Hey everyone! I recently bought a 2TB Toshiba external hard drive. When I plugged it in, I noticed some issues because it wasn't appearing in my files, even though I could see it in the taskbar. Following some instructions, I changed the drive letter and path settings, but now the drive shows up as having only 200GB! Is there some way I can restore it back to its full 2TB capacity?
4 Answers
Try opening "This PC," right-clicking, and then selecting "Manage." From there, go to disk management and check if the drive shows there. You might need to share a screenshot if you're still having trouble.
You should definitely check the partitions in disk management. Hit the Windows key + X and select disk management from the menu. Look for any partitions that are unallocated or formatted weirdly. If you find unallocated space, you may be able to allocate it back quickly with a format.
It only shows the partition of my laptop storage (Disk 0) and nothing for the external drive.
Where did you purchase the drive? If it came in Toshiba packaging and the serial number matches the box, it might still be a counterfeit. There's a tool called H2testw that can help check the actual capacity of your drive. Give that a shot and see what it reports.
Yes, it arrived in original Toshiba packaging and sealed. The serial number fits too. I've also reached out to the seller to discuss a possible refund or replacement.
Has your drive been partitioned? Sometimes they're split into smaller sections, which might explain the reduced capacity.
Only my laptop's Disk 0 is partitioned; the external drive shows up as Disk 1.
Are you looking for a photo of the disk management screen?