How do I get XP to recognise 250GB Hard Drive?

[Interesting Ian]

Hi,

A few of you will know that my 60GB hard drive ceased to function on xmas eve. Anyway my new 250GB Hard Drove was just delivered today. Unfortunately, at the beginning of formatting the drive, Windows XP said it was only a 130GB Hard Drive. At first I thought it might be because my motherboard is too old being 3.5 years old (ASUS A7V333). But it says 250GB in the BIOS and on start up. Anyway I was eventually led to believe that it was because I needed service pack 1 installed. But obviously I can't install this service pack until I've formatted the drive and put windows on.

But then there doesn't seem to be any option to extend the drive to the full 250GB. I downloaded this software called something like "partition magic", but it was only a "trial version" and was wholly non-functional.

So how do I make the full 250GB available??

A friend of mine said he will get hold of a copy of XP with service pack 1 already installed and that should work if I format the drive again and put on Windows again. But will this different copy work with my key ok?

[Ducky]

Step 1: Download Ubuntu install cd...


Ok no seriously, your friend's idea is a good one. but try this:

I am assuming the 250 isn't the primary drive? If it isn't just install sp1 and reformat the drive after the upgrade. If it is the primary drive, then installing xp and upgrading, then reinstalling over the upgrade should do it (with sp1.)

Your key should work.

If none of those works, see step 1 above...

[Mongrel]

If your BIOS recognised it then Windows should be able to see all of it. Have you checked the jumpers on the HDD? Nowdays (check with manufacturer) removing all the jumpers on the back will mean it's the Master disk and no faffing.

Ask your friend to slap your HD in his machine and format from within Windows, Start > Control Panel > Admin Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management > Right click on your disk > Format > Pub > Time for at least two beers.

IF after that you're still not seeing the full 250 gig then check the modle number on the manufacturers site. you may have got a duff 'un

[kevin]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/303013/en-us

Officially supported in XP w/ SP1, but there is a way to enable support in regular XP (see the part about EnableBigLba in the page above).

Options:
can you install on another disk, upgrade to SP1, format new drive as one partition, install on new drive (do not reformat during install), install SP1 on new drive.

Create a smaller partition, i.e. a 10GB c: drive. Install on there. Upgrade to SP1. Format remainder of drive as 190GB drive for your data.

Live CD not a bad idea, boot a Linux Live CD, format the drive to FAT32, one partition. Install XP without creating new partition or reformatting. Install SP1.

[Ducky]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/303013/en-us

Officially supported in XP w/ SP1, but there is a way to enable support in regular XP (see the part about EnableBigLba in the page above).

Options:
can you install on another disk, upgrade to SP1, format new drive as one partition, install on new drive (do not reformat during install), install SP1 on new drive.

Create a smaller partition, i.e. a 10GB c: drive. Install on there. Upgrade to SP1. Format remainder of drive as 190GB drive for your data.



err...yes this is the way to go.

I am an airhead.

except about that ubuntu thing...

step 1 - download the install cd...

[kevin]

except about that ubuntu thing...

step 1 - download the install cd...

heh, i edited my reply to include that as a valid option.

[Ducky]

heh, i edited my reply to include that as a valid option.



Err and I meant the live cd...yeah.

Or knoppix...


I need more coffee. I am losing my mind.

[Interesting Ian]

If your BIOS recognised it then Windows should be able to see all of it. Have you checked the jumpers on the HDD? Nowdays (check with manufacturer) removing all the jumpers on the back will mean it's the Master disk and no faffing.

Ask your friend to slap your HD in his machine and format from within Windows, Start > Control Panel > Admin Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management > Right click on your disk > Format > Pub > Time for at least two beers.

IF after that you're still not seeing the full 250 gig then check the modle number on the manufacturers site. you may have got a duff 'un

As far as I understand the problem is due to XP itself. In other words it is only with the upgrade to "service pack 1" that windows xp can recognise drives greater than 130GB. And indeed it does recognise it. But how then can I utilise the whole of the hard drive? At the moment the amount I can utilize is determined by what I inputted when first installing windows. If I format again and install windows again that will get rid of service pack 1, so I'm in a vicious circle so to speak. Unless I simply reinstall windows without formatting again?? But that's crap because then I end up with 2 lots of "my docs" etc. And would it work anyway?

[Interesting Ian]

Step 1: Download Ubuntu install cd...


Ok no seriously, your friend's idea is a good one. but try this:

I am assuming the 250 isn't the primary drive?



