USB Hard Drive Lost Space

[Accessless]

A USB hard has malfunctioned and lost 100Gb of it's original capacity. Apparently it just disappeared one day, the drive was formated in an attempt to restore it but the drive still registers only 50Gb. I have checked the drive in Windows Disk Manager but it states 50Gb 'Healthy'. I've never known a hard drive to do anything like this before and I'm stumped. I've seen drives that will not read/right past a bad sector or right sectors off, but all signs show that these aren't the case.

[Computer_Commando]

Is it supposed to be a 150GB drive?
Was it originally partitioned?
Did you lose any data?
Who makes it?

[Accessless]

Yes
Yes [150GB]
Don't know (not mine)
I'll get back to you

[Computer_Commando]

Boot the computer with Parted Magic while the USB drive is attached.  See what it says, could be a  partition that Windows doesn't recognize.
http://partedmagic.com/

[Accessless]

But how would a partition that Windows can't recognise suddenly appear on a Windows based machine? Will try anyway.

[Salmon Trout]

But how would a partition that Windows can't recognise suddenly appear on a Windows based machine?

so
If a hardware failure or data corruption occurs, a so-called "RAW" partition may be created. This is a fairly common failure mode for USB hard drives.

[giardmi09]

Just a suggestion @ Accessless. I have a drive that has a jumper setting to limit drive capacity. If yours is the same then make sure that the jumper is set correctly, or make sure the jumper didn't fall off completely.

Just an idea, hope this helps

Mike

[Accessless]

Just a suggestion @ Accessless. I have a drive that has a jumper setting to limit drive capacity. If yours is the same then make sure that the jumper is set correctly, or make sure the jumper didn't fall off completely.

Just an idea, hope this helps

Mike

It's a USB hdd they don't have jumper settings.

Boot the computer with Parted Magic while the USB drive is attached.  See what it says, could be a  partition that Windows doesn't recognize.
http://partedmagic.com/

Nope it just says 50Gb. I can't work out why the missing capacity isn't listed as bad, RAW or anything. It just doesn't exist.

[giardmi09]

What is the make and model of the HDD?

[Salmon Trout]

Nope it just says 50Gb. I can't work out why the missing capacity isn't listed as bad, RAW or anything. It just doesn't exist.

I strongly suspect that this drive has died.

[rthompson80819]

Does it work normally otherwise?

[patio]

So parted magic shows it the same way ? ?
Do you use any encryption software ? ?

[Accessless]

So parted magic shows it the same way ? ?
Do you use any encryption software ? ?

Nope. Bizarre isn't it?

[patio]

So parted magic shows it the same way ? ?
Do you use any encryption software ? ?

[Computer_Commando]

Are you really sure it's a 150 and not a 50?  Make and model might help.