How to change sector size of the physical disk without re-formatting in Windows 7 and Windows 8
We are working with Windows 7 VPC and Windows 8 Hyper-V machines.
We purchased an external 2TB drive to move all VPC of both Windows plus all windows images, etc. (all stuff for our task of restore we are working on). This is so we can move the external drive to any PC we want and continue our testings.
After a day of waiting transfer all data to the 2TB drive (over 400gb of data) we continue out tests to find the in windows 7 VPC we get "The sector size of the physical disk on which the virtual disk resides is not supported".
After googling we found that the 2TB drive Physical Sector 4096 and the Windows drives are 512.
How do we change the sector size without formatting?
We purchased an external 2TB drive to move all VPC of both Windows plus all windows images, etc. (all stuff for our task of restore we are working on). This is so we can move the external drive to any PC we want and continue our testings.
After a day of waiting transfer all data to the 2TB drive (over 400gb of data) we continue out tests to find the in windows 7 VPC we get "The sector size of the physical disk on which the virtual disk resides is not supported".
After googling we found that the 2TB drive Physical Sector 4096 and the Windows drives are 512.
How do we change the sector size without formatting?
ASKER
UPDATE:
Just tested the drive in Windows 8 and it does permit to open and work with the files. We think this is only a problem with Windows 7.
Just tested the drive in Windows 8 and it does permit to open and work with the files. We think this is only a problem with Windows 7.
you need to reformat the disk.
ASKER
that we already know. we need to know how to change sector size of the physical disk without re-formatting (bases of the question).
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Are these 2 free?
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
But is robocopy reliable for this type of task? We mean we have 2 options:
One is moving all 400gb out of the 3TB drive, reformat it and move again 400gb back to the 3TB (which is what is recommended).
The other option is running robocopy on the partitions of true 3TB without moving them.
The second option will take much less time.
Based in this overview, what does EE recommends?
One is moving all 400gb out of the 3TB drive, reformat it and move again 400gb back to the 3TB (which is what is recommended).
The other option is running robocopy on the partitions of true 3TB without moving them.
The second option will take much less time.
Based in this overview, what does EE recommends?
ASKER
Just formatted the drive and it always returns a 4092 for Bytes Per Physical Sector instead of the 512.
the only option are 4096, 8192, 61K, 32K and 64K
How can we format it to have 512
the only option are 4096, 8192, 61K, 32K and 64K
How can we format it to have 512
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
can we change it?
ASKER
Can we change bytes per physical sector of a Seagate Expansion Desktop 2TB Drive Model SRD00F2?
This is because we get error message "The sector size of the physical disk on which the virtual disk resides is not supported".
After googling we found that the 2TB drive Physical Sector is 4096 and the Windows drives is 512.
Please advice.
This is because we get error message "The sector size of the physical disk on which the virtual disk resides is not supported".
After googling we found that the 2TB drive Physical Sector is 4096 and the Windows drives is 512.
Please advice.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Then how can we work around the error message "The sector size of the physical disk on which the virtual disk resides is not supported"?
Use different hardware?
ASKER
That's bad news, this is a new drive purchased for this sole purposes.
What else can we do? If we purchase another TB external drive, it would be the same thing.
There has to be a workaround.
What else can we do? If we purchase another TB external drive, it would be the same thing.
There has to be a workaround.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Ok thanx.
We wait for other EE recommendations.
We wait for other EE recommendations.
ASKER
This question was placed due to the error message of "The sector size of the physical disk on which the virtual disk resides is not supported" appears when working with our Windows VPC or Windows 8 Hyper-V machines..
After trying all recommendation provided with no success, we conclude that there is no way change sector size without reformatting NATIVELY (as one of the EE commented).
Based on this observation from EE, 2 questions:
1. How can use the 2TB drive for our virtual machines without changing sector size?
2. Finally, where can we find the tools or apps to change the sector size of our Seagate Expansion Desktop 2TB Drive Model SRD00F2?
After trying all recommendation provided with no success, we conclude that there is no way change sector size without reformatting NATIVELY (as one of the EE commented).
Based on this observation from EE, 2 questions:
1. How can use the 2TB drive for our virtual machines without changing sector size?
2. Finally, where can we find the tools or apps to change the sector size of our Seagate Expansion Desktop 2TB Drive Model SRD00F2?
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
So even if we can successfully contact Seagate (which we non), they don't have no tools for us to reformat it to our need?
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Wow incredible what you guys are saying.
Ok, so in conclusion, please advice on a couple of things;
That means that if we want to buy another terabyte external hard drive, we first have to check the sector size be the same as our notebook? (Please note that prior placing the question, we looked over the box and there is no indication to this issue or shows the sector size).
Also, this problem was only with VPC because it works fines with all other data transfers such as copying files and actual backup apps So is it safe to say that this problem is only when wanting to copy a VPC to the TB external drive?
Finally, does all 2TB drives and up (because we have 1TB and it works just fine copying the VPC to it), will come with Physical Sector 4096?
Please advice these 3 concerne.
Thank you very much.
Ok, so in conclusion, please advice on a couple of things;
That means that if we want to buy another terabyte external hard drive, we first have to check the sector size be the same as our notebook? (Please note that prior placing the question, we looked over the box and there is no indication to this issue or shows the sector size).
Also, this problem was only with VPC because it works fines with all other data transfers such as copying files and actual backup apps So is it safe to say that this problem is only when wanting to copy a VPC to the TB external drive?
Finally, does all 2TB drives and up (because we have 1TB and it works just fine copying the VPC to it), will come with Physical Sector 4096?
Please advice these 3 concerne.
Thank you very much.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Thanks for the great info!!!!
ASKER
Thanx all!
Did Hyper-V RMW not work even after applying the patch to the client?
ASKER
Correction, the new 2TB drive is a Seagate 3TB drive.
When running fsutil fsinfo ntfsinfo X: on all drives we get:
THE DRIVE WITH THE PROBLEM:
Open in new window
THE GOOD DRIVE (no problems):
Open in new window
ANOTHER DRIVE WITH NO PROBLEM:
Note: we have a 1TB drive that has been used with this purpose and never gave us a problem, but when running FSUTIL it says <Not Supported> in the Bytes Per Physical Sector.
Open in new window
Please advice.