Windows XP and 127 GB limit

[imported_gusmahler]

I'm just built a new system that includes a Seagate 200 GB SATA drive. I have an OEM version of XP (not including SP1 or SP2). When I booted from the XP CD, it only gives me the option of partioning 131,000 MB or so. When fully installed, the hard drive is 137,427,943,424 bytes according to XP.

The BIOS is brand new (2/14/05) and the MB is a Asus P5GD1 (LGA 775.) So it is not a question of BIOS supporting large hard drives.

From what I briefly know about XP, I don't think the original XP supported large hard drives. True? If I install SP2, what happens to the hard drive (I only formatted the 127 GB)?

I'm downloading SP2 right now (on another computer, the new build is not connected to the Internet). I'll try to install it again. I thought I downloaded it before and burned it to CD-R, but the file is corrupted and will not run on the new computer.

 

[MrChad]

Slipstream

 

[imported_gusmahler]

Is that the only way?

If so, is it possible to slipstream using a Win98SE system? (I don't have XP available on any machine).

 

[Wags1974]

Thought the post was about hd size and xp, then you say you dont have xp. I must be missing something. Sorry Xp home and pro recognized my 250 giger as 239 right away which is right on mathematically.

 

[imported_gusmahler]

I don't have xp on a current machine. My new machine is XP (without any SPs).

 

[amol]

partition it??

 

[MrChad]

Your only option is to install XP, slipstream, then reformat and reinstall. Make sure you DO NOT connect that unpatched XP system to the internet.

 

[shoRunner]

or partition magic would take care of this.

 

[Nothinman]

or partition magic would take care of this.

How? Does it magically give XP the ability to support protocols it doesn't have drivers for?

 

[her209]

You need at least SP1.

 

[skreet]

Yes, install SP1 or greater then use Partition Magic. I would just make myself a slipstreamed sp2 disc anyway, you'll use it later

 

[thegorx]

original XP had a drive size limit ?

- anyone have a link to that ? -

I never ran into that

the only time I've had problems with the full drive size not being recognized is with the hard drive controller itself


just install it on a smaller partition of your choice then update
and if you can't create another partition within XP after that
I'd look elsewhere for an answer

 

[Nothinman]

original XP had a drive size limit ?

No, it's an IDE limitation. The original spec only used 28-bits (IIRC) for block addressing which meant the disks were limited to 137G . This is why LBA48 was created, but it needs support in the drives, controllers, chipsets, cables and drivers.

 

[thegorx]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

original XP had a drive size limit ?

No, it's an IDE limitation. The original spec only used 28-bits (IIRC) for block addressing which meant the disks were limited to 137G . This is why LBA48 was created, but it needs support in the drives, controllers, chipsets, cables and drivers.

ok...I see... then it all part of the same deal


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

I guess I just never ran into it from that side

 

[shoRunner]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

or partition magic would take care of this.

How? Does it magically give XP the ability to support protocols it doesn't have drivers for?

No, it would allow you to download sp1 and install it and then partition the rest of the drive and merge the partition so you wouldn't have to reinstall with a xp version that has sp1 or greater slipstreamed

 

[Bglad]

I just went through this same thing, you will find the thread if you run a search. I installed XP and then updated using an SP2 disc and got a 127g drive. XP had that limitation in the first version and therefore formatted your drive to that size. I solved it by installing XP, then updating to SP2 and then using Partition Magic to increase the size of the drive to its full amount. Worked like a charm. Yes, Microsoft should have recognized this and included a partition expander with SP2 but they didn't.

 

[RVN]

Personally, I install XP and programs on a 10 GB partition and make the second partition from the unused space from within Windows. I don't trust 3rd party partitioning or re-sizing ...it's just not prudent.

 

[imported_gusmahler]

Update--the first thing I tried was updating to SP2. It still thought the hard drive was 127 GB, with no option to increase the size. So I slipsteamed SP2 onto XP using the new machine. Copied the info to an external hard drive and burned a bootable CD using my old system. It was annoying as heck. But if I build a new system soon, I'll have a slipstreamed version ready.

 

[daniel49]

Originally posted by: MrChad
Slipstream

Looking at this page Mrchad and I really like this idea can I make this work with nero5.5 express?

thks

 

[cubby1223]

The XP limitation (and same with older OS's) was on partition size, right? Not the total capacity of the drive. Like how with MS-DOS you couldn't have a partition more than 2gig, but you could have a 6gig drive with 3 2gig partitions.

Seems motherboard related to me.