External Hard Drive Shows Only Half or Partial Capacity: Best Fixes

This is a common question on tech forums, and if you're reading this, you might be dealing with the same problem. Don't worry - you're not the only one, and there are ways to fix it.

Many people have this annoying issue where their external hard drive shows only half or less of its actual capacity. Imagine buying a 1 TB hard drive and finding out your computer only sees 500 GB. Or maybe your 500GB hard drive shows only 130 GB of space. It's enough to make anyone frustrated! But before you decide to return your drive or call for help, let's look at the reasons behind this problem and how to solve it.

Part 1: Causes of Hard Drive Shows Half or Partial Capacity

Before we jump into the fixes, it's important to understand why your external hard drive shows only half or partial capacity. Here are some common causes:

• Unallocated space: Your drive may have unallocated space that Windows doesn't recognize.
• Incorrect partitioning: The drive might be improperly partitioned, leading to unused space.
• File system limitations: Some file systems have size limits that can affect large drives.
• MBR vs. GPT issues: Older Master Boot Record (MBR) partitioning can limit drive capacity.
• Hidden recovery partitions: Manufacturers sometimes include hidden partitions that take up space.
• Malware or viruses: In rare cases, malicious software can affect drive capacity reporting.
• Hardware failures: Physical issues with the drive can sometimes cause capacity misreporting.
• Formatting errors: Improper formatting can lead to capacity discrepancies.

Part 2: External Hard Drive Shows Only Half or Partial Capacity? Try These Fixes

Now that we understand why your 1 TB SSD might only be showing 500 GB, or why your 1 TB hard drive is only showing 500 GB, let's look at some fixes.

Remember, when your external hard drive shows only half or partial capacity, there's usually a solution.

Fix 1: Run a Quick Virus Scan via Windows Security

Malware can sometimes interfere with how your computer reads drive capacity. Running a virus scan can eliminate this possibility and potentially solve the issue of why your external hard drive shows only half or partial capacity.

A virus scan can detect and remove any malicious software that might be affecting your drive's reported capacity. This is especially important if you've noticed that your 500GB hard drive shows only 130 GB of space suddenly.

Steps:

1. Open Windows Security (formerly Windows Defender) by clicking the shield icon in the taskbar or searching for it in the Start menu. Click on "Virus & threat protection."

   

2. Click "Quick scan" to start a basic scan of your system and the connected external drive. Wait for the scan to complete. Follow the on-screen instructions to remove threats. After the scan, check if your external hard drive still shows only half or partial capacity.

Fix 2: Convert MBR to GPT to Restore Full Capacity

If your 1 TB hard drive is only showing 500 GB, it might be using the older MBR (Master Boot Record) partitioning scheme, which has a capacity limit of 2 TB. Converting to GPT (GUID Partition Table) can help restore full capacity.

GPT supports much larger drive capacities and more partitions than MBR. This fix can be particularly useful when dealing with modern large-capacity drives where your computer shows half a terabyte instead of the full capacity.

Steps:

1. Back up all data on your external hard drive, as this process will erase all data. Press Windows key + X and select "Disk Management." Right-click on the external hard drive and select "Delete Volume" for each partition until the entire drive shows as "Unallocated." Right-click on the disk number (e.g., Disk 1) on the left side and select "Convert to GPT Disk."

   

2. Once converted, right-click on the unallocated space and select "New Simple Volume."

   

3. Follow the wizard to create a new partition using all available space.Check if your external hard drive still shows only half or partial capacity.

Fix 3: Create New Volume to Make Use of Unallocated Space on Disk

Sometimes, when your external hard drive shows only half or partial capacity, it's because there's unallocated space that isn't being used. Creating a new volume can help you use this space.

This fix addresses situations where your 1 TB SSD is only showing 500 GB because half the drive is unallocated. By creating a new volume, you're telling Windows to use all available space on the drive.

