Windows 8.1 not seeing full 3TB

Dirk Diggler

Dirk Diggler

Dirk Diggler

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Have just set up a new system with 3TB HDD. During initial setup Windows only seemed to see just over 2TB. I have installed the OS and I am left with 700 odd GB of unallocared space. How do I get this space formatted and available for use?
 
String said:
When I right click on the drive, convert to GPT partition is greyed out? And yes, it's internal HDD.
Click to expand...

Is it your main drive?

If so, no you won't be able to convert it. You'll either have to wipe off Windows and make sure it is formatted as GPT or add the extra space in as a different partition.
 
Open up a Run dialogue box
Type DiskPart
Type Lis Dis

What does it say? Is there a star under the GPT header?

Stelly
 
String said:
Are you saying I need to download macrium software and then follow the KB advice? Is this the only way to resolve this?
Click to expand...

Windows will not allow you to expand the partition if its the OS partition and then it would be only up to 2TB in size.

A limitation of MBR partitions is that the cannot address partitions larger then 2TB and so to get around this MS uses GPT partitions instead (which can address a lot more). You have to use uEFI booting if your disk is GPT initialized.

So basically if you want to use all 3TB of that disk you are going to have to either install Windows afresh using uEFI and GPT (if your board supports it) or backup using Reflect or something and follow the tutorial about restoring an MBR disk and converting it to GPT.

Stelly
 
Stelly said:
Windows will not allow you to expand the partition if its the OS partition and then it would be only up to 2TB in size.

A limitation of MBR partitions is that the cannot address partitions larger then 2TB and so to get around this MS uses GPT partitions instead (which can address a lot more). You have to use uEFI booting if your disk is GPT initialized.

So basically if you want to use all 3TB of that disk you are going to have to either install Windows afresh using uEFI and GPT (if your board supports it) or backup using Reflect or something and follow the tutorial about restoring an MBR disk and converting it to GPT.

Stelly
Click to expand...

Thanks Stelly. I'll try the backup / restore option and let you all know how it goes.
 
It's all went a bit Pete Tong!

Currently trying to do a fresh install of windows, but seem to have the same problem.

I have three partitions on the drive as it stands...

Drive 0 partition 1 - 200mb type system
Drive 0 partition 2 -128mb type MSR (reserved)
Drive 0 unallocated space 2784.2 GB

if I try to create a new partition on the unallocated space I get the following message:

couldnt create a new partition error 0xa2dad510
 
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