Windows 10 and HDDs larger then 2tb

[Dire_54]

Hello!
I know older windows had a size limit where they didn't recognize HDDs larger then 2tb, You would have to partition, etc. to utilize the full size of the drive. I'm wondering if that's been resolved in windows 10 nowadays with the giant increase in modern HDD sizes.
From the information I've been able to find I believe it is still the case that you would have to partition the larger sizes if your using the larger sized HDDs as your boot drive, is that also the case if your just using it as a storage drive?
Thanks

 

[ComputerSecurityGuy]

If you have a UEFI board, Windows can boot from a GPT partition, which is neccessary for larger than 2TB drives.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Hello!
I know older windows had a size limit where they didn't recognize HDDs larger then 2tb, You would have to partition, etc. to utilize the full size of the drive. I'm wondering if that's been resolved in windows 10 nowadays with the giant increase in modern HDD sizes.
From the information I've been able to find I believe it is still the case that you would have to partition the larger sizes if your using the larger sized HDDs as your boot drive, is that also the case if your just using it as a storage drive?
Thanks

The problem has been resolved by configuring the drive into GPT instead of MBR.

If you have a newer motherboard with a UEFI BIOS the board can boot into a GPT drive. However older boards with Legacy BIOS won't allow booting like this. What you can do is then if you boot with a smaller SSD (anything under 2TB) you can still have a secondary large hard drive that you can set up as GPT to be able to use the full size of the drive.

 

[Dire_54]

Hello!
I know older windows had a size limit where they didn't recognize HDDs larger then 2tb, You would have to partition, etc. to utilize the full size of the drive. I'm wondering if that's been resolved in windows 10 nowadays with the giant increase in modern HDD sizes.
From the information I've been able to find I believe it is still the case that you would have to partition the larger sizes if your using the larger sized HDDs as your boot drive, is that also the case if your just using it as a storage drive?
Thanks

The problem has been resolved by configuring the drive into GPT instead of MBR.

If you have a newer motherboard with a UEFI BIOS the board can boot into a GPT drive. However older boards with Legacy BIOS won't allow booting like this. What you can do is then if you boot with a smaller SSD (anything under 2TB) you can still have a secondary large hard drive that you can set up as GPT to be able to use the full size of the drive.

Ok, So, in that situation. If I were to get a 2TB+ storage drive for my rig (MSIZ77A-G45 MB). Running Windows 10. I'd have to set that drive to GPT for windows to recognize the drive as larger then 2TB. Since windows runs in MBR though, I would still need to partition a larger then 2TB drive and have that drive remain in MBR for windows to function, correct?

 

[Rogue Leader]

No you can run the storage drive as GPT, as long as your boot drive is MBR, the storage drive can be configured however you want it, with a full 2TB partition if you so desire.

So for example you would have a 250GB SSD with Windows in MBR, and a 2TB storage drive in GPT (In 1 large partition, or multiple if you want, but all in GPT).

The only way around this is to use a program like Disc Wizard to partition the drive as MBR in multiple partitions.

 

[Dire_54]

No you can run the storage drive as GPT, as long as your boot drive is MBR, the storage drive can be configured however you want it, with a full 2TB partition if you so desire.

So for example you would have a 250GB SSD with Windows in MBR, and a 2TB storage drive in GPT (In 1 large partition, or multiple if you want, but all in GPT).

The only way around this is to use a program like Disc Wizard to partition the drive as MBR in multiple partitions.

Sorry, the last bit of my response I meant if I were using a 2tb+ drive as the main drive, would need to remain in MBR for windows to function, hence it would have to be partitioned into smaller then 2tb partitions for windows to recognize each.
However the storage drive if placed into GPT can be one partition regardless of size since windows is not booting from it so long its a UEFI board.

 

[Rogue Leader]

No you can run the storage drive as GPT, as long as your boot drive is MBR, the storage drive can be configured however you want it, with a full 2TB partition if you so desire.

So for example you would have a 250GB SSD with Windows in MBR, and a 2TB storage drive in GPT (In 1 large partition, or multiple if you want, but all in GPT).

The only way around this is to use a program like Disc Wizard to partition the drive as MBR in multiple partitions.

Sorry, the last bit of my response I meant if I were using a 2tb+ drive as the main drive, would need to remain in MBR for windows to function, hence it would have to be partitioned into smaller then 2tb partitions for windows to recognize each.
However the storage drive if placed into GPT can be one partition regardless of size since windows is not booting from it so long its a UEFI board.

For a legacy board yes you'd need to use something like Disc Wizard to partition it because of MBR if you are using it as a boot drive. If using a UEFI board you partition it with GPT and it can be the full size.

As a storage drive and not the main drive you do not need a UEFI bios to make the drive GPT, since its not booting from the drive it can be GPT and windows will recognize it as 1 big drive regardless of size. That works on Legacy or UEFI.

 

[Dire_54]

No you can run the storage drive as GPT, as long as your boot drive is MBR, the storage drive can be configured however you want it, with a full 2TB partition if you so desire.

So for example you would have a 250GB SSD with Windows in MBR, and a 2TB storage drive in GPT (In 1 large partition, or multiple if you want, but all in GPT).

The only way around this is to use a program like Disc Wizard to partition the drive as MBR in multiple partitions.

Sorry, the last bit of my response I meant if I were using a 2tb+ drive as the main drive, would need to remain in MBR for windows to function, hence it would have to be partitioned into smaller then 2tb partitions for windows to recognize each.
However the storage drive if placed into GPT can be one partition regardless of size since windows is not booting from it so long its a UEFI board.

For a legacy board yes you'd need to use something like Disc Wizard to partition it because of MBR if you are using it as a boot drive. If using a UEFI board you partition it with GPT and it can be the full size.

As a storage drive and not the main drive you do not need a UEFI bios to make the drive GPT, since its not booting from the drive it can be GPT and windows will recognize it as 1 big drive regardless of size. That works on Legacy or UEFI.

Ok. Thanks for the clarification on everything. Now to shop around for some HDDs. pretty sure the wifes 2TB HDD is failing, Can you recommend any free tools for confirming my suspicions other then Sea Tools and WD lifeguard? She's had recent crashes, window10 black screens, slowdowns, difficulty recovering, corrupt window files, everything short of audible noises from the HDD.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Crystal Disk Info

http://crystalmark.info/software/CrystalDiskInfo/index-e.html

Will give you the SMART results on your drive. Sounds like its failing to me.

 

[Dire_54]

Thanks!