russki :
I really don't understand what you're talking about. Maximum volume size is determined by the file system, primarily. XP Pro supports several. Some (FAT) are more restrictive than others (NTFS). NTFS has maximum volume size of 2 TB, IIRC.
So again, what is your problem?
I guess you have not heard of this VERY common issue, so here goes. Back over a decade ago they introduced a HDD addressing system called "LBA" for Logical Block addressing that eliminated the old Track... Sector ... Head set of "coordinates". At the time they chose to use 28 binary bits in the address. Both hardware (in the HDD controller and in the HDD itself) and software (in the OS's drivers) had to be set to do things this way. If you work it out, at 512 bytes per sector, using 28 bits to specify which sector, allows a maximum HDD size of 138 Billion bytes. But, if you do like M$ Windows does and define "Giga-" to mean 1024 x 1024 x 1024, then this same disk is called "128 GB".
Recognizing that this was about to be a problem, designers re-defined this system around 2000 to use 48 bits instead of 28. This is called "support for 48-bit LBA". Again, HDD's, HDD controllers, and OS drivers all have to work according to this standard of addressing. I've lost track, but it will allow for HDD's up in the multi-terrabyte range, maybe more.
EDIT: see next post below - the limit is now 'way up in the petabyte region. Anyone want to predict when we'll have to fix that limit?
Since about 2000 most new systems have supported this in their HDD controllers, and HDD makers have been doing so, too. On the OS side, Windows 2000 originally did not have it but it was added in one of the Service Packs, I think it was SP4. Windows XP did NOT have it in first release, but added it as of SP1. If you have an older OS version and update it, the new updated version will allow the use of HDD volumes over 138 (or 128, as you choose to count) GB.
The hassle comes when you go to install a Windows. IF your install disk is an older version without 48-bit LBA support, it cannot possibly partition a disk, then format it, for over that size. It may well allow you to make a boot partition that way, and later allow you to create in the remaining unallocated space additional partitions (each similarly limited). Or, if you do the install that way and then immediately update with the Service Packs it will be happy to create new partitions of larger sizes. BUT Windows will NOT allow you to change the size of the BOOT partition!! So you're stuck.
There are four ways to deal, here.
1. Install from old version, live with the 128 GB primary boot partition, install Service Packs, and make new partitions of whatever size in the unallocated space.
2. Make sure you buy a newer version of the OS that has the Service Packs included, so it can make very large partitions from the start.
3. Take your old install disk. Look up on the web (including Microsoft's site) all the details of how to slipstream a new install disk. This is perfectly legal. You basically use your legit old install disk plus all the Service Pack updates and create an image on your HDD of a new install disk with all those upgrades included. Then you burn that to your own new CD to make the revised "slipstream" version of the OS. Use that as the install disk, and voila! You will need instructions and some free software to do this. It's a multi-step process, but do-able if you are careful.
4. Buy some third-party software, like Partition Magic, which WILL allow you to add unallocated space on your HDD to the original boot partition, expanding it to whatever size you need. It is NOT self-limiting the way Windows is.