External HDD doesn't see more than 1.6TB, tried everything!

whatever61 · Aug 9, 2014

Hello all,

I have bought this HardDrive: ST4000VN000, it's a Seagate NAS 3.5 HDD.

It used to be connected to a NAS and then it worked fine and I could see the 4TB. I don't have the NAS anymore.

I do have some old external enclosure and when I connect it via USB to my laptop I see only 1.6TB.
My laptop is: S7-392, it's a new ultrabook, so I assume it has the latest BIOS and all that stuff.

I am using the latest drivers and the latest Intel Rapid Storage driver.

Now before you ask, the HD is in GPT mode, NOT IN MBR, so that's not the issue.
I also tried through Seagate DiscWizard and it's the same issue again.

It shows only 1.6TB unallocated no matter what I do. I have Googled for hours and tried everything I could find..

Now my main question is: can it be that the External Closure that I use simply doesn't support a 4TB drive? are there limits on them?

Of course feel free to suggest other stuff to try!

Thank you!

Paperdoc · Aug 9, 2014

Yes, it is possible that the external enclosure is the problem. The controller cards in such devices are not "standard" in any way. I would not be surprised at all if the controller in an older enclosure never had the info necessary to read and use a HDD with GPT Partitioning.

The other possibility is drivers. You are using it connected to a new laptop, presumably with a current version of Windows. BUT there are two points to that. First, to use a GPT-Partitioned HDD you need to have the appropriate device driver for such added to your OS. Secondly, to do that you MUST be running a 64-bit version of Windows. Microsoft only provides a device driver for a large GPT-Partitioned HDD in its 64-bit versions, and not for its 32-bit versions. So start by checking which version of Windows you have on this new laptop. IF it is 64-bit already, then try adding the driver for GPT-type HDD units.

fzabkar · Aug 9, 2014

It appears that the enclosure may be subject to a 32-bit LBA limitation.

4TB - 2TiB = 1.64 TiB

http://www.google.com/search?q=4TB+-+2TiB+in+TiB

whatever61 · Aug 9, 2014

Paperdoc, of course my Windows is 64 bit.. Only thing i could find is to update to latest Intel drivers and to install Intel Rapid Storage. None of that helped.

Paperdoc · Aug 10, 2014

Back to the external enclosure hypothesis. As a test, can you temporarily connect the HDD directly to your mobo's ports. as an internal drive would? If it works there, you know the drive is not a problem.

whatever61 · Aug 10, 2014

Yes, it's a good idea, but unfortunately, I can't now. I only have two laptops to test on.. I think I am going to return that drive and just get a ready external drive. Apparently that's even cheaper...

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External HDD doesn't see more than 1.6TB, tried everything!

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