Slip Stream SP4 vs big disk support?

[Mark_Venture]

A friend's hard drive crashed. She went out and purchased a 160gig drive. She is using Windows 2000 and wants to reload the system using the drive as 1 partition only.

I know that for greater than 137gig drive support, SP3 or higher is needed. Per the MS KB 305098 article about it, you can apply the SP3 or 4 after Windows is installed and change a reg setting to see the rest of the drive.

But since she wants to create the single 160gig partition durring install, I was wondering if I slip stream SP 4 into the Win2K CD, will she be able to use the full drive right off the bat?

i.e. if I slip stream SP4 into the W2K CD, can she make 1 partition that takes the entire drive, and install windows to it without having to do anything else?

Or is she stuck having to install Windows to a 137gig or less partition, apply the SP and make the reg change? Then resize the partition to the full capacity of the drive with something like Partition Magic?

Oh, I should probably mention, we don't want to use any overlay type software to do this.

[peachy]

It should be doable with the slipstreamed SP4.

[spud]

safer to slipstream SP4

Why have only one 160g partition, it would be safer to split it..

[Mark_Venture]

Why have only one 160g partition, it would be safer to split it..

I suggested one partition for the OS and apps... a 2nd partition for data, but she doesn't want it that way

[Mark_Venture]

If I do slip stream SP4, do I still have to make reg change after installing Win2K?

[spud]

I dont think so.

I would still try and convince her to split the drive, if the C drive became corrupt she could loose everything..At least with a C & D there is a chance of saving stuff

[turbomcp]

better to split it

lets say 20-30gb and rest as d:\

and this is why

you could use acronis true image or other software to capture c:\ partition and if you have problems(driver corruption or some kind of update can ruin something)

just restore the image file to c:\ after you backed up your files to d:\

i also redirect my documents to D:\ r even e:\

so only thing i have to do is backup its content and im fixed

[nighthawk]

I agree with the posts above, recommend to her to split the drive into two or more partitions, C:\ could be 100GB perhaps and the other one ~56.5GB (due to the whole formatted capacity thing you mightn't get the full 160GB), and then install Windows 2000 with a SP4 slipstreamed CD. Probably the safest and easiest way.

Also, if using a 2000 SP4 CD you will not have to make a reg. change after installation when using 1 big 160GB partition.

Hope this information helps

[Mark_Venture]

Well, I could not convince her to make two partitions, but since I dont have to support the machine, oh well its up to her.

Anyhow... We slipstreamed SP4 into the W2K cd. We still could not make/use a partition that took the full drive right off the bat and she doesn't have Partition Magic or anything to resize it with after. I have it, but I'm not there, just talking over phone.

Btw, I was not expecting the 160gig drive (as marked on package) to be 160 gig as reported by the OS as I know about the decimal vs binary as it relates to drive makers and the OS. I was expecting 148 to 152ish as reported by the OS.

[LiquidSage]

even with sp4 installed, MS K305098 supplies a lba reg solution and min. hardware specs for support.

[Mark_Venture]

even with sp4 installed, MS K305098 supplies a lba reg solution and min. hardware specs for support.

Thanks, But I knew about the KB article (see my first post) and the reg change if the OS was installed then you installed the SP. What I wasn't sure of, and why I posted, was if I slipstream the pack would I still need to make the change (OS was installed with SP applied).

Seeing as replies from peachy and spud seemed to indicate that if I installed via slipstreamed SP4, I would not, but as I found trying it you do, I figured I'd post my follow up as to what happend with the slipstreamed disc.