another GPT question

[dryfly]

I have a 1TB boot drive using Win 7 64bit and a 4TB data drive. Obviously the 4TB drive needs to be initialized using GPT to recognize the entire drive in 1 partition.

Should the 1TB boot drive also be initialized as GPT, or would MBR be better? Does the boot drive need GPT to boot into UEFI mode? I'm finding this is much different than the old days of sticking an HD in and formatting.

 

[bigboxes]

I would format the drive using GPT unless you might ever need to access the drive with WinXP (which doesn't support GPT). All my boxes use Win7. I have some externals that use MBR. Win7 can still read those. In conclusion, new drives get formatted to GPT, while previously MBR formatted drives can still be read by Win7.

 

[ArisVer]

Do not change anything on your boot disk.

Go in Disk Management and initialize the 4TB disk with GPT. Then create partition(s) and format them.

 

[BirdDad]

Keep the 1TB as MBR in case you want to encrypt it with TrueCrypt.

 

[dryfly]

I would format the drive using GPT unless you might ever need to access the drive with WinXP (which doesn't support GPT). All my boxes use Win7. I have some externals that use MBR. Win7 can still read those. In conclusion, new drives get formatted to GPT, while previously MBR formatted drives can still be read by Win7.

Win XP would never be needed. I have the drive initialized as GPT now and all seems fine. From everything I read, even on smaller drives GPT seems to be the new standard. I just didn't know if I was missing something.

I initialized the 4TB GPT using diskpart and after a several issues (my fault) I think I have it up and running showing the full capacity.

As for TrueCrypt, I use it to encrypt folders but now entire drives so not an issue.

 

[dryfly]

Well, now I have a new issue. Would appreciate a suggestion.

The WD Purple 4TB initialized GPT. Shows up correctly in UEFI and in Disk Manager. On initial boot shows up in Windows 7 Computer and Disk Manager.

After trying to write data to it, it will accept about 30 meg and then will give error. At this point it disappears from Win Computer. Doing a re-boot will bring it back, only to repeat disappearing when trying to write to it.

I've tried using another SATA cable, reseating the cable multiple times, and changing the SATA port on the MB with no luck.


Did I just get a bad drive??