Cannot use unallocated space on external disk; add new disk won't work
I have two external USB 3TB drives used for backup (Seagate GoFlex). I run Windows 7 x64.
One disk became nearly full, while the other had a lot of room left. I decided to manage the problem in Windows by using its Disk Management capabilities. That worked, except that instead of their being a single unallocated area, there were two, side-by-side, for some reason (maybe the MFT location was between the two??). I then selected the second disk, and went to "expand" it to use the two unallocated spaces. But the "expand" option was grayed out, at which point I realized my error: the disks were basic ones, not dynamic. Unfortunately, Windows Disk mangement refused to convert them to dynamic for some reason I don't understand.
No problem, I thought, I would just reverse the process. I "Expanded" the first disk, to recover the two unallocated areas. Here's the problem: It recovered the adjacent one, but not the next one over.
Now I was left with a huge amount of unallocated space which is completely inaccessible.
In Windows, I used Computer Management to delete the shrunken volume on the first disk (it was only a backup, after all). ). I thought this would allow me to recreate a single volume on the disk. But it wouldn’t allow me to.
I then tried using Acronis True Image Home. I thought that its "Add a disk" capability would allow me to do what Windows Disk Management would not do - to create a single partition on the disk. It looked like it worked (because the size of the partition in Acronis was the full disk size), but when I went back to Windows, it was the same shrunken size.
Is there any way I can get back to a single partition on my disk drive, so I can access all of it's space?
I can't help you but maybe some of the others can.
Questions:
1. How many partitions on the 3 TB?
Did the partitions bring you under the 2TB limitation?
2. Which version of TrueImage and do you have plus pack installed for that version?
3. Does the data have to be saved?
4. Do you have an partitioning tools available?
You should try to use a partition manager like ACronis Disk Director, or EaseUS partition manager, or others
* edit: I mistyped the name of the third party partition manager
1. How many partitions on the 3 TB?
Answer: 1
Did the partitions bring you under the 2TB limitation?
Answer: No.
2. Which version of TrueImage and do you have plus pack installed for that version?
Answer: 11
3. Does the data have to be saved?
Answer: No, it's only used for backup.
4. Do you have an partitioning tools available?
Answer: No
You're using ati 11? from circa 2008? I don't think it will work reliably on a hdisk that big. You'd need a newer version.