Windows not seeing full size of HDD

[Guest]

I have just tried to install XP pro on a 160GB UDMA133 HDD, in the bios it
shows up as being a 160GB HDD, when you look at the details of the HDD it
shows as 163.9GB, but when setting up for partitioning, it is only seen as
131GB, and once installed only shows as a 127GB HDD. Any suggestions please.
I have updated the bios on my MSI motherboard to latest version that is to
overcome HDD of greater than 136.9GB.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have just tried to install XP pro on a 160GB UDMA133 HDD, in the
bios it shows up as being a 160GB HDD, when you look at the details
of the HDD it shows as 163.9GB, but when setting up for partitioning,
it is only seen as 131GB, and once installed only shows as a 127GB
HDD. Any suggestions please. I have updated the bios on my MSI
motherboard to latest version that is to overcome HDD of greater than
136.9GB.

First - know that you will not get 160GB. Likely closer to 149GB formatted.

Second - if you do not have SP1 (at least) slipstreamed into your Windows XP
installation media, do this. You need it to support the larger drive sizes.

I would suggest just slipstreaming SP2 into the installation media.

Just for future reference:

Advertised --- Actual Capacity
10GB --- 9.31 GB
20GB --- 18.63 GB
30GB --- 27.94 GB
40GB --- 37.25 GB
60GB --- 55.88 GB
80GB --- 74.51 GB
100GB --- 93.13 GB
120GB --- 111.76 GB
160GB --- 149.01 GB
180GB --- 167.64 GB
200GB --- 186.26 GB
250GB --- 232.83 GB

The actual formatted and usable storage area is often less than what is
advertised on the boxes of today's hard disks. It's not that the
manufactures are outright lying, instead they are taking advantage of the
fact that there's no standard set for how to describe a drives storage
capacity.

This results from a definitional difference among the terms kilobyte (K),
megabyte (MB), and gigabyte (GB). In short, here we use the base-two
definition favored by most of the computer industry and used within Windows
itself, whereas hard drive vendors favor the base-10 definitions. With the
base-two definition, a kilobyte equals 1,024 (210) bytes; a megabyte totals
1,048,576 (220) bytes, or 1,024 kilobytes; and a gigabyte equals
1,073,741,824 (230) bytes, or 1,024 megabytes. With the base-10 definition
used by storage companies, a kilobyte equals 1,000 bytes, a megabyte equals
1,000,000 bytes, and a gigabyte equals 1,000,000,000 bytes.

Put another way, to a hard drive manufacturer, a drive that holds 6,400,000
bytes of data holds 6.4GB; to software that uses the base-two definition,
the same drive holds 6GB of data, or 6,104MB.

So, be prepared when you format that new 160GB drive and find only 149GB of
usable storage space. Isn't marketing wonderful?

 

[Guest]

Brilliant, thank you for that. I was taking that 163.9GB figure from the bios
info. I am sure you are right about the fact that the drive will be less than
advertised, because the 120GB installed is 114GB and the 80GB is 74GB. The
whole reason I was trying to install the 160 was because the 60, 80 and 120 I
have on my machine are virtually full with video files.

 

[Guest]

Is the HDD in question on a controller card?

Is there a limitation on the card? Read the book that came with the card.

I have a Promise Ultra100 tx2 that has such a limit.

