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Ntfs partition size limit for windows xp

Last answer on Nov 20, 2009 1:06:13 am GMT slinger430, on Apr 25, 2008 12:08:25 am BST 
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Can somebody please help me...

what is the maximum partition that can be used on an NTFS logical drive on windows xp pro.

Every time i try to format a 500GB ide drive with disk manager, after reaching 100% it says "disk did not format sucessfully" .

I've tried it several times with 2 diffent drives because i thought maybe the first drive was faulty.

By the way, the BIOS seems to detect the drive correctly so I don't think it needs updating.

(This is on a DELL Dimensions 4500 PC, P4 2.8ghz + 1GB RAM)

IS THERE A PARTITION SIZE LIMIT WITH NTFS... if there is have I gone beyond it????????.........

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2

eric_deep, on Apr 26, 2008 5:50:27 pm BST
  • +28

Oki mate its simple just take the exact amount of bytes given and divide by 2 to make sure there's 8MB left...then you know its right...install your windows...then when its done go to my computer, right click, properties, device manager and format the other partition there in

   
Reply to eric_deep

3

stella, on Aug 28, 2008 8:41:02 am BST
  • +1

According to my knowledge, there is no limitation of the ntfs partition size.Maybe the partition size it too small on your disk.You can try to resize it. EASEUS Partition Manager may provide such kind of help. You can have a try.

   
Reply to stella

5

Zoz, on Jan 15, 2009 1:49:08 pm GMT
  • +3

There actually is a limitation on ntfs partitions... At 2 TBs.

"According to microsoft, for NTFS "The maximum partition size is 2TB (terabyte, a trillion bytes). NTFS actually has an upper limit of 16 exabytes (quintillion bytes, or 16 million TB), but since current industry standard limits the Partition Tables to 2 to the 32nd power sectors (with 512B sectors, that's 2 TB), the actual current upper limit is 2 TB.""

   
Reply to Zoz

7

VTech, on Jan 28, 2009 7:25:40 pm GMT
  • +3

I know its 2 TB but is it at all for every hd, or thats only per partitions?

if i have C: Primary 320g D: EXT 500G E: EXT 1TB and wanns add another Exntended partition of 1.5 TB
Will that works? the 1.5 TB is full of stuff and im scare to get any conflicts by trying this

   
Reply to VTech

14

EirNym, on Jun 30, 2009 8:32:32 pm BST

NTFS limitation is 16 EiB (1 EiB=2^60 bytes)

   
Reply to EirNym

4

EA500, on Sep 12, 2008 8:36:31 am BST
  • +1

Hi,
I quite agree with Stella, You can try EASEUS Partition Manager, and it is free for home users. you can learn more here: http://www.partition-tool.com

   
Reply to EA500

6

fly-to-sky, on Jan 20, 2009 2:05:08 am GMT

Absolutely, the Easeus Partition Manager will do it, just try, you will benefit from it.

   
Reply to fly-to-sky

8

Lunatic247, on Feb 8, 2009 12:41:45 am GMT

Think PEOPLE...he's trying to get an OS onto his PC...so how the hell is he supposed to run an application on the same PC without the OS....I.m sure EASEUS is wonderful, but it still needs an OS to run on. I'm having the same problem after my Medion MD8818. I've never seen this problem before. I'm using the system recovery CD as Medions come with a back-up partition, but when you try to format a partition (it makes no difference which partition on which drive you use), it only creates a RAW partition and not an NTFS or FAT/FAT32. I've only replaced the motherboard from the original PC so I can't understand why this is happening...

   
Reply to Lunatic247

9

happy drunk, on Feb 8, 2009 10:29:33 pm GMT
  • +1

I'm sure that the poster has probably figured this problem out by now, considering the age of the thread, but he said he was using disk management in XP Pro to format it. That indicates that he already has the OS installed on another disk or partition, not really sure which since he mentions a logical drive but also says he's trying to format a new hdd.

Easeus is absolutely a very good application and free too.

Why are you using your manufacturer's supplied recovery cd when there are so many better options out there? You said you put in a new motherboard? The drivers that are backed up from the original configuration will likely not work anyways.