Ummm . .don't know. My friend installed it cos he's more proficient with this sort of stuff. Think he said it was the master if that means the primary?




If it isn't just install sp1 and reformat the drive after the upgrade.



But if I reformat then that will get rid of sp1 won't it?? :confused:


If it is the primary drive, then installing xp and upgrading, then reinstalling over the upgrade should do it (with sp1.)


Install windows again over current copy?? Then I'll get 2 of everything? :(



Your key should work.

If none of those works, see step 1 above...

Right, thanks :)

[Ducky]

Ummm . .don't know. My friend installed it cos he's more proficient with this sort of stuff. Think he said it was the master if that means the primary?



But if I reformat then that will get rid of sp1 won't it?? :confused:



Install windows again over current copy?? Then I'll get 2 of everything? :(



Right, thanks :)


With a live linux cd you should be able to format the whole drive NTFS or FAT32. Once the partition is set, all you would need to do is install windows and upgrade to sp1

[Interesting Ian]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/303013/en-us

Officially supported in XP w/ SP1, but there is a way to enable support in regular XP (see the part about EnableBigLba in the page above).

Options:
can you install on another disk, upgrade to SP1, format new drive as one partition, install on new drive (do not reformat during install), install SP1 on new drive.

Create a smaller partition, i.e. a 10GB c: drive. Install on there. Upgrade to SP1. Format remainder of drive as 190GB drive for your data.

Live CD not a bad idea, boot a Linux Live CD, format the drive to FAT32, one partition. Install XP without creating new partition or reformatting. Install SP1.

Emmmm . .thanks Kevin. I've been drinking though. I think I need to reread your post more carefully tomorrow morning ;)

[kevin]

Emmmm . .thanks Kevin. I've been drinking though. I think I need to reread your post more carefully tomorrow morning ;)

is ok, i was drinking when i wrote it (but just a bit of wine).

My basic theory is that you can boot another OS that will already support this drive and format it the way you want. Then as long as the installer only writes to the section under 130GB it will be OK. I'm not a 100% on this theory so take with a grain of salt.

Oh yeah, my general recommendation for anyone installing XP -- don't connect to the internet (dial-up, DSL or cable) until you have at least SP2 running. If you work for a company with an IT deptarment ask them for a CD with SP2 on it (if you can't make your own).

[Zep]

Jumping Jehosephat! 250GB already! Who in their right minds is going to write THAT much crap to fill such a space!

[a_unique_person]

Me?

Seriously, the (see the part about EnableBigLba in the page above) bit is on the right track, since it also works with Windows 2000.

Just ignore the fact it only recognises 130gb for now, it will all come out right later.

[Smike]

Free partitioning program (http://www.compuapps.com/download/Swissknife/swissknife.htm)

I don't know whether it will be able to expand the partition to 250GB, if windows won't be able to see it, but at least it will be able to add the extra space as a seperate partition.

[Vitnir]

After I installed sp2 I just opened the disk manager in XP and formatted the remainder of my unused disk, so now I got a 128 Gb partition and a 58 Gb one.

[kevin]

Jumping Jehosephat! 250GB already! Who in their right minds is going to write THAT much crap to fill such a space!

my tivo has a 300GB drive and a 160GB drive.
my server downstairs has 2-80GB drives, a 160GB drive and a 300GB drive.

[Darat]

Ian - I would suggest partitioning the drive anyway - it makes for easier organisation and backing up of your data. I'd do something like a 50Gb for the OS and major application and then two 100Gb for data.

[Interesting Ian]

I've got it sorted out. But now I've encountered another problem. I've just formatted it, put the drivers on for broadband, graphics and sound, put an anti-virus program on, and it spontaneously rebooted by itself!

Then when it came back on my mouse was frozen and I had to switch off. First time I've ever known that to happen in XP.

Just run the virus check. Nothing showed up.

I'm just wondering if I should format it again? How do I make the blue screen appear? Any advice?

[kevin]

what anti-virus are you using? I've found Symantec to be total crap. McAfee slightly better. I like the AVG Free for my home computer.

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

of course on my mac and linux boxes I don't use anything, not needed.

[Interesting Ian]

what anti-virus are you using? I've found Symantec to be total crap. McAfee slightly better. I like the AVG Free for my home computer.

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

of course on my mac and linux boxes I don't use anything, not needed.

Kaspersky. It hasn't rebooted again yet. I think it's sp2. I had problems before when I installed it.