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More space on Hard Drive

S

Sim2dude

Junior Member
When I partitioned my hard drive with WD Data Lifeguard, the max was 137. Right now I have a capacity of 127 (what gives). Also my hard drive should be 160 GB, how do I get the rest of the space? Also what is the reconmmended parition space when you install the operating system.
 
I'll list some specs, I use a Athlon 64 3000+, Abit AV8 motherboard, 160 gb WD SATA hard drive. I installed original release versions of Windows XP Professional, and then updated to SP2 with a cd from microsoft and still reads as 127 GB. There is no EnableBigLba to enable to 1 in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Atapi\Parameters
or my regedit. This annoys me, I want my other 33 GB or 20 something more at least...
 
I had almost an identical problem to this just the other day, using a Seagate 250 GB drive. I had to drop using their software to partition the hard drive. XP was able to do it fine. See if this would work for you too: right-click on My Computer, select Manage, select Storage, then double-click on Disk-Management. Under there, it will show the partition you have, and next to it it should show the unpartitioned space too, IIRC. Delete the partition your software made (I think you right-click on the partition, and select delete). Then just make a new partition, and select the maximum space.

Hmm. I just reread your original post, and it sounds like you're installing your OS on this same drive, yeah? I'm not sure how you'd do it then. I was just using mine for back-up storage, so I could delete the partition, but you won't be able to do that if your OS is on there.

I've heard people recommend around 10-20 GB for the OS. Maybe make a partition of that size for the OS, then go and repartition the rest so you have all the space available.

Hopefully some of this helps.

EDIT: BTW, I've heard others mention that slipstreaming SP2 with the XP CD might allow you to install with the maximum space, but I don't know if it's been tried by anyone. That might be another avenue if you want one big drive--let us know what you try.
 
Windows XP before SP1 has a 138Gb limit unless you apply the 48-bit LBA patch. You also need a controller that supports 48bit LBA:

Requirements for support of 48-bit LBA (Exceeding 137Gb HDD size limit):

Windows 2000 with Service Pack 3 or better or XP with Service Pack 1 or better

or

You must enable the support in the Windows registry:

Enable 48bit LBA support for ATAPI in W2K:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305098

Enable 48bit LBA for ATAPI in XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;303013

AND

Your mobo must support 48bit LBA (Large Block Addressing) - check the manufacturer's website for BIOS updates

OR

Install latest Motherboard Chipset Driver patch (in some cases - particularly Intel P4 mobos)

OR

Install an add-on 48bit LBA capable controller card.
Click to expand...

 
uhh, I went to the website and tried to understand it. I update to windows xp to sp 2 already, and I cant find EnableBigLba in my regedit (I even used the search thing on it), and I updated my BIOS. How do I check if my mobo supports 48-bit LBA. Is the mobo chipset driver patch the AMD processor driver? And where do I get a add-on 48bit LBA capable controller card?
 
EnableBigLba will NOT be in your registry if you have SP1 or SP2 install. That's a hack for WinXP without any SP install.

Any IDE controller you buy today will support 48-bit LBA.

You have to check the specifications for your mobo at the manufacturer's web site to see if it supports drives larger than 137Gb.
 
Again, as long as your initial installation of XP doesn't have SP1 or SP2, I don't think you'll be able to partition the full space on your hard drive as a single partition. And after you've already installed it, even if you update it, you can't go back and repartition it because you already have the OS on there. Are you 100% on wanting a single big partition? Why not try two smaller ones? Alternatively, why not try slipstreaming SP2 onto your installation CD and see if that works?

If you want, after you've got SP1 or SP2 installed, go and look under the steps I listed above just to make sure it shows the unpartitioned space on the HD. Can you see it?
 
If it's his existing OS partition he'd have to use a 3rd party app like Partition Magic to resize it.

I agree with you, though, just make a 2nd partition. I strongly believe in using several smaller paritions over one big one. Better data security (and data corruption that nukes the FAT table on a particular partition won't affect any other partitions).

 
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