137 gb hard drive limit on Windows ME

[dannyd0g]

Hello does anyone know a way around the 137 gb limit on windows me ?

Ive tried searching the internet, but there doesnt seem to be anything specific to this O/S.

Ive just acqquired a Western Digital 250 gb drive, and am using it as a slave, and have installed it up to the 137 gb limit, using the western digital set up disc.

I now get a drive overlay message on boot up, is this anything to worry about ?

Has anyone been here before, and got any tips ??

[ssmokee]

137 GB Limitation

137GB limit - ESDI_506.PDR and other limits, Technical background and ideas

[LLXX]

Using drive overlay software might work, but it is much more risky than a hardware solution or an updated driver.

See the threads mentioned above for more details.

[ripken204]

how about making partitions

[jaclaz]

how about making partitions

NO, the problem is the so called 48 bit LBA limit.

Read here:

http://www.48bitlba.com/

http://www.48bitlba.com/faq.htm

FAQ #1

1. If the problem with 48-bit LBA means hard drives can only be used up to a maximum capacity of 137 GB, why can't I just partition my 48-bit LBA hard drive into multiple partitions each less than 137 GB to get around the problem?

That will not work. If you try it and your system does not meet the requirements necessary for 48-bit LBA, data can become corrupted on partitions which extend beyond the 137 GB limit. The problem with 48-bit LBA involves the absolute sector addressing on the hard drive not simply the address relative to the beginning of each partition on the hard drive. For example, let's say you have a 160 GB hard drive where you have created two partitions. The first is 137 GB and the second 23 GB. In order to properly read and write data to the second 23 GB partition, 48-bits of address are needed to access the correct sectors on the hard drive. Without 48-bit LBA support, drivers with only 32-bits of addressing will only be capable of addressing up to 137 GB on the hard drive.

@dannyd0g

http://www.48bitlba.com/win98hbi.htm

jaclaz

[nmX.Memnoch]

A simple BIOS update will usually add 48-bit LBA support though.

[dannyd0g]

Thanks for your replies guys - this gives me plenty to be thinking about

[LLXX]

A simple BIOS update will usually add 48-bit LBA support though.

Unless you're running in DOS-compatibility mode disk access, the OS bypasses the BIOS and accesses the hardware directly using its own driver. BIOS support for 48-bit LBA has been around since the introduction of Int13x, in the mid 1990s.

[ssmokee]

Unless you're running in DOS-compatibility mode disk access, the OS bypasses the BIOS and accesses the hardware directly using its own driver.

Are you sure this applies to win9x? I thought only NT based windows OSes bypassed BIOS.

Edited February 10, 2006 by ssmokee

[LLXX]

Unless you're running in DOS-compatibility mode disk access, the OS bypasses the BIOS and accesses the hardware directly using its own driver.

Are you sure this applies to win9x? I thought only NT based windows OSes bypassed BIOS.

ESDI_506.PDR would be the standard driver (which does NOT support 48-bit LBA).

See also the related thread in Win9x subfourum Unofficial Service Pack.

[nmX.Memnoch]

A simple BIOS update will usually add 48-bit LBA support though.

Unless you're running in DOS-compatibility mode disk access, the OS bypasses the BIOS and accesses the hardware directly using its own driver. BIOS support for 48-bit LBA has been around since the introduction of Int13x, in the mid 1990s.

My reply was in response to jaclaz' post about 48-bit LBA support. I know the OS has to support it as well...I should've been clearer in my reply.

This is akin to ATA100 support in Windows 2000. It only supported up to ATA66 until Service Pack 2 or 3...don't remember which one (may have even been SP1).