NTFS Max partition size

[Andronium]

I'm trying to install a NT/W2K dual boot on a 20 GB hard drive. I want to partition it 10/10 GB (half and half) with NT on one and W2K on the other. When I try to format a 10 GB partition with NTFS within NT setup, it tells me the partition is too large. If my information is correct, NTFS is supposed to support up to 16 Exabytes. Why can't I format a measly 10 gig partition with NTFS?

Any help appreciated!

Andy

 

[Voyager1]

NTFS actually supports, in theory, up to 32 exabytes. However, there is one "gotcha".

The Windows NT Setup program will not allow you to create a partition larger than 8gb. I have no idea why this limitation is there, but it is...

I have heard it suggested that if you can temporarily install the drive in another NT machine, use Disk Administrator to create your partitions (10gb/10gb) and then go back the original machine to install NT, you'll be OK. Haven't tried it myself.

Good luck... - Bill

"You can get anything you want out of life, if you'll just help enough other people get what they want" - Zig Ziglar

 

[OverDrive2]

Before you go too far out there the appropriate range for a NTFS primary bootable partition max size is 7.8 Gig, not 8 Gig . . . if you go 8, you went too far.

Just an FYI 4 ya's

Andronium . . . you may want to make your Win2000 partition FAT32 at 10 Gig and then your NT at FAT32 at 10 gig (this will work. If you have to use NTFS, there are other avenues you can pursue, but be cautious.

Chance~

Read this thread, it should help ya out . . .

thread55-80030

 

[Voyager1]

NT doesn't support FAT32... - Bill

"You can get anything you want out of life, if you'll just help enough other people get what they want" - Zig Ziglar

 

[OverDrive2]

Oops . . .I meant FAT . . .

Sorry, thanks for the brain dump fix!

=P

Chance~

 

[FUZ]

FAT doesn't support 10 gig, they limit for FAT is a little over 2 gig -FuZ
fuzmp3@yahoo.com

"It's the year 2000. But where are the flying cars? I was promised flying cars! I don't see any flying cars! Why? Why? Why?"

 

[Andronium]

FAT16 has a ~2GB limit, FAT32 doesn't. I'm not sure what the system partition limit is for FAT32, but it's a lot more than 2GB.

 

[Voyager1]

Fat32: supports up to 2 terabytes (give or take a gig or two)...

- Bill

"You can get anything you want out of life, if you'll just help enough other people get what they want" - Zig Ziglar

 

[markdann]

This problem only occurs with IDE disks. MS has a fix at
ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-unsup-ed/fixes/nt40/atapi/ATAPI.EXE

Extract the exe and read the instructions in the readme

 

[jwilder]

Well, unless I'm mistaken, the simplest way is to simply let the NT Setup choose the default size. Then after you've applied all the appropriate Service Packs, you can simply change the NTFS disk size from say 4GB to 10GB in Disk Administrator.

Then create your dual boot and install WIN2K on the remaining 10GB. Jason Wilder
IT/CAD Manager
"When I go, I want to go in my sleep like Grandpa. Not screaming in terror like his passengers."

 

[french01]

I'm lead to beleieve that the ~8Gb NTFS limit was resolved under NT with SP5, but that don't help during its initial install, so why not install Win2K first?

Create the second 10Gb partition under NTFS5 then let NT4 install to existing NTFS partition.
-Hugh

 

[Guest_imported]

Just install NT to an NTFS partition sized at 2047 or smaller. After it's up and running, use Partition Magic to resize the partition to the 10 gigs you want.

 

[OverDrive2]

What makes partition magic the solution to the resize problem? I thought NTFS primary boot partition could not be larger that 7.8 Gig? Why and how will 10 Gig work? I know partition magic will partition it to that size, but I have heard horror stories on it crashing hard after the space gets smaller.

Chance~

 

[Andronium]

I ended up just doing all of them with 8G NT parition and 12G W2K partition, installing W2K first and formatting the second partition for NT from there. These workstations are pretty critical so I didn't want to risk making the NT partition bigger than 8G. Thanks to everyone for all your advice.

Andy