3TB HDD only able to use 2TB?

[Kitten of the Broccoli]

Back when I built my computer, my dad had gotten me a 3TB hard drive. After I installed Windows and all was said and done, I noticed that my C drive was only 2TB in size. When I looked it up, everyone was saying that Windows could only be installed on an NTFS-formatted drive, and that NTFS supports up to 2TB. So the next thing I did was I tried to take that unallocated 750GB(you know by 3TB they don't mean REAL 3TB) and allocate it to a separate partition.

 

 

As you can see, that's not possible. Does anyone know how to make it possible? Or at the very least can someone explain why I can't take that empty space and make a new partition/volume out of it?

[TomvanWijnen]

I think you need a special driver for this. Look on ASUS's website.

[hansitv]

Right click on the Disk and select "convert to GPT/GUID". MBR is restricted to 2 TB.

[pwn_intended]

Windows could only be installed on an NTFS-formatted drive, and that NTFS supports up to 2TB. So the next thing I did was I tried to take that unallocated 750GB(you know by 3TB they don't mean REAL 3TB) and allocate it to a separate partition.

This is wrong, MBR partition table only supports up to around 2 TB, and GPT table supports much higher than that. The drive would have to be re-formatted to use it all.

 

 

EDIT: You may be able to convert without re-formatting, not sure though if its your OS drive...

[Kitten of the Broccoli]

Windows is restricted to 2tb unless you use uefi at install.

 

@fireclaw316 follow your topics.

What does that mean?

[Guest]

As @pwn_intended said, you need to convert your drive to GPT.

[Kitten of the Broccoli]

This is wrong, MBR partition table only supports up to around 2 TB, and GPT table supports much higher than that. The drive would have to be re-formatted to use it all.

 

 

EDIT: You may be able to convert without re-formatting, not sure though if its your OS drive...

It is.

[Kitten of the Broccoli]

As @pwn_intended said, you need to convert your drive to GPT.

A. What does that mean?

B. How do I do it?

and C. Will my hard drive get erased?

[Kitten of the Broccoli]

Convert the drive as others say, but you might need to reinstall using UEFI...if your mobo supports that.  Only GPT/UEFI can use all 3TBs.

I have and ASUS Z97-A motherboard that has a UEFI BIOS. My only concern is that what all you guys are telling me to do will result in my hard drive getting erased.

[Kitten of the Broccoli]

Backup important data then?

Well, then everything you guys are saying will have to happen whenever I get a new hard drive, because I have over a terabyte of data saved.

[Guest]

I have and ASUS Z97-A motherboard that has a UEFI BIOS. My only concern is that what all you guys are telling me to do will result in my hard drive getting erased.

 

I'm sorry, but it's very likely that you lose everything.

[pwn_intended]

Well, then everything you guys are saying will have to happen whenever I get a new hard drive, because I have over a terabyte of data saved.

The only way to convert your SYSTEM drive will be by re-formatting it and starting windows from scratch. There are tools out there that are able to do this without data loss, but its one of those things that I would never ever trust without having a full backup of it first.

[Kitten of the Broccoli]

OK, thanks for all your help! As soon as I have another drive to migrate everything onto, then I get go about fixing my retarded hard drive.

[GoldSrc]

It's a Seagate one?