--
Just my 2¢ worth,
Jeff
__________In response to__________
| Brilliant, thank you for that. I was taking that 163.9GB figure from the bios
| info. I am sure you are right about the fact that the drive will be less than
| advertised, because the 120GB installed is 114GB and the 80GB is 74GB. The
| whole reason I was trying to install the 160 was because the 60, 80 and 120 I
| have on my machine are virtually full with video files.
|
| "Shenan Stanley" wrote:
|
| > Stircrazy wrote:
| > > I have just tried to install XP pro on a 160GB UDMA133 HDD, in the
| > > bios it shows up as being a 160GB HDD, when you look at the details
| > > of the HDD it shows as 163.9GB, but when setting up for partitioning,
| > > it is only seen as 131GB, and once installed only shows as a 127GB
| > > HDD. Any suggestions please. I have updated the bios on my MSI
| > > motherboard to latest version that is to overcome HDD of greater than
| > > 136.9GB.
| >
| > First - know that you will not get 160GB. Likely closer to 149GB formatted.
| >
| > Second - if you do not have SP1 (at least) slipstreamed into your Windows XP
| > installation media, do this. You need it to support the larger drive sizes.
| >
| > I would suggest just slipstreaming SP2 into the installation media.
| >
| > Just for future reference:
| >
| > Advertised --- Actual Capacity
| > 10GB --- 9.31 GB
| > 20GB --- 18.63 GB
| > 30GB --- 27.94 GB
| > 40GB --- 37.25 GB
| > 60GB --- 55.88 GB
| > 80GB --- 74.51 GB
| > 100GB --- 93.13 GB
| > 120GB --- 111.76 GB
| > 160GB --- 149.01 GB
| > 180GB --- 167.64 GB
| > 200GB --- 186.26 GB
| > 250GB --- 232.83 GB
| >
| > The actual formatted and usable storage area is often less than what is
| > advertised on the boxes of today's hard disks. It's not that the
| > manufactures are outright lying, instead they are taking advantage of the
| > fact that there's no standard set for how to describe a drives storage
| > capacity.
| >
| > This results from a definitional difference among the terms kilobyte (K),
| > megabyte (MB), and gigabyte (GB). In short, here we use the base-two
| > definition favored by most of the computer industry and used within Windows
| > itself, whereas hard drive vendors favor the base-10 definitions. With the
| > base-two definition, a kilobyte equals 1,024 (210) bytes; a megabyte totals
| > 1,048,576 (220) bytes, or 1,024 kilobytes; and a gigabyte equals
| > 1,073,741,824 (230) bytes, or 1,024 megabytes. With the base-10 definition
| > used by storage companies, a kilobyte equals 1,000 bytes, a megabyte equals
| > 1,000,000 bytes, and a gigabyte equals 1,000,000,000 bytes.
| >
| > Put another way, to a hard drive manufacturer, a drive that holds 6,400,000
| > bytes of data holds 6.4GB; to software that uses the base-two definition,
| > the same drive holds 6GB of data, or 6,104MB.
| >
| > So, be prepared when you format that new 160GB drive and find only 149GB of
| > usable storage space. Isn't marketing wonderful?
| >
| >
| > --
| > <- Shenan ->
| > --
| > The information is provided "as is", it is suggested you research for
| > yourself before you take any advice - you are the one ultimately
| > responsible for your actions/problems/solutions. Know what you are
| > getting into before you jump in with both feet.
| >
| >
| >

 

[SlowJet]

The BIOS will not change the controllers capability.
Your'll need a UDMA 133 add on controlloer with its BIOS and a driver that
supports > 137 GB

Your bus speed and chip set must be able to handle any advanced features of
the controllor that increase burst speed faster than the bus.

ATA100 = 200
ATA133 = 266

SJ

It's basically a marketing sham unless you have a newer MOBO.

SJ

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have just tried to install XP pro on a 160GB UDMA133 HDD, in the bios it
shows up as being a 160GB HDD, when you look at the details of the HDD it
shows as 163.9GB, but when setting up for partitioning, it is only seen as
131GB, and once installed only shows as a 127GB HDD.

Two points: the 160 is decimal billion, partitions are measured in a
binary near equivalent, where 1 bGB = 1024x1024x1024 or about 1.073
billion, so only expect around 150 binary

Second once you get to a disk of 128 binary - about 137 decimal, it is
necessary to use a bigger capacity number to be able to address each
sector of the disk. You need '48 bit LBA'. To use that you need a
suitable disk (which you have), suitable motherboard controller and
BIOS, and XP at at least SP1 level. You may need a BIOS upgrade, or may
even need a separate controller card that handles 48 bit. Once that
side is OK, and provided you have SP1 or later, then you should be able
to go to Control Panel - Admin Tools - Computer Management, select Disk
Management and look lower right for the graphic of the drive. R-click
in the partition you have and delete it; then r-click in the resulting
Unallocated space (whole of the drive) and Create