500gb shows up as 128gb

[T2urtle]

So i got a new 7200.10 hard-drive from maxtor. And i wanted to use it as my master and get rid of my older drive. This is on a dell E510. When i go to format the drive and install XP it only shows 128GB roughly. I looked thru the BIOS and it shows that it does detect 500GB.

So i read online about installing SP1/SP2 because something related to 48bit prevents the system from detecting drives bigger then 138gb. Then i read that if i go to

control panel~> admin tools ~>storage ~> disk management

I should be able to find the rest of the hard-drive and format it. And it worked. But i would like to have NO PARTITIONS and have the 500gb's show up straight as a whole rather then 2 paritions. Is there a way for me to do this?

My XP disk and key is pre- SP1. If i obtain a XP SP2 disk can my XP key work that way and hopefully i can have all 500gb as 1 BIG parition.

 

[bob4432]

what you want to do is not even mention torrents if you want to keep this thread open. download and install nlite os and you can slipstream your cd key and sp2 into a regular xp disc. works like a charm

 

[T2urtle]

words delete. Sorry did not know. Reading up on Nlite as we speak.

 

[MarcVenice]

http://windowshelp.microsoft.c...ows/en-US/default.mspx

all I can do for you Afaik you can't have 1 500gb HD without partitioning it, but who knows, I might be wrong. Btw, if it's empty there's no need to pirate partitioning tools, windows should be able to do it for you, the only difference between free and paid for partitioning tools is the fact that paid for tools can keep the data on your HD intact, and still partition your HD, where as the free tools can't keep your data intact.

 

[T2urtle]

results =P


thanks bob4432


for showing me nlite.


But now that i come to think about it, it makes more sense to do 3 partitions or so...like

60gbs for windows/boot
100 for programs/installed
300 for music, movies. and etc.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: T2urtle
results =P


thanks bob4432


for showing me nlite.


But now that i come to think about it, it makes more sense to do 3 partitions or so...like

60gbs for windows/boot
100 for programs/installed
300 for music, movies. and etc.

to each their own, i persnally run 3 seperate hdds - 1 small 15k scsi, 1 large 15k scsi and 1 med 7.2k pata but no partitions, just whole drives

 

[montag451]

Unless you are partitioning for a specific reason, I wouldn't worry too much.

I personally find it easier with 2 hdd - each with 2 partitions, 2 hdd - each with one partition.
2 drives for backup (one backup of the backup) yes, just a little anal.

 

[T2urtle]

i find the system a little slower now with 1 big 500gb then when i had the 128gb and 337 partition. but that might just be myself making up things.

personally i didn't like the idea of 2+ partitions because in the past i've done that and most of the time i completely forgot about the 2nd parition. That was the reason why i wanted the 500gb now. But after i gotten it and talked to a couple of people who partitioned it. It seems to be more safer to run a 60gb XP only partition and a personal data partition that way i can reformat/ upgrade to vista without loosing personal documents and files.

i just don't know if i install programs on my 2nd partition and then reformat everything on the 1st partition how the system would act. i know all my programs would still be there but would it work without flaw.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: T2urtle
i just don't know if i install programs on my 2nd partition and then reformat everything on the 1st partition how the system would act. i know all my programs would still be there but would it work without flaw.

in short, no. the registry would have no idea those programs are there. when you install a program on another drive, some files do go to different parts of the c drive and into the registry. some program may work but i definately wouldn't count on it.