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Comp question..

rcmodelsrcmodels Ranger
in Zocalo v2.0
Ok, why does my bios correctly read my harddrive as 250,000mb (or whatever the exact reading is), but windows xp is only reading 132. This is a brand new hd so there's nothing dead on it. Same thing happened with the last one, that lasted a month by the way... before it died. I've rma'd this thing twice in 3 months and they just sent me a non-refurbished one. Any ideas?

Comments

  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    I thought XP had a cap on partition size at ~130 Gig (can't remember if that was for Fat32 or the NTFS ?)
  • croxiscroxis I am the walrus
    xp sp2 doesn't have that problem, my 250 gig drive is just dandy!
  • TycoTyco Ranger Texas
    I think you need SP1 in order for XP to read the drive as being greater than ~130 gigs.
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    Well, there's two problems. One is software, one is hardware.

    If your hardware cannot support 48-bit LBA, then you won't see anything larger than a 127 gigabyte drive (133,169,152 kb). The other is software. When windows XP was released, 48-bit LBA was not common and support for it was not included. With SP1 onwards, you can have your additional space *if* your hardware can support it. (Given your statement that the BIOS can see it, I suspect it can)

    You may very well need to purchase a PCI hard drive controller and boot it from there. Not exactly a major expense, only $20 or so.

    But if you are installing from an XP CD without any service packs, this problem will continue to exist until you incorporate SP2 into it through a process known as "slipstreaming."
  • rcmodelsrcmodels Ranger
    Its reading my external as 279gb, but its still reading my master as 132 or there abouts. I've updated to sp2 and still having the problem. Background: My harddrive had its annual breaking during december so since it was under warrenty i sent it back got another, that then had read errors and was only reading at like... 132 as well, and then rma'd that and now i'm having the size issue again. Side note: I used a really old harddrive in the mean time, like 10 years old just so i could get email and aim and such and now when my comp boots up i get lines after the POST about "Free Dos" which i assume must've been on that drive, because it wasnt on here before that. Could that be the cause?
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    there's probably a freeDOS pre-boot element of some sort on the drive, but that shouldn't be a concern to your usability.

    Anyway, it sounds to me like you've got a problem in the realm of hardware rather than software. It's cheap enough to diagnose, though. $40 or so on newegg should get you a cheap Promise-branded IDE controller like [URL="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16816102007"]this one[/URL] or [URL="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16816102061"]this other one[/URL].
  • rcmodelsrcmodels Ranger
    I got the motherboard last year when i got that harddrive, think its the motherboard?
  • Vorlons in my HeadVorlons in my Head The Vorlons told me to.
    Kind of strange if your motherboard is pretty recent. Make sure to get latest bios and stuff. Look into creating a slipstreamed copy of XP with SP2 just in case. Its still strange though as there shouldn't be any problem with pre SP1 versions anyway. Are you formatting it FAT32 or NTFS? Definately sounds like a hardware issue. Almost every drive manufacturer has ustilities to enable the full size support on systems that can't see the full capacity so you can try that out as well.
  • PSI-KILLERPSI-KILLER Needs help
    You might have done something funky with your paritions.. I would say windows issue or user issue :) :csmile:

    Linky to hardware weirdos that have had this conversation

    [url]http://www.bleedinedge.com/forum/archive/index.php?t-16825.html[/url]
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    that actually brings up the question....what does the windows Logical Drive Manager say about it?

    You can find it in Control Panel --> Administrative Tools --> COmputer Management, and one in there, under Disk Management on the left. I'd be curious to see if it has actually detected the extra space now and is simply not partitioned to the fullest.
  • rcmodelsrcmodels Ranger
    hmm found it. Had it listed as unpartitioned space. And the towns people rejoiced. Thanks dudes.
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    That'll be $25 or a two strips of latinium.
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    Cold pressed Latinum that is

    ;)
  • rcmodelsrcmodels Ranger
    how about a paper clip and some lint?
  • Random ChaosRandom Chaos Actually Carefully-selected Order in disguise
    I'd take a few working hyperdrives.
  • The Cabl3 GuyThe Cabl3 Guy Elite Ranger
    anybuddy got sandpaper n ky jelly?
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