External HD issue.. only 127GB

[Spezialize]

Hey guys. I have a dell lattittude d610 latop. Windows XP with SP 2 installed and all updates. Just got a Penguin Gear external 3.5 USB 2.0 external case. The box says it supports up to 400gb hds...however windows it shows up as 127gb what can I do?

[Acheron]

If you enable 48-bit ATAPI support in the registry and you have a hard disk that has a capacity that is see comment than 137 GB, but you do not have a 48-bit LBA compatible BIOS, only the first 137 GB of the hard disk are addressable. The remainder of the hard disk is not used.


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

[Spezialize]

I searched many times, only to not come up with an atapi.sys file... where can I get one?

[PhilEnfield]

What size drive have you put in the USB2 Case ?

..... ans was it brand new or had it been partitioned & formatted previously ?

[Spezialize]

SEAGATE 160GB hd.. It already was formatted. but I plugged it in and went to reformat but it only let me reformat to 127gb

[PhilEnfield]

Yep ... it sounds like it was partitioned and formatted on a version of XP, that didn't have SP1/2.
That means it is partitioned as 137gb. Doesn't matter how many times you format it ... you will only be formatting the 137gb partition.

What you need to do is delete the partition and create a new one on a PC that has SP1/2 installed. It will then show the full 160gb.

I would imagine your D610 will do nicely.

[Spezialize]

any good instructions on how to do this?

[Spezialize]

nvrmind. used the seagate utility. thanks!

[PhilEnfield]

No probs .... glad yo got it sorted :)

[Van Nugent]

If you enable 48-bit ATAPI support in the registry and you have a hard disk that has a capacity that is see comment than 137 GB, but you do not have a 48-bit LBA compatible BIOS, only the first 137 GB of the hard disk are addressable. The remainder of the hard disk is not used.This applies only to internal drives. :)