before (there was a drive letter and a partition before). That's exactly what happen when windows 10 anniversary delete partitions. Maybe i did not understand the problem correctly.

 

  Quote

The issue: My HDD drive path is missing and majority of the drive is unallocated space. Drive is seen in Disk Management and Device Manager. Drive is not seen in file explorer.

Expand  

If he just installed a new HDD and there's unallocated space and no partition then i fail to see where there's a problem ....

Edited September 3, 2016 by LaP

[adrynalyne]

  On 03/09/2016 at 19:42, LaP said:

He said he just upgraded to windows 10 and there was unallocated space on his HDD that was not there before (there was a drive letter and a partition before). That's exactly what happen when windows 10 anniversary delete partitions. Maybe i did not understand the problem correctly.

 

If he just installed a new HDD and there's unallocated space and no partition then i fail to see where there's a problem ....

Expand  

I think you misunderstood. Windows 10 has not been deleting partitions. There is an issue reading certain HDD partitions on certain devices though I don't know what the connection is.

[LaP]

  On 03/09/2016 at 20:03, adrynalyne said:

I think you misunderstood. Windows 10 has not been deleting partitions. There is an issue reading certain HDD partitions on certain devices though I don't know what the connection is.

Expand  

Well i don't know if windows 10 anniversary delete partitions or not but recovering the partition using a software to recover deleted partition does work. It worked for me. Right after the anniversary update my PC could not read one of my partition and recovering it the same way you recover deleted partitions did work for me (and many other people a simple google search proves that).

[adrynalyne]

  On 03/09/2016 at 20:56, LaP said:

Well i don't know if windows 10 anniversary delete partitions or not but recovering the partition using a software to recover deleted partition does work. It worked for me. Right after the anniversary update my PC could not read one of my partition and recovering it the same way you recover deleted partitions did work for me (and many other people a simple google search proves that).

Expand  

Just because it is the same way you recover partitions doesn't mean it was deleted.

 

Look at all the people who report issues in 10, but another OS sees it fine. Doesn't sound very deleted to me...does it to you?

[+BudMan MVC]

Oh did not notice system reserved..  That really should be on your SSD..  Who redid this machine for you?

 

Move it to the C: fix up location with BCD then delete it and create new disk there.  I would also move your recovery partition if you want to keep it to your HDD vs your SSD.

 

Google how to move the recovery partition, here is how to move the system reserved.

https://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=409

 

Or just live with it - prob slow boot compared to being on the SSD. and just create a drive in your unallocated space..  I would redo it..