sglee
asked on
How to make Lenovo PC format 4TB HD as one partition
Hi,
I have Lenovo desktop PC (Model No: MT/M:0841-A5U) and was trying to install Windows 7 64bit OS on a new 4TB SATA HD. During the install, when I selected the entire 4TB to install OS, it created two partitions - a primary 2TB partition and another 1.8GB partition as leftover.
How can I install Windows 64bit OS on a 4TB partition?
Thanks.
I have Lenovo desktop PC (Model No: MT/M:0841-A5U) and was trying to install Windows 7 64bit OS on a new 4TB SATA HD. During the install, when I selected the entire 4TB to install OS, it created two partitions - a primary 2TB partition and another 1.8GB partition as leftover.
How can I install Windows 64bit OS on a 4TB partition?
Thanks.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
@John,
I don't see GPT option in BIOS. This BIOS was made in 2009. Should I look for the newest BIOS or forget about this machine?
I don't see GPT option in BIOS. This BIOS was made in 2009. Should I look for the newest BIOS or forget about this machine?
ASKER
@Gabriel
I chose CUSTOM setup option during install. I think it is because of lack of GPT option in BIOS.
I chose CUSTOM setup option during install. I think it is because of lack of GPT option in BIOS.
The computer may too old for large disks then. MBR will only support up to 2 TB and you need a fairly new computer to use GPT. So you need to make 2 partitions at least for this computer. I doubt new BIOS for that computer would fix it.
In order to boot a Windows OS from a GPT disk You need a 64 bit version of Windows, AND an UEFI BIOS. If your BIOS isn't UEFI, you can't boot Windows to a GPT disk, which means you are limited to an MBR disk and the size of that disk is limited to 2 TB size. Partitioning it won't allow you to access more than 2TB of the disk's size.
If you don't have a mainboard with UEFI BIOS, the best thing you can do is to install Windows to a small disk which can be MBR. Then add the new disk as a 2nd HD, go into Windows diskmanagement, and make it a GPT disk. You can only do that if there is nothing on the disk, so first delete all partitions on it. After that you can create one big partition of 4TB on it and use that for the data. As long as you don't use a GPT disk to boot into, you can use it as a 2nd disk and don't need an UEFI BIOS.
You don't select "GPT" or "MBR" in the BIOS. You rather set that type of disk when you install the OS. If your BIOS is UEFI and set to UEFI mode, and you boot from your Windows installation DVD, you will have 2 options to boot from for that DVD in your BIOS, UEFI and normal. Select UEFI, and then Windows will automatically create a GPT disk from your HD, provided there are no partitions on it.
If you don't have a mainboard with UEFI BIOS, the best thing you can do is to install Windows to a small disk which can be MBR. Then add the new disk as a 2nd HD, go into Windows diskmanagement, and make it a GPT disk. You can only do that if there is nothing on the disk, so first delete all partitions on it. After that you can create one big partition of 4TB on it and use that for the data. As long as you don't use a GPT disk to boot into, you can use it as a 2nd disk and don't need an UEFI BIOS.
You don't select "GPT" or "MBR" in the BIOS. You rather set that type of disk when you install the OS. If your BIOS is UEFI and set to UEFI mode, and you boot from your Windows installation DVD, you will have 2 options to boot from for that DVD in your BIOS, UEFI and normal. Select UEFI, and then Windows will automatically create a GPT disk from your HD, provided there are no partitions on it.
best of luck,
gabo_e