Hard Disk Installation

[CJM]

I've just replaced my old HDD with a new 250GB Maxtor DiamondMax 10 SATA
drive (in a Dell 4600). The BIOS correctly reports that the drive is 250Gb,
and when the drive arrived it was pre-formatted as a 250Gb FAT32 partition,
so it appears the drive is working OK. However, when I deleted the partition
and tried to create a new NTFS partition using the XP setup program, it
reported the maximum partition size I could create was 128GB...

I created an 80Gb partition, thinking that I could utilize the remainder of
the drive (170GB) using Partition Manager but Partition Manager reckons it
can only see the same 128GB... (80Gb + 48Gb unallocated).

I'm running some diagnostic software on the new drive as I write, but it
appears to be OK.

So why cant the windows setup program and windows itself see the full 250
GB?

Thanks in advance...

Chris

 

[relic]

I've just replaced my old HDD with a new 250GB Maxtor DiamondMax 10
SATA drive (in a Dell 4600). The BIOS correctly reports that the
drive is 250Gb, and when the drive arrived it was pre-formatted as a
250Gb FAT32 partition, so it appears the drive is working OK.
However, when I deleted the partition and tried to create a new NTFS
partition using the XP setup program, it reported the maximum
partition size I could create was 128GB...

Redo it using Disk Management.
Right click on My Computer, Manage and go to \Storage\Disk Management
Right click on the drive to delete the existing partitions and to make new
ones.
Format and be sure it has a drive letter.

I created an 80Gb partition, thinking that I could utilize the
remainder of the drive (170GB) using Partition Manager but Partition
Manager reckons it can only see the same 128GB... (80Gb + 48Gb
unallocated).
I'm running some diagnostic software on the new drive as I write, but
it appears to be OK.

So why cant the windows setup program and windows itself see the full
250 GB?

The setup program from where? CD? 6-floppy set of diskettes? Must be a
pre-SP1 version.

 

[CJM]

Redo it using Disk Management.
Right click on My Computer, Manage and go to \Storage\Disk Management
Right click on the drive to delete the existing partitions and to make new
ones.
Format and be sure it has a drive letter.

Disk Management reckons it's 128GB too. Besides, how do configure it in Disk
Management when it's the only drive in the system?

The setup program from where? CD? 6-floppy set of diskettes? Must be a
pre-SP1 version.

The CD was a pre-SP1 CD I think....

 

[CJM]

I've got a XP-with-SP1, which I am using to re-install XP; I've already seen
that it recognises the whole disk.

The only problem is that I had to use an MSDN key rather than my retail
one - the setup didnt like the retail key I provided. I'll have to figure
out some way of switching keys before Activating.

Thanks

 

[Anna]

I've just replaced my old HDD with a new 250GB Maxtor DiamondMax 10 SATA
drive (in a Dell 4600). The BIOS correctly reports that the drive is
250Gb, and when the drive arrived it was pre-formatted as a 250Gb FAT32
partition, so it appears the drive is working OK. However, when I deleted
the partition and tried to create a new NTFS partition using the XP setup
program, it reported the maximum partition size I could create was
128GB...

I created an 80Gb partition, thinking that I could utilize the remainder
of the drive (170GB) using Partition Manager but Partition Manager reckons
it can only see the same 128GB... (80Gb + 48Gb unallocated).

I'm running some diagnostic software on the new drive as I write, but it
appears to be OK.

So why cant the windows setup program and windows itself see the full 250
GB?

Thanks in advance...

Chris

Chris:
What apparently happened is that when your original HD was installed with
the XP OS, SP1 and/or SP2 was not included in the OS. Under those
circumstances the OS will recognize only 137 GB (roughly 128 GB binary) of a
HD that exceeds that capacity. (Since your motherboard's BIOS reports the
full capacity of that drive it's apparent that the MB supports
large-capacity drives, i.e., drives > 137 GB).

So assuming SP1 and/or SP2 was not installed on the OS prior to the time
when you installed your new 250 GB drive, the same limitation would apply.
If you now install SP1 and/or SP2 the full capacity of your 250 GB drive
will be recognized (actually about 232 GB), however, the remaining capacity
above 128 GB will be considered "unallocated space". So you will need to
partition/format that space using XP's Disk Management utility. So at a
minimum you will have two partitions.

BTW, just out of curiosity - you say your "new" Maxtor 250 GB HD came
formatted FAT32. Was this a USB external HD that you purchased? Who
formatted the drive FAT32?
Anna

 

[relic]

I've got a XP-with-SP1, which I am using to re-install XP; I've
already seen that it recognises the whole disk.

The only problem is that I had to use an MSDN key rather than my
retail one - the setup didnt like the retail key I provided. I'll have to
figure out some way of switching keys before Activating.

The CD has to match the key:
A Retail version needs a key from a Retail version.
An OEM version needs a key from an OEM version.
XP Pro can't use a key from XP Home.

