XP: Wrong Drive Size

[Crittias]

I just finished putting together a new rig. I installed Windows XP, and it recognized my new Seagate Barracuda 500 GB drive as only a 128 GB drive. The BIOS displays it correctly, and Hitachi's Hard Drive Fitness Test also sees it as a 500 GB drive.

Suggestions?

 

[robisbell]

which version of XP? 32bit or 64bit?
make and model of HDD and Mobtherboard.

 

[TeeJay1952]

Install Service Pack 2 and then right click My Computer/Manage/Storage/Disk Management. you will be able to create and format new partitions.

 

[Crittias]

Originally posted by: TeeJay1952
Install Service Pack 2 and then right click My Computer/Manage/Storage/Disk Management. you will be able to create and format new partitions.

Bingo, that's correct. So non-SP2 XP won't recognize a bigger drive, huh? Any way I can combine partitions after the fact? Not that I need one monstrous partition, just curious.

Thanks!

mobo: Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L
OS: Windows XP 32bit
hard drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

 

[robisbell]

slipstream a cd with SP2 and you can avoid the hassle.
also, thanks for not answering my questions.

 

[Crittias]

Originally posted by: robisbell
slipstream a cd with SP2 and you can avoid the hassle.
also, thanks for not answering my questions.

Okay, I'll consider a slipstream solution. Vista is on order, so XP might just be a short term solution.

And I did answer your question! I gave you OS, hard drive, and mobo info.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Crittias
Any way I can combine partitions after the fact? Not that I need one monstrous partition, just curious.

Third-party partitioning software can do this. Nowadays, you should NEVER use a pre-SP1 copy of XP for a new Install. You'll get into trouble with today's large hard drives. Slipstream any older XP Install CDs to SP2.

If you have Dell OEM disks (or, maybe others) be sure to read up on the proper way to slipstream them, or you may get a bad surprise when you try using the slipstreamed Dell version.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
If you have Dell OEM disks (or, maybe others) be sure to read up on the proper way to slipstream them, or you may get a bad surprise when you try using the slipstreamed Dell version.

I've not heard of a difference - what will happen? KB article?

(assumes standard XP CD from Dell, not a "restore CD")

 

[cubby1223]

It's good to slipstream your xp cd even if you're fine with the first partition less than 127gb, so if you ever want to use the recovery console, or run a repair install you can.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: dclive
I've not heard of a difference - what will happen? KB article?
(assumes standard XP CD from Dell, not a "restore CD")

I don't know if there's a KB on this. Probably not.

It will depend on exactly what version of Dell XP disk you have. There are, I'm sure, several versions of Dell XP disks, depending on the time frame. But if you have an older Dell XP SP1 disk, Dell left the SP1 service pack install stuff on the XP disk. Directory names for both SP1 and SP2 are the same. So when you put the SP2 stuff on top of that, you end up with a mixture of both SP1 and SP2 files. Basically, you end up with a worthless disk.

There are manual fixes (removing a whole bunch of files), but I couldn't get the fixes to work. I've heard that NLite may can handle this circumstance, I did my Dell SP1 to Dell SP2 slipstreaming manually a couple of years ago.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: dclive
I've not heard of a difference - what will happen? KB article?
(assumes standard XP CD from Dell, not a "restore CD")

I don't know if there's a KB on this. Probably not.

It will depend on exactly what version of Dell XP disk you have. There are, I'm sure, several versions of Dell XP disks, depending on the time frame. But if you have an older Dell XP SP1 disk, Dell left the SP1 service pack install stuff on the XP disk. Directory names for both SP1 and SP2 are the same. So when you put the SP2 stuff on top of that, you end up with a mixture of both SP1 and SP2 files. Basically, you end up with a worthless disk.

There are manual fixes (removing a whole bunch of files), but I couldn't get the fixes to work. I've heard that NLite may can handle this circumstance, I did my Dell SP1 to Dell SP2 slipstreaming manually a couple of years ago.

I don't understand. If Dell slipstreamed SP1 into the XP install, all files are in \i386, not \SP1 or \SP2, so what is the issue? Even if Dell had a directory called \SP1 that contained the servicepack, it wouldn't matter - the moment you tried to integrate SP2 into XP, all the files (Sp2 files) would go into \i386.