the 8.4GB limitation

[sdsumike619]

I have an old 17.2 GB maxtor hard drive that I'm putting into just a regular office computer. When I went to install XP on it, the drive came up as only 8.4GB instead of the 17.2 that it is. I then read this on maxtor's site:

8.4 GB limitation.
The maximum parameters at the 8.4 GB barrier are 16,383 cylinders, 16 heads and 63 sectors for a capacity of 8.455 GB. To go beyond this boundary, a new extended INT 13 function is needed from the BIOS as a support feature for the drives. The BIOS listed below are all "CORE" BIOS that will support drives larger than 8.4 GB. Even though a BIOS is dated correctly or is the current version, it may not be able to support extended interrupt 13 because of modification done to the "CORE" of the BIOS from the motherboard manufacturer.

But that doesn't make any sense to me because in that old system, I had a 160GB and 400GB drive and they were fine...

Any suggestions?

[Abbadon]

As I see it, you need to try to upgrade the BIOs. Be careful, you can only make a mistake once.

[sdsumike619]

Why would i need to upgrade the BIOS if it recognized the 160 and 400 giggers without any issue?

[SLK001]

Are there unformatted or unpartitioned areas on the drive?

[sdsumike619]

the drive in question is empty, I deleted the partition in windows setup, and when it told me to create a new partition, the max was 8456mb

[jsmithepa]

Go into your current bios, change the drive's option ONLY for the Maxtor (LBA, big block, whatever), turn off auto-detect, and see what happends.

[Wile_E]

Format using NTFS

[sdsumike619]

jsmithepa, what option are you talking about when you say "the drive's option" ?

[SLK001]

Format using NTFS

This won't do anything to increase the reported size of the drive. If the BIOS isn't reporting the size correctly, Windows won't see it either.

[sdsumike619]

yeah I didn't think formatting as NTFS would change the capacity either... Maxtor told me to install their maxblast boot utility and call them back so that's what I'm going to do..

[Abbadon]

No offense intended, but you sound clueless.

[SLK001]

No offense intended, but you sound clueless.

Why shouldn't he? Just look at his avatar! (Just kidding!)

One thing that I would try is delete ALL of the partitions and then start over.

[SLK001]

Download a free program called SIW.EXE (System Information for Windows) and see what it reports.

Google for d/l location.

[sdsumike619]

umm no, I'm not clueless, I've never had this issue come up before so I came here for help. If you're going to be a ************, then keep your comments to yourself. There's enough adversity in this world without you.

You are in breach of the forum rules and are being issued with a formal warning. That type of lanquage when referring to another member is unacceptable and a violation of our rules.
/ Moderator redwudz

[Abbadon]

I see people trying their best to help you.

Good luck, kid.

[lordsmurf]

Manually set the drive size in the BIOS. Do not let it auto-detect.

[sdsumike619]

The drive is indeed 8.4GB - It was labeled incorrectly on the website.. Thanks for the help though

[greymalkin]

ahhhh poop!

I just knew i had the answer for you...oh well sorry to hear about that man.
Sometimes a hard drive has different jumper setting that will cap it at a certain size. So even though your drive is bigger the pc will only see it as 2gb or 8.4gb regardless.


Sorry for the jerkface. It's really an insult to anyones intelligence to say "no offense," then say the most offensive thing you can think of. Anyways..a quick look at his avatar will tell you alot though and set your mind at ease.

[redwudz]

SLK001 (And others), please keep on topic and not make comments about other members. Fair warning.

[Scorpion King]

You know, in the days before 'auto detect' we had to select the cylinders, heads, sectors, etc in the BIOS . We could select by a user type number (?) too I think. It's been so long ago I can't hardly remember all that stuff. I remember trying old drives in strange BIOS setup utilities trying to get them to work and setting there scratching my head and wondering why it wouldn't. If I only knew they were going to invent auto detect someday..... I might of waited until then.

Nowdays you just hook them up and go. I know, it's sad but true. :P

[terjeber]

I see people trying their best to help you.

Not to butt in or anything, yes, people was trying to help. Your rather immature comments were not in that camp though.

[Abbadon]

Immature comments?, did you read his comments?

[Supreme2k]

I suggest for the future, like others have, that you read the parameters off of the drive and input them manually into the BIOS. That will tell you specifically the size of your drive.

You basically came asking for help with something which you did not possess.