You need to make a Slipstreamed copy of your CD.

 

[CJM]

So assuming SP1 and/or SP2 was not installed on the OS prior to the time
when you installed your new 250 GB drive, the same limitation would apply.
If you now install SP1 and/or SP2 the full capacity of your 250 GB drive
will be recognized (actually about 232 GB), however, the remaining
capacity above 128 GB will be considered "unallocated space". So you will
need to partition/format that space using XP's Disk Management utility. So
at a minimum you will have two partitions.

Yeah, I've already come to the same conclusion.

BTW, just out of curiosity - you say your "new" Maxtor 250 GB HD came
formatted FAT32. Was this a USB external HD that you purchased? Who
formatted the drive FAT32?

It was a refurb that was formatted after testing....

CJM

 

[CJM]

The CD has to match the key:
A Retail version needs a key from a Retail version.
An OEM version needs a key from an OEM version.
XP Pro can't use a key from XP Home.

What key do you need for the Retail version when downloaded via MSDN?

A Retail key? No, that's what I already had. My MSDN key works, and I'll
probably use that one anyway. However, I'm annoyed that my Retail key didn't
work with my Retail(MSDN) disk. You would think that they would match.

You need to make a Slipstreamed copy of your CD.

Or simply install SP2... I could either stick with 2 partitions (which I
probably need anyway) or use Partition Magic to merge the unallocated space
into the main partition.

TBH, I think I'll slipstream the CD I have with SP2 for future use. I might
not need it now, but I will in future (eg. if I change job and have to
relinquish my MSDN licences).

Thanks for your help...

 

[relic]

What key do you need for the Retail version when downloaded via MSDN?

A Retail key? No, that's what I already had. My MSDN key works, and
I'll probably use that one anyway. However, I'm annoyed that my
Retail key didn't work with my Retail(MSDN) disk. You would think
that they would match.

It's probably a VLK (Volume License Key). Called (incorrectly) a Corporate
Key.

Or simply install SP2... I could either stick with 2 partitions
(which I probably need anyway) or use Partition Magic to merge the
unallocated space into the main partition.

TBH, I think I'll slipstream the CD I have with SP2 for future use. I
might not need it now, but I will in future (eg. if I change job and
have to relinquish my MSDN licences).

I would. If you want to do a "Repair" and you have installed SP2, you need a
slipstreamed CD to do it.

Thanks for your help...

Any time.

 

[JC]

What apparently happened is that when your original HD was installed with
the XP OS, SP1 and/or SP2 was not included in the OS. Under those
circumstances the OS will recognize only 137 GB (roughly 128 GB binary) of a
HD that exceeds that capacity. (Since your motherboard's BIOS reports the
full capacity of that drive it's apparent that the MB supports
large-capacity drives, i.e., drives > 137 GB).

So assuming SP1 and/or SP2 was not installed on the OS prior to the time
when you installed your new 250 GB drive, the same limitation would apply.
If you now install SP1 and/or SP2 the full capacity of your 250 GB drive
will be recognized (actually about 232 GB), however, the remaining capacity
above 128 GB will be considered "unallocated space". So you will need to
partition/format that space using XP's Disk Management utility. So at a
minimum you will have two partitions.

Anna

I am curious about your statement that the capacity above 128GB will be
considered "unallocated space". Does this apply to SATA as well?

I am running XP Pro with SP2 plus all updates and have 2 internal (C: and D
and 2 external (K: and L SATA drives. The drives are 36GB (C: and K and
250GB (D: and L which are seen by Explorer as 34.4GB and 232GB respectively.
There are no indications of this "unallocated space" on the 250GB drives that I
have seen.

 

[Ron Sommer]

Anna

I am curious about your statement that the capacity above 128GB will be
considered "unallocated space". Does this apply to SATA as well?

I am running XP Pro with SP2 plus all updates and have 2 internal (C: and
D
and 2 external (K: and L SATA drives. The drives are 36GB (C: and K
and
250GB (D: and L which are seen by Explorer as 34.4GB and 232GB
respectively.
There are no indications of this "unallocated space" on the 250GB drives
that I
have seen.

"So assuming SP1 and/or SP2 was not installed on the OS prior to the time
when you installed your new 250 GB drive" ....."the remaining capacity above
128 GB will be considered "unallocated space"" would apply to SATA also.

 

[JC]

"So assuming SP1 and/or SP2 was not installed on the OS prior to the time
when you installed your new 250 GB drive" ....."the remaining capacity above
128 GB will be considered "unallocated space"" would apply to SATA also.

I should learn to read the fine print. <grin>

My install included SP1 so, I guess, the full 250GB is available.

Thanks for the quick response.

 

[CJM]

It's probably a VLK (Volume License Key). Called (incorrectly) a Corporate
Key.

It's not a VLK - I have seperate VL keys & software..

I would. If you want to do a "Repair" and you have installed SP2, you need
a slipstreamed CD to do it.

Good point.