Windows 8.1 Pro can not create a partition more than 2 TB

Discussion in 'Windows 8' started by sanjose, Jan 11, 2015.

  1. sanjose

    sanjose MDL Member

    Jan 23, 2012
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    Hi all,

    I've just bought one 3TB Internal Hard drive to replace a old one. I use this hard drive to install Operation System ( Windows 8.1 Pro ). When I create partition ... It can only detect the maximum of 2TB ....I can not see the rest of it. My question is How can I create partition for the rest of 3TB Hard drive please ?

    Thanks for your concern and help.
     
  2. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
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    You need a UEFI system & need to format the HDD as GPT.
     
  3. PaulDesmond

    PaulDesmond MDL Magnet

    Aug 6, 2009
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    check your bios about handling certain volume sizes of hard discs
     
  4. Super Spartan

    Super Spartan MDL Expert

    May 30, 2014
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    you need to convert the partition style from MBR to GPT otherwise the MBR limit is 2TB per partition

    From an elevated command prompt

    Type diskpart then hit Enter
    Type select disk X then hit Enter (where X is the number of the DISK DRIVE you are trying to convert, be careful not to make a mistake here)
    type clean then hit Enter
    type convert gpt then hit Enter

    Now you can create the full 3TB partition
     
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  5. Super Spartan

    Super Spartan MDL Expert

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    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  6. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
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  7. sanjose

    sanjose MDL Member

    Jan 23, 2012
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    @Tito

    Thanks for your concern. Can you tell how to check ...

    1. If my system has UEFI or not
    2. the way to format the HDD as GPT

    Thanks Bro.

     
  8. sanjose

    sanjose MDL Member

    Jan 23, 2012
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    Thanks for your concern. Have a nice day.

     
  9. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
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    @sanjose

    What is the exact model of the mobo/laptop??
     
  10. sanjose

    sanjose MDL Member

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    #10 sanjose, Jan 11, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    (OP)
  11. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
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    @sanjose

    Sorry, UEFI isn't supported by this old mobo. It would be better if you use a smaller HDD for booting & use the 3 TB one for data storage by formatting it in GPT style.
     
  12. Super Spartan

    Super Spartan MDL Expert

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    1) check your BIOS, go in to BOOT menu, then see if boot mode is set to UEFI or Lefacy or UEFI with "Load Legacy ROM"

    2) to check if a disk is GPT or MBR

    From an elevated command prompt

    Type diskpart then hit Enter
    Now Type list disk then hit Enter
    all the disks connected to your computer will be displayed, the ones that have an * next to them are GPT disks, the ones which don't have an * are MBR disks.
     
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  13. sanjose

    sanjose MDL Member

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    Thanks for your info and help. Have a nice day.

     
  14. sanjose

    sanjose MDL Member

    Jan 23, 2012
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    Thanks for your info and help. I'll check BIOS. Have a good day.


     
  15. EFA11

    EFA11 Avatar Guru

    Oct 7, 2010
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    no UEFI support on this mobo. You must have missed Tito's post after he checked the mobo :D
     
  16. SpeedDream

    SpeedDream MDL Addicted

    Feb 20, 2012
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    #16 SpeedDream, Jan 11, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
  17. sanjose

    sanjose MDL Member

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    Thanks a lot.

     
  18. sanjose

    sanjose MDL Member

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    @Tito & J-Lawrence

    One more question, If I want to use this 3TB as storage, not Operation System, How can I format or convert it to GPT with windows 8.1 Pro x64, please ?



     
  19. Mr.X

    Mr.X MDL Guru

    Jul 14, 2013
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    Right click Start button > Disk Management > Click on your 3TB HDD the whole way to the left > Right click on it > Convert to GPT Disk.
    Then you need to make partitions but not sure of this as I've always used third party tools for partitioning.
     
  20. sanjose

    sanjose MDL Member

    Jan 23, 2012
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    Thanks for your info