Seagate 3TB internal only see 2TB

[drwho1]

Seagate 3TB internal only see 2TB.

Got 2 of this drives for a friend, he is running Windows 7 64bit, 12 GB ram, and a recently 120GB SSD as his new boot drive. This 3TB are intended to perform independently (1 for programs/files the other for HDTV recording)

First it wouldn't see them, so I downloaded the Firmware and the DiscWizard.

Firmware allow it to see it, DiscWizard allowed to "get the drives ready"... BUT only 2TB out of 3TB.

What I'm missing.

(Yes I don't expect to get ALL 3TB but I'm pretty sure that I'm missing around 700GB +/-)

need help.

 

[saint19]

What mobo do you have?

 

[foscooter]

Were the drives set up in Windows as GPT, not MBR, when Windows reconized them.

For drives largers than 2.2TB, you have to use GPT.

Check it in Disk Management, it may have partitioned them up as 2TB & 1 TB, with the 1 TB not allocated. You probably will have to delete the volume, and Windows will help you set it up.

 

[drwho1]

What mobo do you have?

P7P55D-E ASUS

 

[drwho1]

Were the drives set up in Windows as GPT, not MBR, when Windows reconized them.

For drives largers than 2.2TB, you have to use GPT.

Check it in Disk Management, it may have partitioned them up as 2TB & 1 TB, with the 1 TB not allocated. You probably will have to delete the volume, and Windows will help you set it up.

Possible (not sure) how do I use GPT?

 

[foscooter]

When Windows sees a new drive, it's ask use how/which you want to use: MBR or GPT.

You need to choose GPT.

I know of no way to change it from one to the other, as Disk Management doesn't have that option. Deleteing the volumes is the only way I know.

Maybe DISKPART does, I'll research.

Nope:

convert gpt [noerr]

Use the convert gpt command to set the partitioning style of the current disk to GPT. The disk may be a basic or a dynamic disk but it must not contain any valid data partitions or volumes. This command is valid only on Itanium-based computers; it may be unsuccessful on x-86-based computers.

 

[mightymaxio]

Are you sure you have it GUID or GDT partitioned? If not you will have to reformat it as a GDT since MBR cannot support higher than 2TB per partition size.

"which implies that either the maximum size of a partition or the maximum start address (both in bytes) cannot exceed 2 TiB−512 bytes" from wikipedia page.

 

[drwho1]

OK for whatever reason Windows 7 64bit was not giving the option for "GPT", neither did the Seagate's own software. MAde a search based on what your suggestions and found a free utility: EASYUS and was finally able to set them correctly.

Now they are 2.72 after formatted.

Thank you all!

 

[drwho1]

Best answer selected by drwho1.

 

[saint19]

This topic has been closed by Saint19