Need Help Partitioning SATA Drive

[contrapositive]

I have an EPOX 9NPA+ board and a Maxtor SATA drive (250GB). I'm trying to
install Windows XP on this drive. I wasn't prompted to load SATA drivers
from a floppy (although I was prepared to), so I just let the installation
continue. Now XP is ready to format my hard drive. It shows me a list of
partitions to which I can install. But only one item shows up called
"unpartitioned space," which is half the capacity of my drive (~131000 MB).
It says I can partition it or install XP to the selected item in the list
(the "unpartitioned space"), which I'm sure won't work.

I'm not sure what to do here. Should I partition the drive from a start up
disk before doing this step, or is there something I can do here? Where's
the other half of my drive? Also, is there any problem or danger in
formatting the entire drive to one partition, or should I create multiple
partitions? Or does it not even matter? (Just so I remember, multiple
partitions show up as different drive letter mappings, right? It's been a
while. Sorry.)

Thanks in advance.

 

[John Weiss]

I have an EPOX 9NPA+ board and a Maxtor SATA drive (250GB). I'm trying to
install Windows XP on this drive. I wasn't prompted to load SATA drivers from a
floppy (although I was prepared to), so I just let the installation continue.
Now XP is ready to format my hard drive. It shows me a list of partitions to
which I can install. But only one item shows up called "unpartitioned space,"
which is half the capacity of my drive (~131000 MB). It says I can partition it
or install XP to the selected item in the list (the "unpartitioned space"),
which I'm sure won't work.

I'm not sure what to do here. Should I partition the drive from a start up
disk before doing this step, or is there something I can do here? Where's the
other half of my drive? Also, is there any problem or danger in formatting the
entire drive to one partition, or should I create multiple partitions? Or does
it not even matter? (Just so I remember, multiple partitions show up as
different drive letter mappings, right? It's been a while. Sorry.)

It appears you are bucking against the 135 GB limit. If your XP install CD does
not have SP2 on it, it may not recognize the larger HD. Another possibility is
that 48-bit LBA is not activated in your Motherboard BIOS, but this is less
likely in a new BIOS. Check it anyhow.

If you can borrow an install CD that has SP2 or newer on it, try that. Just use
the CD key from your own CD for registration and activation if it succeeds.

Otherwise, I recommend you partition and format the HD on a machine that
recognizes the full capacity of the HD.

Personally, I like to partition my HD into a relatively small boot partition, a
larger data (or data + app) partition, and a backup/archive partition.
Depending on whether you install your apps on the boot partition or another
partition, the boot partition can be as small as 15 GB (for OS and unmovable
stuff). If you install your apps in the default "C:\Program Files" folder, you
will want it larger (maybe 40 GB?).

 

[Jan Alter]

It appears you are bucking against the 135 GB limit. If your XP install
CD does not have SP2 on it, it may not recognize the larger HD. Another
possibility is that 48-bit LBA is not activated in your Motherboard BIOS,
but this is less likely in a new BIOS. Check it anyhow.

If you can borrow an install CD that has SP2 or newer on it, try that.
Just use the CD key from your own CD for registration and activation if it
succeeds.

Otherwise, I recommend you partition and format the HD on a machine that
recognizes the full capacity of the HD.

Personally, I like to partition my HD into a relatively small boot
partition, a larger data (or data + app) partition, and a backup/archive
partition. Depending on whether you install your apps on the boot
partition or another partition, the boot partition can be as small as 15
GB (for OS and unmovable stuff). If you install your apps in the default
"C:\Program Files" folder, you will want it larger (maybe 40 GB?).

I'm in agreement with John with the thought that your version of XP is
pre-SP2 and that is why the OS is only seeing 125 gb because of the lack of
48 bit LBA. If that is not the case then your mb is probably older than two
or three years and again you are running into the disk size limit.
If it turns out that it is because of not having an XP CD with SP2 on it
then it is possible to make a new installation 'slipstreamed version' with
the SP2 files added to your original XP installation disk. Below is a
program that can help you do just that, though I haven't tried it out
myself. I have made a slipstreamed version of XP and it does work. I'd
suggest that you do a google search or someone else may be able to give you
a recommended site that can help you create it. The site that I used is
unfortunately apparently not working. Here are two sites I had on hand. I
cannot tell you of how high good they are at doing the slipstream job,
however, as I mentioned, doing a Google search may get you an easier, more
detailed site.

http://www.petri.co.il/windows_2000_xp_sp_slipstreaming.htm

http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=223562


Jan Alter
bearpuf at verizon.net

 

[contrapositive]

This is all good info. It made me realize instantly that I had the wrong CD.
I have two copies of XP -- one pre-SP2 and the other SP2. They were in the
wrong cases. I got it working. Now I'm struggling with how to partition.
Thanks!

 

[Ben Dover]

I'm in agreement with John with the thought that your version of
XP is
pre-SP2 and that is why the OS is only seeing 125 gb because of the
lack of 48 bit LBA. If that is not the case then your mb is probably
older than two or three years and again you are running into the disk
size limit.
If it turns out that it is because of not having an XP CD with SP2
on it
then it is possible to make a new installation 'slipstreamed version'
with the SP2 files added to your original XP installation disk. Below
is a program that can help you do just that, though I haven't tried it
out myself. I have made a slipstreamed version of XP and it does work.
I'd suggest that you do a google search or someone else may be able to
give you a recommended site that can help you create it. The site that
I used is unfortunately apparently not working. Here are two sites I
had on hand. I cannot tell you of how high good they are at doing the
slipstream job, however, as I mentioned, doing a Google search may get
you an easier, more detailed site.

http://www.petri.co.il/windows_2000_xp_sp_slipstreaming.htm

http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=223562


Jan Alter
bearpuf at verizon.net

You really should do some research about a topic before making
recommendations!

Slipstreaming a CD does not ADD SP2 to his original disk - you cannot add
to a closed system disk. What a slipstream app like nLite or Autostreamer
(the one I use) is to take the data from an original XP disk, add the SP2
update via virtual disk, and then burn a NEW disk containing the combined
data. You can also have all current hotfixes added to the new disk at the
same time.

John, direct your browser to http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?
showtopic=223562 and download the app. You will need to download SP2 from
the MS site also. Folow the very simple directions when starting
autostreamer and you'll have a slipstreamed install CD in maybe 5 minutes.

 

[Jan Alter]

You really should do some research about a topic before making
recommendations!

Slipstreaming a CD does not ADD SP2 to his original disk - you cannot add
to a closed system disk. What a slipstream app like nLite or Autostreamer
(the one I use) is to take the data from an original XP disk, add the SP2
update via virtual disk, and then burn a NEW disk containing the combined
data. You can also have all current hotfixes added to the new disk at the
same time.

John, direct your browser to http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?
showtopic=223562 and download the app. You will need to download SP2 from
the MS site also. Folow the very simple directions when starting
autostreamer and you'll have a slipstreamed install CD in maybe 5 minutes.

I think you enjoy arguing just for the hell of it and simply like creating
inferences that were never stated. Try rereading my suggestions and perhaps
you'll glean what the words really mean, which was to create a new
installation disk with SP2 on it. Rather than use this newsgroup to throw
your sarcastic negatives wherever you feel insult is needed try using it for
the informational purposes it was primarily intended.

 

[johns]

It is simple. Just make a single partition for the OS.
I usually just make it 60 gig, which is plenty big for
most people. Make it 100 gig since your drive is
250 gig. After you install the OS, and then install
SP2, if you don't want to use your SP2 OS install
disk, you can then partition the rest of the drive
under the OS which can now see it.

johns