installing xp on hdd bigger than 130gb

newguy5 · 01-12-2008, 11:48 PM

so 130gb is the largest that xp can handle on sp1 apparently. my 250gb hd when i try to format from the windows xp disk will only format 130gb and i can't even see the 120gb. so how do i see it? i don't have a floppy so i can't boot from a disk. i don't mind partitioning the other 120gb, but i can't see it. help please.

imsati · 01-13-2008, 12:47 AM

137 actually, but yeah, 130 is about right.

Do you have a Windows Install CD? You should be able to see the entire drive from there and make partitions. If the Windows CD doesn't see everything, you can download a program called GParted, burn it to a CD as a .iso file, then boot from it and partition anything you want.

nyhk · 01-13-2008, 12:59 AM

SP1 should be able to see way past 128/137GB if BIOS also can. YOu're sure about the SP? And your disk management cannot see it?

As long as Windows cannot see it past it, it doesn't give much to use a third party tool to make changes

imsati · 01-13-2008, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nyhk

As long as Windows cannot see it past it, it doesn't give much to use a third party tool to make changes

The 3rd party tool can be used to make smaller partitions so Windows can see everything. For example, it won't see 1 250 GB drive, but it can see 5 50 GB ones.

Motoxrdude · 01-13-2008, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nyhk

SP1 should be able to see way past 128/137GB if BIOS also can. YOu're sure about the SP? And your disk management cannot see it?

As long as Windows cannot see it past it, it doesn't give much to use a third party tool to make changes

Gparted is an OS within itself, so it is not limited by windows. You can partition it so that way each partition is under 130GB.

nyhk · 01-13-2008, 03:18 AM

The number of partitions doesn't matter. This issue is about LBA addressing with only 28 bits vs 48 bits in SP1/SP2.

So Windows cannot address more than 2^28 sectors

Motoxrdude · 01-13-2008, 03:19 AM

O, thats funny since back in the day when i had a 160gb i could use all of it after i partitioned two 75gb partitions.

nyhk · 01-13-2008, 03:23 AM

I don't know what you did. But if the very lowest disk driver i Windows cannot address more than 2^28 sectors, you cannot go beyond 128 GB.

2^28 * 512 = 128 GB

So it is not possible to reach a sector in a partition on the other side of that border

nyhk · 01-13-2008, 03:27 AM

When windows requests a sector from the drive, it does so with an address of 28 bits. And with 28 bits, you cannot go beyond 128GB. It is not mathematically possible. You need 48-bit LBA for that

dznutz · 01-13-2008, 03:46 AM

it's the bios and not sp1. if you don't upgrade the bios larger internal drives will be partitioned to 137 max to utilize your entire drive space. however, external drives are not affected

so without the bios upgrade windows will automatically partition your drive to 137 gig partition. if you don't see the partitions go into disk management to format it/assign drive letter

01-12-2008, 11:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
newguy5 Diamond Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dallas, Tx Age: 25 Posts: 1,546	installing xp on hdd bigger than 130gb so 130gb is the largest that xp can handle on sp1 apparently. my 250gb hd when i try to format from the windows xp disk will only format 130gb and i can't even see the 120gb. so how do i see it? i don't have a floppy so i can't boot from a disk. i don't mind partitioning the other 120gb, but i can't see it. help please. __________________ C2D E6750 Arctic Freezer 7 Pro 2GB G.Skill RAM PC2-6400 Gigabyte P35-DS3L Sapphire Radeon 3850 250GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 Thermaltake TR2 500W 22" Westinghouse (widescreen) Pics

01-13-2008, 12:47 AM	#2 (permalink)
imsati Diamond Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: EHT, NJ Posts: 2,731	137 actually, but yeah, 130 is about right. Do you have a Windows Install CD? You should be able to see the entire drive from there and make partitions. If the Windows CD doesn't see everything, you can download a program called GParted, burn it to a CD as a .iso file, then boot from it and partition anything you want. __________________ --Jay Gigabyte EP31-DS3L \| E4500 \| Masscool HSF paired with AS-5 80 GB SATA2 x 2 \| e-GeForce 7100 GS \| CM Elite 330 (gorgeous!) Triple Boot: Ubuntu 7.10/XP Home/Kubuntu 7.10 You do realize that everytime PC eye Posts, God kicks a puppy, and every time someone takes his advice, He smothers a kitten in front of a child, right? http://www.computerforum.com/114761-...tml#post922619

01-13-2008, 03:19 AM	#7 (permalink)
Motoxrdude Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Nor Cal Age: 18 Posts: 6,475	O, thats funny since back in the day when i had a 160gb i could use all of it after i partitioned two 75gb partitions. __________________ RIP Mom 9/17/55-02/22/08.

01-13-2008, 03:46 AM	#10 (permalink)
dznutz Platinum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: california Age: 28 Posts: 611	it's the bios and not sp1. if you don't upgrade the bios larger internal drives will be partitioned to 137 max to utilize your entire drive space. however, external drives are not affected so without the bios upgrade windows will automatically partition your drive to 137 gig partition. if you don't see the partitions go into disk management to format it/assign drive letter __________________ ANTEC 900 OCZ STEALTHXTREAM 500W MSI NEO-F p35 INTEL E4500 ASUS ATI HD3450 2gb OCZ SLI RAM SAMSUNG SH-203N SATA SEAGATE BARRACUDA 1Tb SATA AIRLINK 101 300n pci XP PRO 32 bit

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01-13-2008, 12:59 AM	#3 (permalink)
nyhk Silver Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 152	SP1 should be able to see way past 128/137GB if BIOS also can. YOu're sure about the SP? And your disk management cannot see it? As long as Windows cannot see it past it, it doesn't give much to use a third party tool to make changes

01-13-2008, 03:18 AM	#6 (permalink)
nyhk Silver Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 152	The number of partitions doesn't matter. This issue is about LBA addressing with only 28 bits vs 48 bits in SP1/SP2. So Windows cannot address more than 2^28 sectors

01-13-2008, 03:23 AM	#8 (permalink)
nyhk Silver Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 152	I don't know what you did. But if the very lowest disk driver i Windows cannot address more than 2^28 sectors, you cannot go beyond 128 GB. 2^28 * 512 = 128 GB So it is not possible to reach a sector in a partition on the other side of that border

01-13-2008, 03:27 AM	#9 (permalink)
nyhk Silver Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 152	When windows requests a sector from the drive, it does so with an address of 28 bits. And with 28 bits, you cannot go beyond 128GB. It is not mathematically possible. You need 48-bit LBA for that

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