My Usb Hdd Does Not Show Capacity Properly Help!

Hi,
I got an internal ide hdd (160gb) last year. this year, i put it in an external case and am using it as an external hdd to make small backups (USB, nor ieee1394/firewire)

i got another box recently and set up a raid0 configuration on it using 2 80gb sata hdds. to backup the data, i plugged in my 160gb hdd.
my external hdd has 3 partitions
F: (has mp3s)
G: has installable programs and some data backups
H: has webserver related material and notes

i backed up my data and then realized that i just wanted 1 partition on my external hdd. so, i tried using partitionmagic to merge the partitions, but because of the sizes and their consecutivity, i could not do it in one step. so i copied all contents from G: to H: and tried to merge F: and H: first (as they were consecutive to each other). now, that merge turned out to be successful. but I still have 40GB worth in G:
For some messed up reason, I had this idea to format G: before merging it. It won't format saying "windows cannot complete this task". Now i don't see that 40GB capacity in "my computer" anymore; no capacity is shown.

Now, partitionmagic and also windows management console shows that G: is present, but no 40GB is present. So I thought I'd delete this partition and make it again. Deletion worked, but now, partition magic and windows management console show that there is 1.89TB capacity!! I cannot format this partition; the error is "windows cannot complete this task". I tried it from command prompt and it says "the NTFS sector is unwritable". Why does it show 1.89TB? and why wont it let me format it?

I have not lost any data THANK GOD! But, I'm losing 40GB of capacity on my 160GB hdd for nothing!! Please help me out. It's not time-critical, but it'd be great to get those 40GB back.

thanks,
-tinku

what I would do is back up the data ont he drive and then remove it from the external enclosure and put it in in the computer boot with windows XP and delete all partitions, create a new one and format it. ( if during the partition process it shows the correct size.

I had a similar thing happen to me using partition magic which is why I stay away from that software now.

i thought about that - but after i do that, what if i won't be able to use the whole hdd? that way, i'd be royally screwed. i can't use 160 gb! right now, i'm missing 40gb.

btw, what version of partition magic did you use? i think mine's v8.

is there some freeware out there that will help me do disk-checking on that partition? and maybe fix corrupt drives/partitions?

thanks for the response. i'll definitely do what you suggested as a last resouce. considering the fact that i spent 100 bucks on the hdd last year, i don't want to give it up right away. it's a risk i'm not willing to take right away.

thanks again,
tinku