I F'd Up While Formatting

[k-lite newbie]

Hi all. Sorry to waste your time like this but I must seek answers.
I switched out a 4GB HD for a 20 GB HD on an older mobo for my kid this winter. Unfortunately, I forgot to have the system detect the new HD before I formatted it. I am now left with a 20G HD which sees itself as 4G from the formatting the system gave it. Is there any way that I can correct this problem on the current machine, or will I have to reformat it on my other, newer, (last year I put it together... a good Barebones,) system? If I have to do it on my own system, can you walk me through the steps? I am an old, (30,) software pirate, not a hacker until you teach me...
I appreciate All help and would give anyone whatever knowledge I have, were the situation reversed.
I thank in advance anyone who can help me with this. I wanna get an A+ cert, to start a home business, and have been trying to expand my personal knowledge base, but I have to learn much more before I can do so.
Thanks and massive props to all who assist me in this matter. You will not be soon forgotten.

Just an EDITORIAL,
I grew up on Apple- and Atari-Basic, back in the land of Reagan. Computers were so slow for speed then, but the games were good. The things that are happening in the computer world today are amazing. I believe the future is swiftly approaching. I have seen it blow away my conceptions of what is achievable. The potential is unlimited. If you have a dream you should follow it, Unless it is a virus or other hardcore hack! To all good hackers, make the add-on, provide the unsolicited feature. F*** the corporate Internet.
Do me a favor though, folks. Be responsible with your hackings. Don't be malicious. We have enough terrorist workings in place to tie us up for the next hundred years. If you want to find ways to trash systems, (I know it can be tempting,) find responses for it too, and give the software manufacturers the ways and means to counter it.
We can minimize the risks we face.

Let's take care of each other instead of going for each other's throats.

It can be done.

Rich

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have u ran it through f disk?

[DARKSHADOW]

Hi al i could suggest is tri partion magic 8.0 to see if it can expand the drive back to full size or tri some of the other tools included to sort oout h/drives!

If u have an os installed and bootin up the drive it limits your option of playin around with it, so if u can't do anything with partition magic all i could suggest is hookin up to your other mavhine and reformatin it!
hope this helps if not there are quite a few knowledgeble members that should be able to solve your problem!!

[CornerPocket]

Uncertain as to how far you have gone with the new drive, installation wise.....What OS are you planning to install?

For Win98 -
Simply create a bootup disk from here

* Enter Bios (F8 during reboot), in correct seeting allow it to detect harddrive type - size. Save and exit with bootup disk made. Choose cdrom drive support........allow to boot up.
* At C:\ type fdisk -
(start by choosing to remove any existing partitions)
* next create primary partition, it will ask you if you choose to use maximum size, say 'yes'
(it will begin the process of creating the primary partition hopefully utilizing the entire drive)
* Once complete, follow instruction, reboot system with bootup disk once again
(again choose cdrom support, at C:\ type in format C: choose yes when told all will be erased)
* Once complete you should have the entire 40G drive to use.reboot again with bootup disk, choose cdrom support, place Win98 cdrom in tray and change drive letter by typing E: at the dos prompt, then type setup..Win98 should begin install......................


If Win XP -
Scroll down to Steps to Clean Install XP

[k-lite newbie]

Sorry for wasting your time people, I got a solution off of a professional hardware site which makes use of a BIOS check and the fdisk program. It worked. I apologize for wasting anyones time or brains but I am happy with the results.
I can now heartily support experts-exchange.com for those tough hardware questions. I recommend a spare e-mail address, however, to ensure that you can attract a correct _second_ answer.

Thanks again to all who posted,

[email protected]