Flare Sci-Fi Forums: Installing Windows XP on a >120GB Hard drive

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Posted by Saltah'na (Member # 33) on :

I am trying to do a fresh install of Windows XP Pro on a 160 GB hard drive, but I am running into a major snag: the installation only detects 128 GB of the 160, not the full. So far I have tried a low level format of the drive, and installing over a smaller portion of the hard drive, but when the installation finishes, Disk Management detects the drive as 128 GB.

Someone suggested that installing a copy of Windows XP with SP1 may fix this problem, If this is the case, that means I need to buy another copy of Windows XP as the key I have only is for Windows XP without SP1 and I am aware that the keys cannot be used in Windows XP with SP1.

Ideas?

Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :

You could, of course, erh, bypass the key issue, but it isn't actually necessary to patch to SP1. What you need to do is enable 48-bit logical block addressing with a registry hack. Open Notepad and copy this text:

code:

[version]
signature="$CHICAGO$"
SetupClass=BASE

[DefaultInstall]
AddReg=48bitlba.Add.Reg

[48bitlba.Add.Reg]
HKLM,"System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Atapi\Parameters","EnableBigLba",0x10001,1

Save as an .inf file, right-click on it, select Install, then reboot.

(You might also have to download this hotfix to update atapi.sys, BTW.)

Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :

I don't think it's that the service keys don't work on SP1, rather that the key only works for that specific version of Windows. You can still install SP1 afterwards. And probably should, since it's full of those little thingies that plug the big gaping holes in Windows.

If you're bored, and after you've done Cartman's thing, you could create a bootable WinXP SP1 CD. It'll save you some bother if you ever have to reinstall Windows.

Personally, I'd do it when you have nothing else to do. Say, a few hours before an important essay is due. Or an end-of-term test. Those are the best times for these sorts of things.

Posted by Saltah'na (Member # 33) on :

Is there any other way of doing this without having to use an installation CD with SP1?

Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :

In older days various bioses couldn't detect hard disks above a certain size. I seem to recall having a similar problem once. Could this possibly be the cause of it? Check for bios updates from your manufacturer.

Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :

I don't think so, considering he's just bought himself some bright and shiny new silicon, but then motherboards can be strange creatures to tame, I guess.

Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :

Can't you just partition it, put Windows on the first part, do Cartman's hack/install SP1, and then format the other partition?

Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :

Not to mention that you'll get better cluster sizes with multiple partitions, rather than one monster one.

Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :

Is that as big a deal with WinXP (and NTFS) as it was with FAT32?

Although it's pretty much the standard now anyway when you but a new computer for it to partition the hard drive into Windows and "everything else" logical drives, isn't it?

Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :

Hmmm, good point about the cluster sizes. I think NTFS uses pretty small clusters up to some insane size anyways.
In that case, just let this be an opportunity to organise your stuff [Smile]