Hard Drive Size problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter Darren Mercer
  • Start date Start date
D

Darren Mercer

XP is detecting my new 160G HD as a 128G HD. Is this an XP issue or do I
simply need to upgrade the BIOS on my motherboard?
Thanks
DM
 
XP is detecting my new 160G HD as a 128G HD. Is this an XP issue or do
I simply need to upgrade the BIOS on my motherboard?
Thanks
DM
Click to expand...

I believe this is a known issue with XP. You need to install Service
Pack 1, then Windows will recognize the correct HD size. Alternatively,
if you don't want to install SP1 you can partition the drive using a
computer that already has it installed, as long as no partition is
larger than 128 GB. You can then put it back in your computer and it
will recognize both partitions and let you use all the space on the
drive. If you want to use it unpartioned, though, you'll have to
install SP1.

hth,
Lanny
--
_______________

"Language is so small, and ridiculously cumbersome, and stupid."
-J. Garcia

mail@lannyl dot com
www.lannyl.com
 
-----Original Message-----
XP is detecting my new 160G HD as a 128G HD. Is this an XP issue or do I
simply need to upgrade the BIOS on my motherboard?
Thanks
DM


.
I'm having the same problem, except it won't recognize
Click to expand...
my new 80 gig. It formats at 32gig. I've decided it's a
Bios problem, but not sure since I'm doing an new install
of both the hard drive and Xp.
 
nhale said:
my new 80 gig. It formats at 32gig. I've decided it's a
Bios problem, but not sure since I'm doing an new install
of both the hard drive and Xp.
Click to expand...

Your problem is that you are using XP to format the drive as FAT32.
Format it as NTFS if you want to use the whole 80GB or don't use Windows XP
to format it FAT32.
Windows XP can *read* FAT32 formatted drives/volumes > 32GB, but cannot
create/format them as FAT32.
 
LannyL said:
I believe this is a known issue with XP. You need to install Service
Pack 1, then Windows will recognize the correct HD size. Alternatively,
if you don't want to install SP1 you can partition the drive using a
computer that already has it installed, as long as no partition is
larger than 128 GB. You can then put it back in your computer and it
will recognize both partitions and let you use all the space on the
drive. If you want to use it unpartioned, though, you'll have to
install SP1.
Click to expand...

Thanks. If I have already formatted it without installing SP1 (ie the 128gb
drive) is this going to be a problem?


DM
 
Thanks. If I have already formatted it without installing SP1 (ie the
128gb drive) is this going to be a problem?


DM
Click to expand...

I don't think so...If you formatted the drive with one partition of 128GB
(or even with a number of smaller partitions adding up to 128), then
after installing SP1 or placing the drive into a computer with SP1 it
will probably show up as having roughly 30GB unformatted.
When I say show up, I mean it will be visible under the Disk Management
section of the Computer Management Control Panel, and you'll be able to
create a partition with the remaining space if you right-click it.
(If you're not familiar with this one, it's found under Control Panel>
Administrative Tools)

L

--
_______________

"Language is so small, and ridiculously cumbersome, and stupid."
-J. Garcia

mail@lannyl dot com
www.lannyl.com
 
nhale said:
I'm having the same problem, except it won't recognize
my new 80 gig. It formats at 32gig. I've decided it's a
Bios problem, but not sure since I'm doing an new install
of both the hard drive and Xp.
Click to expand...

Shenan T. Stanley said:
Your problem is that you are using XP to format the drive as FAT32.
Format it as NTFS if you want to use the whole 80GB or don't use
Windows XP to format it FAT32.
Windows XP can *read* FAT32 formatted drives/volumes > 32GB, but
cannot create/format them as FAT32.
Click to expand...

Yves Leclerc said:
Yes, Windows XP does format FAT32 hard drives, correctly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Well, I guess correctly is all in how you look at it..

Some people don't care about cluster sizes and security - just want to have
FAT32 because.. Well, they have heard bad things about NTFS I guess. heh

Other people have researched and realize it is not going to make much
difference if they go NTFS.. Maybe a little more on the learning curve side,
but better in most ways.
 
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