Windows installer seeing drive as smaller then it should be

coolred

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
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Its not the BIOS, since it is updated to thew newsest, and it is seeing other drives as correct size. The drives that are over 100GB, it lists them as like 13xxxxMB blach blach, but then just under that it reads the actual size as 233xxx with however much free space. The drive I am trying to install on is also listed as 13xxxx(although not the same number as the other 2 drives, the other 2 are 250's, this is a 300)but then under it it still only reads like 131xxxMB.
 

coolred

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
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Actual info is like this


131070 MB disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
C: Partition1 (New Volume) [NTFS] 239367 MB (14971 MB free)

131070 MB disk 0 at Id 1 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
D: Partition1 [NTFS] 239367MB (234431 MB free)

131070(I guess this number was the same, this is the 300GB disk, the others where 250) MB disk ) at Id 0 on bus 0 atapit [MBR]
G: Partion1 [NTFS] 131062MB(130572 MB free)
Unpartitioned space 8MB



What gives?
 

coolred

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
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I could understand not having the service pack causing the drive to read wrong in windows, but during the install, it doesn't seem like it should make a differance. And the other drives read the right size. Also I am using the disk that is reading wrong as my OS drive. So even if the SP will fix the problem, it will be after the drive is already formatted to the smaller size.
 

DBSX

Senior member
Jan 24, 2006
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You can Slipstream your Windows install disc (Google it) and the drive will be recognized during the install. otherwise, you will need a tool like Partition magic or Disk Director to resize the partition.

The hardware sees the correct size, but the software (Windows) is not able to until the proper updates are installed. Keep in mind that drives of "unrecognizable" sizes (ie; over ~131GB) were not available at the launch of either OS (as far as I remember).

\Dan
 

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
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The easiest thing would be to find another PC, and format it, there. You can install into a larger space, and then get updates.
 

coolred

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
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I just tried to install 2003 last night and it did see it as proper size. I will try to slipstream it as you guys say, or maybe format it from anothe rmachien first. I am wondering though, do you think any of this could be related to this problem I am also having?
 

xtknight

Elite Member
Oct 15, 2004
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In any case I don't think it matters. It'll just install Windows XP within the first x bytes then when you install SP2 you can see your whole drive again.
 

coolred

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
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Just remembered my DVD burner is in the file server, no optical drive in my main system as of now. So building the slipstream CD would require more work, so for now I will format the driv ein another machine
 

dnuggett

Diamond Member
Sep 13, 2003
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Server 03 doesn't have the limitation that XP sans SP2 and 2K have. And I think the problem you linked to is an entirely seperate issue.