WD 3TB HDD Storage

[BProgrammer]

Hi everyone

I ordered an internal WD HDD with a capacity of 3 TB from eBay a week ago. When it arrived, I tried to format it to prepare it for my files, but the surprise was when I found that only 764 GB is the available space on the HDD. I changed the computer but the problem was still there.

Does anybody know anything about such a situation ?

Is because of my computers (unlikely as I think) or is because of the HDD itself an I have to return it back to the merchant ?!

Please help quickly so I can arrange sending it back to the seller if needed !

 

[zeyads3]

let a pro do it for you, asking a real person would be better and you can learn from him\her

 

[BProgrammer]

let a pro do it for you, asking a real person would be better and you can learn from him\her

Thanks for your quick reply
Well, I do not think I have that much time to search for a pro to do so. However, in spite of that I am not a pro, I did that many times for several HDDs including the ones that I am using now (WD 2 TB + WD 500 GB)
Both work brilliantly with no issues.

 

[Hawkeye22]

You need to create a GPT partition, not an MBR partition if the drive is over 2TB. Use disk management to delete all partitions and recreate them as GPT. Your motherboard needs to be UEFI if you will be booting from it.

Q. Can the 32-bit version of Windows XP read, write, and boot from GPT disks?

A. No. The 32-bit version will see only the Protective MBR. The EE partition will not be mounted or otherwise exposed to application software.

Q. Can Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008 read, write, and boot from GPT disks?

A. Yes, all versions can use GPT partitioned disks for data. Booting is only supported for 64-bit editions on UEFI-based systems.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/gg463525.aspx

 

[BProgrammer]

You need to create a GPT partition, not an MBR partition if the drive is over 2TB. Use disk management to delete all partitions and recreate them as GPT. Your motherboard needs to be UEFI if you will be booting from it.

Q. Can the 32-bit version of Windows XP read, write, and boot from GPT disks?

A. No. The 32-bit version will see only the Protective MBR. The EE partition will not be mounted or otherwise exposed to application software.

Q. Can Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008 read, write, and boot from GPT disks?

A. Yes, all versions can use GPT partitioned disks for data. Booting is only supported for 64-bit editions on UEFI-based systems.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/gg463525.aspx

Hi
I'll check that, but the problem is that the 750 GB space appears in GParted, FDisk or any other partitioning software when the disk is marked as unlocated even before I create any partition.

I'll check your way then I'll reply

 

[Hawkeye22]

You didn't list your OS or machine specs. It's possible that you may need a bios update to support large drives, but most newer computers should already be able to handle this.

Allows a much larger partition size--greater than 2 terabytes (TB), which is the limit for MBR disks.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/gg463524.aspx

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26193-convert-mbr-disk-gpt-disk.html

 

[BProgrammer]

You didn't list your OS or machine specs. It's possible that you may need a bios update to support large drives, but most newer computers should already be able to handle this.

Allows a much larger partition size--greater than 2 terabytes (TB), which is the limit for MBR disks.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/gg463524.aspx

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26193-convert-mbr-disk-gpt-disk.html

Specs :

Machine : Samsung Notebook NP300V5A-S0F AE

OS : Windows 7 Home Premium, SP-1

CPU : Intel Core i5-2450M, 2.5 GHz two cores, x64-Based

Graphics : Intel HD Graphics Family

BIOS Version/Date : Phoenix Technologies Ltd. 05FI, 10/12/2011

SMBIOS Version : 2.6

Motherboard : Samsung Electronics 3005A


I tried to search for how I can update the BIOS of this type motherboards, but I found nothing until now
Some suggested upgrading the BIOS to UEFI

Thanks for your reply

 

[Hawkeye22]

Some suggested upgrading the BIOS to UEFI

Thanks for your reply

You can't upgrade your bios to UEFI. Either your motherboard has a standard bios or it uses UEFI.

 

[BProgrammer]

You can't upgrade your bios to UEFI. Either your motherboard has a standard bios or it uses UEFI.

I've just realized that before I check your post
I converted the hard drive from MBR to GPT, but the still the problem is there and I do not know what the wrong thing is. I emailed the provider and costumer service employee replied that either the motherboard or the enclosure that I have cannot handle it. I do not know which one is the wrong part.

I doubt it is the enclosure, but my Samsung laptop and its motherboard are new though, which makes it even harder to determine the failure point.


Any other suggestion guys ?

 

[Hawkeye22]

You also never mentioned that it's an external drive or the make/model of this external drive.. UEFI doesn't come into play in this scenario.

Once you converted the drive to GPT, did you delete all partitions and try to create a new one the full size of the drive?

If that didn't work, it's most likely the enclosure. Some externals are set at default as two partitions, a 2TB and a 1TB. You may need to download a utility from the drive manufacture's web site that can get rid of any special partitioning and allow you to use the full 3TB as one partition.

 

[BProgrammer]

You also never mentioned that it's an external drive or the make/model of this external drive.. UEFI doesn't come into play in this scenario.

Once you converted the drive to GPT, did you delete all partitions and try to create a new one the full size of the drive?

If that didn't work, it's most likely the enclosure. Some externals are set at default as two partitions, a 2TB and a 1TB. You may need to download a utility from the drive manufacture's web site that can get rid of any special partitioning and allow you to use the full 3TB as one partition.

If with considering that UEFI is not factor as you said, it shouldn't be a problem as I believe because I found this in my BIOS [UEFI = Enabled] : http://i46.tinypic.com/18ndxy.jpg

There were no partitions initially before I convert the drive and it was unallocated as whole, and even after I converted the drive, I used my favorite tool of partitioning (GParted), and it showed the HDD as [746.5 GB], like it did when I firstly encountered this problem : http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=241kzg8&s=6
"Note : I am running the tool from a boot mini-Linux version not from Windows, that's why I do think it is because of the Windows drivers, but I am not sure"

So, do you think it is really because of the enclosure I am using ?!
If so, how can I make sure about that, and how can I know that an enclosure or an HDD dock can run this amount of size or not before I buy it ?!
I check this enclosure, do you think it is alright ? Its specification list says it supports up to 3TB
http://www.vantecusa.com/en/product/view_detail/404

The most important thing to me at the moment is knowing whether the HDD is fine or corrupt, so I can move and replace by sending it back to the seller asap before the 15th this month. The enclosure I ordered above may arrive sharply on that date or even later.

Plus, I found this on the manufacturer's website : http://community.wdc.com/t5/Desktop-Portable-Drives/Windows-7-64-bit-won-t-show-full-size-3TB-of-WD30EZRX/td-p/265578
But I found nothing about any utility or tool for partitioning or dealing with any type of Storage Drives

Thanks

 

[Hawkeye22]

The link you posted states it was a chipset update that fixed it. You may need to do the same.

 

[BProgrammer]

The link you posted states it was a chipset update that fixed it. You may need to do the same.

This is what I tried to do, but the problem is that I do not know the model of the chipset of my Samsung laptop which has a Samsung motherboard with no updates available on the website of the company.

 

[Hawkeye22]

Check your device manager to see if it gives a hint as to what the chipset might be. It should be under IDE/ATAPI Controllers or something like that.

Mine work computer is an older machine, but as an example, mine reads "Intel ICH8 4 port serial ATA controller". It's not much to go on, but at least it tells me it's an Intel controller and I can look on intel's site for drivers.