Does anyonw know if the 48bit mode hack is still required for windows XP SP2 with hard disks larger than 137GB??

I'm refering to article. KB30313

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;303013

The reason I ask this question is I have an XPSP2 machine that will not see a 250 GB HD larger than 137GB

now the registry setting is not in this XPSP2 box. But I would have thought with XPSP2 this would have just been automatic???

ATAPI.SYS Version 5.1.2600.2180

No it isn't.

The 'patch' has been around since before SP1.

it might be a BIOS issue. Depending on how old teh system is.....

Must be your BIOS that doesn't support 48 bit LBA. Perhaps look into if there's any BIOS updates for your motherboard.

Bios recognizes the drive correctly so i would think it support 48bit LBA.

Bios recognizes the drive correctly so i would think it support 48bit LBA.

Recognizes correctly? That hardly means anything. As in "it sees it"? That's doesn't mean it supports it. What size does it show as in the BIOS (if you make it detect it)? Or even better, what motherboard is it?

I never had problem, but how do I know if I'm running 48-bit?

I never had problem, but how do I know if I'm running 48-bit?

You mean, compatible with it? ATA133/SATA controllers are fine (it's part of the spec). Doesn't mean older stuff doesn't work, but not all does... I had to upgrade some BIOSes (even on some RAID cards) Your OS also has to support it (XP SP2 does) If you got a drive over 137GB and it sees more than that, than you're fine

Ok well maybe my bios does not support 48bit LBA but I would have thought it did. Today the bios see's the HD as an unknown device. So confused.

Dell GX 270

Bios A06

Windows XP SP2

200GB WD HD.

Can't get it to see all 200GB

If I connect the drive to the internal IDE controller it does not recognize the drive.

If I plug the drive into my usb external storage box. Windows XPSP2 see's the drive but only as 128mb

that's why my brother's hdd was recognized as 137 gb (he has one of 160gb, and the bios recognizes it completely) but i used a normal win xp cd (without any sp)... Guess I'll have to use partition magic... man, 48 bit... why not directly 64 bit

A06 is the latest BIOS for it, but they don't state if it works with 48bit LBA. Google didn't really find anything about it either, and I'm guessing it's some sort of Dell's own motherboard... Kinda hard guessing.

If the enclosure only sees it as 128/137GB, then it's the controller's fault in the enclosure. make sure the enclosure supports drives beyond that size...

@djbe: it's a matter of having the BIOS and OS support it... Don't resize it if both don't support it.

48 bit is definately plenty. I don't think anyone can foresee a limitation here. That allows for drives 256 times larger already (ie: 32768 GB!). 48 bit must have been a lot easier to implement as well (as updates on current hardware and protocols) than 64 bit.

but if the bios recognizes it, why not resize it then?

If BIOS sees it well but the OS doesn't (not sure what SP is on it) bad things may happen... If it's SP2 as well, it might be worth a try.

[offtopic mode] then why are some processors made with 64-bit support? (athlon64) because of some things like doubles (64 bits) in programming languages? [/offtopic mode]

I'll give it a try