Windows reports diff capacity for exact same drives C: & D:

  • Thread starter Thread starter pdx.stan
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pdx.stan

Win XP system with 2 WDC 200GB drives...primary drive shows up as
187GB, 2nd drive shows up as 137GB. XP SP2 installed. Registry
EnableBigLba entry has been created and set to value of 1 in:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Atapi\Parameters\

Western DC Data Lifeguard reports BOTH as 137 GB, even though Win XP
reports C: as 186GB and D: as 127 GB.

Control Panel>Comp Mngmnt>Disk Mngmnt reports: Disk 0 186.31 GB NTFS,
Disk 1 128 GB NTFS

Promise Tech Ultra IDE controller installed, latest driver installed
(not banged out) 5.1.2600.2180
(with latest driver downloaded)

WDC WD20000JB drives, DEVICE MANAGER says both drives have exact same
drivers/versions.

I would like the D: drive to have the same formatted capacity as C:
drive.

Any suggestions?

Thanx,

Stan.
 
Win XP system with 2 WDC 200GB drives...primary drive shows up as
187GB, 2nd drive shows up as 137GB. XP SP2 installed. Registry
EnableBigLba entry has been created and set to value of 1 in:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Atapi\Parameters\
Click to expand...

EnableBigLba is used only by Windows 2000.
Western DC Data Lifeguard reports BOTH as 137 GB, even though Win XP
reports C: as 186GB and D: as 127 GB.

Control Panel>Comp Mngmnt>Disk Mngmnt reports: Disk 0 186.31 GB NTFS,
Disk 1 128 GB NTFS

Promise Tech Ultra IDE controller installed, latest driver installed
(not banged out) 5.1.2600.2180
(with latest driver downloaded)
Click to expand...

Are both drives connected to this IDE controller (PCI card?) as
master/slave? If so, then the controller should treat both
identically.
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote in @b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:
Win XP system with 2 WDC 200GB drives...primary drive shows up as
187GB, 2nd drive shows up as 137GB. XP SP2 installed. Registry
EnableBigLba entry has been created and set to value of 1 in:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Atapi\Parameters\

Western DC Data Lifeguard reports BOTH as 137 GB, even though Win XP
reports C: as 186GB and D: as 127 GB.

Control Panel>Comp Mngmnt>Disk Mngmnt reports: Disk 0 186.31 GB NTFS,
Disk 1 128 GB NTFS

Promise Tech Ultra IDE controller installed, latest driver installed
(not banged out) 5.1.2600.2180
(with latest driver downloaded)

WDC WD20000JB drives, DEVICE MANAGER says both drives have exact same
drivers/versions.

I would like the D: drive to have the same formatted capacity as C:
drive.

Any suggestions?

Thanx,

Stan.
Click to expand...

What is the BIOS reporting? Enter 'Disk Manager' and determine how the
disks are partitioned.

1, Right click 'My Computer'
2. Select 'Manage'
3. Left click 'Disk Management'

WARNING: Changing the partitioning will destroy data. Backup your files
before changing the partitioning.
 
Andy said:
EnableBigLba is used only by Windows 2000.
Click to expand...

Got it, thanx.
Are both drives connected to this IDE controller (PCI card?) as
master/slave?
Click to expand...

Yes they are.
If so, then the controller should treat both identically.
Click to expand...

I agree...which is why this is really bugging me.


John said:
What is the BIOS reporting? Enter 'Disk Manager' and determine how the
disks are partitioned.
Click to expand...


As the original post states:
Control Panel>Comp Mngmnt>Disk Mngmnt reports: Disk 0 186.31GB NTFS,
Disk 1 128GB NTFS
Click to expand...
....and both drives have a single partiotion.

Ummm..can you suggest another Newsgroup that might be a better place
for this thread?

Stan.
 
Sorry don't know of a better place. Your motherboard manufacturer may
have a forum or maybe Promise or WD have a forum. Maybe some of the other
Microsoft newsgroups:

microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support
microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers
microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain
microsoft.public.windowsxp.setup_deplotment

These two articles refer directly to your sort of problem:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316505
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/303013/en-us

Keep a bookmark to the knowledge base at microsoft.

Some randomn ramblings:

Some drives have the ability to limit their capacity. The computer BIOS
may also be configurable to limit HD capacity. This was necessary before
windows supported drives larger than 137GB. So something may be
configured somewhere to limit the capacity of the 'smaller' drive.

Places to look:

1. Computer BIOS
2. IDE controller card BIOS, IDE controller card driver, software, and
utilities.

Your controller card may have a jumper setting or a configuration
utility to limit the drive capacity. Check your manuals and any software
that came with the card. Also, Check the manufacturers web site. keep in
mind that this may be individually configurable for the master and the
slave.

3. Hard drive firmware, jumpers

WD probably has a utility which will let you configure the drive
capacity to more or less than 137GB. Also, there may be a jumper on the
drive itself which will limit its capacity.
 
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