Steps:

1. Press Windows key + X and select "Disk Management". Locate your external hard drive in the list of disks. If you see unallocated space, right-click on it and select "New Simple Volume". Follow the New Simple Volume Wizard:

   

2. Choose the volume size (use the maximum available). Assign a drive letter. Format the volume with NTFS file system.
3. Click "Finish" to create the new volume. Check if your external hard drive still shows only half or partial capacity.

Fix 4: Add Unallocated Space to A Neighbor or Non-adjacent Partition

In some cases, your 1 TB hard drive might only be showing 500 GB because the unallocated space isn't next to the main partition. This fix helps you combine that space with an existing partition.

When your external hard drive shows only half or partial capacity due to fragmented partitions, this method allows you to consolidate the space without losing data.

Steps:

1. Open Disk Management on your computer and find the unallocated space. Right-click on the adjacent partition you want to extend and select “Extend Volume.”

   

2. Specify the additional size for your target partition and click “Next.” Click “Finish” to complete the process.

   

3. To add unallocated space to a non-adjacent partition, you can use MiniTool Partition Wizard’s Resize/Move feature. This tool allows you to move unallocated space next to the target partition and extend it easily.

Part 3: Lost Data on External Drive? Try Recoverit Data Recovery

When attempting to resolve issues where your external hard drive displays only a portion of its capacity, you might inadvertently delete important files. Don’t worry! There are effective data recovery solutions available to help you retrieve your lost files.

Recoverit Data Recovery is a powerful tool that can help you retrieve lost files from your external hard drive. Whether you're dealing with a 1 TB SSD only showing 500 GB or a 500GB hard drive that shows only 130 GB of space, Recoverit can help recover your data.

Here's how to use Recoverit Data Recovery:

1. Install Recoverit Data Recovery on your computer. Launch the program and select your external hard drive as the location to scan. Click "Start”.

   

2. Wait for the scanning process to complete. Recoverit also allows you to filter the scan results based on file size, file type, etc.

   

3. Preview the recoverable files once the scanning process is completed. Select the files you want to recover and click "Recover" to save them to a safe location.

   

4. Remember, it's crucial to recover your data before making any changes to your drive. If your external hard drive shows only half or partial capacity and you need to recover files, do this step before trying other fixes.

Learn more >>:

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Part 4: Tips to Use External Hard Drive to Full Capacity

Now that we've addressed the issue of why your 1 TB hard drive is only showing 500 GB, let's look at some tips to ensure you're always using your external hard drive to its full capacity:

• Regularly check for unallocated space: Use Disk Management to ensure all space on your drive is allocated and formatted.
• Use the right file system: For large drives, use NTFS instead of FAT32 to avoid size limitations.
• Keep your drive clean: Regularly delete unnecessary files and run disk cleanup to maximize available space.
• Update your drivers: Ensure your computer has the latest drivers for optimal communication with your external drive.
• Use disk management tools: Familiarize yourself with Windows Disk Management or third-party tools to manage your drive effectively.
• Handle with care: Physical damage can lead to sectors being marked as bad, reducing available capacity.
• Regularly defragment: For HDDs (not SSDs), regular defragmentation can help maintain performance and space efficiency.

By following these tips, you can minimize the chances of encountering situations where your external hard drive shows only half or partial capacity.

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Conclusion

Dealing with an external hard drive that shows only half or partial capacity can be frustrating, especially when you've paid for a 1 TB SSD and it's only showing 500 GB. However, as we've seen, there are several potential causes and solutions to this problem.

Whether your 1 TB hard drive is only showing 500 GB due to partitioning issues, unallocated space, or other factors, the fixes we've discussed should help you reclaim your full drive capacity.

Remember to always back up your data before making changes to your drive, and don't hesitate to seek professional help if you're uncomfortable performing these fixes yourself. With the right approach, you can ensure that your external hard drive operates at its full capacity, giving you all the storage space you paid for.