Windows XP unable to read WD 4TB NAS Harddisk

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Sky Wong

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Jun 7, 2014
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Hi. I need some help here.

i bought a WD 4 TB NAS Harddisk and a harddisk single Dock. i connect the single dock with a USB cable to my computer with OS windows XP and it said hardware installed. then i put in my WD 4 TB NAS harddisk on it , and i saw a disk play icon coming out , so i thought everything is perfectly fine. so i went to my computer, disk management and view it , to my surprise, it is not detected at all. i restart my pc and went into BIOS and it only show my primary harddisk but not my WD harddisk at all.

The harddisk dock is blinking and the i also hear spining sound of the WD harddisk. both is new.

later, i try it on windows vista and it show detected on disk management.

is it that windows xp does not support 4TB harddisk at all, because i thought it would at least show 1 TB or so call 2.2TB on my disk managment. but it is totally not detected at all. May i know what is wrong.? can anyone assist me?
 
Solution
Chicano
Windows XP doesn't recognize above 2.2TB because MBR partitions are limited to 2.2TB and XP doesn't recognize GPT partitions which is the type of partitions you need to use on the 4TB disk. This means you have to partition the HDD in GPT and to make Windows XP recognize GPT partitions you need to install a driver named GPT Loader... See if you can download it from the lower link. Another solution is to install Paragon Partition Manager which installs a GPT driver, or you can download the driver from Paragon.com. Saw the link a while back but I'd need to search for it again.

This is to make Windows XP recognize above 2.2TB but the HD has to be first recognized by the BIOS, so check your BIOS disk controller settings. You may have to...
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Chicano

Chicano

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Aug 29, 2011
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Windows XP doesn't recognize above 2.2TB because MBR partitions are limited to 2.2TB and XP doesn't recognize GPT partitions which is the type of partitions you need to use on the 4TB disk. This means you have to partition the HDD in GPT and to make Windows XP recognize GPT partitions you need to install a driver named GPT Loader... See if you can download it from the lower link. Another solution is to install Paragon Partition Manager which installs a GPT driver, or you can download the driver from Paragon.com. Saw the link a while back but I'd need to search for it again.

This is to make Windows XP recognize above 2.2TB but the HD has to be first recognized by the BIOS, so check your BIOS disk controller settings. You may have to set IDE Native but try AHCI first unles it's already on... or check if USB is enabled.

Check the info on this thread.
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2166932/options-3tb-storage-boot-drive-windows.html

How To Use 3TB Hard Drives On Windows XP
http://www.ghacks.net/2010/11/04/how-to-use-3tb-hard-drives-on-windows-xp/

Windows XP GPT Loader
http://www.updatestar.com/topic/windows%20xp%20gpt%20loader

According to the info on partitionwizard.com, MiniTool Partition Wizard 8.1.1 may be another solution for Windows XP 32 or 64 bit. I can't confirm it cause I don't have larger than 1TB HDDs and rarely use XP anymore.
http://www.partitionwizard.com/
 
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Solution
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Sky Wong

Reputable
Jun 7, 2014
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4,510
hi. thanks for the reply.

its is 32bit windows xp

i click on the link on
Windows XP GPT Loader
http://www.updatestar.com/topic/windows%20xp%20gpt%20lo... but i couldn't find the actual download location

I try partionwizard.com. and download it and the software manage to read the harddisk but it is only 3TB. i didnt partition it because i wanted to ask if i partition it to my windows xp pc, and after transfering the files from my pc to this external harddisk, will i still be able to see the files if i disconnect the external harddisk and use it on another pc? will the files be visible on the new pc or do i need to partition again on a new pc??

sorry i am a newbie to external harddisk. hope someone can help.



 
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Chicano

Chicano

Judicious
Aug 29, 2011
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Try this link from the updatestar webiste... only problem is that the download is a demo but it may help understand what you have to do, maybe pay for it.. I've seen another download from the Paragon website where you have to register to download.. don't know what follows; if you have to pay to download of if it's free... I'll try to find the link to that download.
http://paragon-gpt-loader.updatestar.com/

Is the formatted disk space 3.0 TB or more? actually a 4TB HD should come down to 3.5-3.7 usable disk space after formatting, that's normal.

Every installed Windows XP should have the same problem reading the full disk space. A solution for that has to be found.. maybe if you divide the HD into several partitions leaving them in unallocated disk spaces and format one partition in every Windows XP. Or maybe if you install the program on every Windows XP. No guantees it will work though.
 
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Chicano

Chicano

Judicious
Aug 29, 2011
5,071
29
35,490
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