~250GB missing from HDD?

sdanseo

Hey folks, need a "dig out" here :P

Just tried to install my copy of Vista, with the aim of wiping the installed copy of XP. I noticed though that the Vista DVD wouldnt allow me to format the partiton (400GB disk). I accidentally extended that 380GB odd partition (with 270GB free) into the recovery partition (tbh I cannot decipher how this partition go there given it was all bought from HWV a year ago, I must have experimented at some stage and I just cant remember )

So I put my XP setup CD in and tried to format it with that, but it's only recognising a single partition of 131GB - onto which I installed XP as a temporary thing.

My question now is, what the feck happened? How can I reclaim my 400GB, and make the drive formattable using the Vista installer? I want a brand-spanking new install of vista, basically.

Is my HDD fecked?

Advice really appreciated

guil

right click my computer go to manage then go to storage and then disk management, the drive should show up there and any other partitions or unallocated space will be shown aswell and ya should be able to format any unallocated space there

sdanseo

Managed to get this sorted, just ran it again and it worked.