Max Number of Hard Disk

[Peter]

Hi,

I am new to XP and just learn that there are at most 4 partitions (primary
and extended) for the HD. I would like to know does it mean that does it
mean at most there are 4 partitions in a physical HD or the whole system ?

If it applies to the whole system, does it mean that at most we can have 4
physical HD ?

Peter

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hi,

I am new to XP and just learn that there are at most 4 partitions (primary
and extended) for the HD. I would like to know does it mean that does it
mean at most there are 4 partitions in a physical HD or the whole system ?

If it applies to the whole system, does it mean that at most we can have 4
physical HD ?

Peter

You can have as many hard disks as your controller will support.
Each of them can have up to 4 partitions. Each extended partition
can have as many drives as there are free letters in the alphabet.

 

[Peter]

Dear Pegasus,

Many thanks for your advice.

Peter

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I am new to XP and just learn that there are at most 4 partitions (primary
and extended) for the HD.

Yes, however it's worth noting that most of us often use the word
"partition" very loosely. You can have multiple *logical drives*
within a single extended partition. Each of those logical drives can
get its own drive letter, so you can have more than 4 "drives" (which
we loosely call "partitions") on a single extended partition.

Also note that this is not an XP restriction. It works the same way in
other versions of DOS and Windows.

I would like to know does it mean that does it
mean at most there are 4 partitions in a physical HD

Yes. The statement you wrote above is correct, as I said.

or the whole system ?

No.


If it applies to the whole system, does it mean that at most we can have 4
physical HD ?

No. You can have as many physical drives as your hardware supports.
The constraints are support on the motherboard/addin cards, adequate
power, and adequate cooling.

 

[Lil' Dave]

Hi,

I am new to XP and just learn that there are at most 4 partitions (primary
and extended) for the HD. I would like to know does it mean that does it
mean at most there are 4 partitions in a physical HD or the whole system ?

If it applies to the whole system, does it mean that at most we can have 4
physical HD ?

Peter

The crux is that an extended partition is simply a "container" for logical
drives. There is no relation between an extended partition and what XP
calls "drives".

Under msdos, prior versions of windows, and XP, only 4 partitions per
physical hard drive. Those 4 partitions can be all primary, all extended
(stupid), any combination. The same rules also apply to external hard
drives.

Have had 6 hard drives internally at one time. No more would physically fit
in the internal area at the bottom of the PC. All the other 6 5.25" bays
were full.
Dave