Ext Hardrive Reclaim

[nfhounsome]

Hi I have a 1TB external hard drive [ WD] which I used by mistake to do a backup for a new laptop. It now only has 32gb capacity and would like to know if possible how to get it back to it's original condition and size. Can you help please?

 

[PC Tailor]

(assuming Windows) This will wipe all data from the hard drive and start as if it were new (ish). The data is still recoverable after this method if need be:

- Plug in HDD
- Go to My PC / My Computer
- Right click on the hard drive
- Click Format
- Format to NTFS / FAT / FAT32

Done.

 

[nfhounsome]

(assuming Windows) This will wipe all data from the hard drive and start as if it were new (ish). The data is still recoverable after this method if need be:

- Plug in HDD
- Go to My PC / My Computer
- Right click on the hard drive
- Click Format
- Format to NTFS / FAT / FAT32

Done.

Hi Thanks for the info which I have tried but the drive still only shows 32GB out of the 1TB.
I think the drive is partitioned, looked at it via disc management as someone suggested, and the rest of the drive is sort of greyed out. So presume that what is needed is to un partition it if that is possible?
Can you suggest anything please?
Many thanks
Nigel

 

[PC Tailor]

If it is partitioned, you can remove this within the disk manager tool. Just right click on the section you wish to delete and click 'delete partition'.

If you still have no luck:
- In disk manager, identify the DISK NUMBER of he drive you want to clean
- Start > command prompt (right click and run as administrator)
- type: diskpart (press enter)
- type: list disk (press enter)
- Identify the appropriate disk number from the list that appears, this will be the number you saw in disk management (ensure this is the correct hard drive)
- type: select disk X (type in the disk number in replacement of X)
- Press Enter
- type: clean (press enter)
- type: exit (press enter)

Then the hard drive should be cleaned.

 

[nfhounsome]

If it is partitioned, you can remove this within the disk manager tool. Just right click on the section you wish to delete and click 'delete partition'.

If you still have no luck:
- In disk manager, identify the DISK NUMBER of he drive you want to clean
- Start > command prompt (right click and run as administrator)
- type: diskpart (press enter)
- type: list disk (press enter)
- Identify the appropriate disk number from the list that appears, this will be the number you saw in disk management (ensure this is the correct hard drive)
- type: select disk X (type in the disk number in replacement of X)
- Press Enter
- type: clean (press enter)
- type: exit (press enter)

Then the hard drive should be cleaned.

 

[nfhounsome]

Hi
Thanks for that and will give it a go next week as am away for the next few days.

Kind regards

Nigel