A raw partition hasn't yet been formatted at all. Use your OS install disc rather than a recovery cd and see if it formats then. Coupled with a good disk imaging software like Acronis, you'll be much better off anyways.

   
Reply to happy drunk

11

MATTXTWO, on May 20, 2009 12:34:02 am BST
  • +1

I just bum in here and see this interesting topic...
and i want to know what the amount of hard disk supported for each os?
if u want to formatting hard disk with 1tb, each drive is suitable with what amount?
do i need to make it 5 partition coz the larger the harddisk are.. the more it use your memory right?
ijust need to have correct amount of each partition to make it stabilize on different os
tq

   
Reply to MATTXTWO

12

Ogy, on Jun 10, 2009 4:01:53 pm BST
  • +1

As was stated earlier the actual max size for NTFS partition is 16 exabytes. Others have stated that in reality its 2TB. I just wanted to share that the 2TB limit can be circumvented if one chooses. I recently installed a disk array using 8 1TB drives with RAID5 to produce a 6.5TB partition. The trick to overcoming the 2TB limit is using a 64 bit version of windows (I'm using XP 64), disk drivers that support 64 bit Logical Block Addresses (LBAs), and using GPT partitioning.

   
Reply to Ogy

13

bmw, on Jun 19, 2009 11:01:10 pm BST

Had the same thing happen to me...after the error massage pops up...shut down(not restart)the pc. start up & check the contents of the drive they should be gone..if not repeat.....i had to do this twice on my 3rd drive- it used to have linux loaded & i wanted to use it for storage. when i formatted it (125 gb) i got hte same thing --windows could not formatt disk even after 45 min. of formatting...make sure it is set to slave and the master is set to master...even on cable select windows sometimes has a read\write permissions issue that posts no message.

   
Reply to bmw

15

Brian, on Jun 30, 2009 10:31:14 pm BST

OK
i finally tried to put more than 2tb, after burning all my stuff (1829gb) :(
well now on, i have a 320 gb for C: D:(swap) and E , i have a 500gb hd for F: and 1tb for G:
so i tried to install another hd of 1tb, all is running great for now, i try to full them all by copying over and over and did not failed whats so ever... so the max size of 2tb for XP Pro 32bit, thats for each hd i guess!

PS OCZ 700W
Intel P4 3.4ghz HT prescott w heatsink OCZ
mobo Asus P5GD1
3 gig OCZ GOLD 2.2.2.5 ddr400
nvidia 8600 GT 512mg
and of course SBL Audigy 4

   
Reply to Brian

16

Bill Brit, on Jul 29, 2009 8:55:33 am BST

Hi slinger430,

what is the maximum partition that can be used on an NTFS logical drive on windows xp pro.

The answer is 1TB. (usually 1TB MAX for NTFS and 500G max for FAT drive)

There might be some bad sector on your disk, you can repair the bad sectors by Chkdsk.

After repairing the drive, you can extend as large as 1TB with this tutorial: How to extend partition in Windows XP.

Bill B.

   
Reply to Bill Brit

17

Bill Brit, on Jul 29, 2009 8:59:34 am BST
  • +1

Sorry, forgot to right put the link on the article : <a href="http://www.geeksdo.com/extend-c-drive-pc-acronis.html">How to extend partition in Windows XP</a>

   
Reply to Bill Brit

18

wayne, on Aug 27, 2009 1:29:52 am BST
  • +1

I just bought a Western Digital 1tb hdd. I am using it as an external drive. I was trying to format and partition it into 2 500gb partitions. But after trying many times from different computers, i cannot format the Primary partition with the size at 500gb. So i tried 300gb, it worked... so i think the limit for logical drive which must be created in an extended partition would be 2tb, but for the primary partition, i think the limit is definitely below 500gb...

   
Reply to wayne

 trlkly, on Sep 18, 2009 6:03:35 pm BST

I don't have a large enough drive to check, but it's possible that the limit the last poster had is a software problem with the built-in Disk Management tool.

And shame on all of you recommending a product you have to pay for when free alternatives exist. If you are doing this on your main drive and need a boot CD, try Parted Magic. It includes the ability to backup your existing partition.

http://partedmagic.com/download.html

   
Reply to trlkly
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