Windows XP sp2 not reading newer External HD

[DVWannaB]

Gang, need some help. My Windows XP SP2 laptop is not recognizing much less open these newer 4 and 5GB external hard drives. Is there a way around this issue?

[usually_quiet]

Gang, need some help. My Windows XP SP2 laptop is not recognizing much less open these newer 4 and 5GB external hard drives. Is there a way around this issue?

5GB? Don't you mean 5TB? HDDs with capacities exceeding 2.2 TB require GPT formatting, if they are not partitioned into MBR-formatted volumes below the 2.2 TB limit, but Windows XP doesn't support GPT formatted drives.

One suggestion I've seen is to run Linux from a CD or DVD and use it to copy files.

[DVWannaB]

OK thanks. Appreciate that.

[drjtech]

If you absolutely must stay on XP then it might be worth the $20 to get Paragon GPT Loader.

[DB83]

^^ Not gonna work for the OP.

From the link you posted:

"Note! The current version of Paragon GPT Loader cannot help you to accommodate Windows OS on a 2.2TB+ drive. Its main purpose is to provide access to 2.2TB+ drives connected internally as a secondary device under Windows XP. Only internally connected single 2.2TB+ drives are supported, not external storages, or those combined into RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks)."

[teodz1984]

Go with newer Windows

[DB83]

^^ Of course anyone can suggest that the OP upgrades his Windoze - go to Win7, for example, = problem solved.

But the OP is looking for a solution under XP if one should exist.

Now I do not know if this is possible but it is worth a mention. Boot from the CD and select a new install. Select the external drive(which may be reported as 'raw' and partition it with no partition greater than 2TB. Format one partition and then cancel the installation.

Reboot in to XP as normal and see if the disk is now seen. If it can be seem then Disk Management will allow you to format the other partition.

The method will probably fail if XP can not boot from an external drive. But hey. it is still worth trying since right now the drive is useless.

[teodz1984]

there is no solution for xp...
case closed

[Vidd]

Get a 4TB or 5TB external Western Digital drive. Western Digital's firmware make these drives work with Windows XP. But you must never format or partition the drive because it will break the XP compatibility. I don't think there is a way to restore the special formatting/partitioning needed for XP compatibility. They come with 1 full capacity pre-formatted NTFS partition. Only WD external drives work with XP, WD internal drives will not work.


I use external 4TB WD drives with XP sp2 and sp3 machines and never had any compatibility issues.