GPT partition

[Popinjay]

I recently got a 4T hard drive.  I partition it all at GPT...windows lets me partition it, but even after it is partitioned it doesn't show up under "my computer" even though it shows up in administrative tools.

I want to install windows on it, but windows says it will not install on GPT.  These may be two separate problems.

My motherboard is a: GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD3P-B3 ATX Intel.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

Pop

[Geek-9pm]

You need to tell what OS you want to install.
I assume Vista.
Do you have a special need to use GPT?
What tool did you use to make the drive GPT?
Here is one of many similar posts found in a search.
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1946520/unable-install-windows-vista-gpt-partition-error.html
To use GPT, you ought to be using a64 bit OS.
Here is another post elsewhere.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn336946.aspx
That post indicates taht the setup program itself mujst be used to fprmat the partition. You must select custom install.
Does that help any? 

[patio]

It will not be visible until after it's formatted...

[Popinjay]

I THINK I need the GPT in order to use more than 2T of the 4t HD right?  When I use the other formatting style (MBD I believe), it will split the drive into two unallocated spaces.  I can format one of them up to about 2t, but it will not let me create the other partition....  I would hate for 1/2 of the drive I just bought to be wasted...

As for formatting, I believe it is formatting as GPT.  I set it up as GPT, and then I quick format the partition using the administrative tools.  I have also used a program called  AOME.

Pop

[patio]

MBR and GPT are the partitioning schemes...
When you formatted it what file system did you chooes ? ?

BTW if you were to use MBR the 2nd TB of the drive would simply become another drive...which can then be used for storage.

[Popinjay]

NTFS.  When I try to create a second partition out of the unallocated space in MBR format it says that the drive has more than 2t and I should change to GPT, and simply won't let me do it.

[Popinjay]

I don't know if it matters, but it is windows 7 and I have a hybrid drive.

[Popinjay]

I used the  EFI DVD bios setting for windows and still no luck.

Any help?

Pop

[Geek-9pm]

I don't know if it matters, but it is windows 7 and I have a hybrid drive.

Did you say Windows 7 Pro 674 bit?

[jason2074]

What 4 TB brand do you use? http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/218619en
Worth a look http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/319552-installing-new-4tb-hard-drive-gpt-won-t-format.html

[Popinjay]

It is a seagate.

[patio]

Personally i'd make it MBR with 3 1.3 T partitions...you Don't lose space doing so.

[Popinjay]

It doesn't seem to let me use more than 2t not matter how many partitions I make using mbr...

?

[patio]

You cannot...See Above ...

[Geek-9pm]

From another forum:

In MBR mode, Windows will only use the first 2TiB of the drive. To utilise the remainder, you could use a tool such as DiscWizard or Acronis Extended Capacity Manager. This makes the remaining space appear to the OS as a "virtual physical drive".

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2064383/3tb-split-mbr.html
Acronis Extended Capacity Manager.
http://www.acronis.com/en-gb/support/documentation/ATIH2012/index.html#15443.html

The Acronis Extended Capacity Manager allows your operating system support large capacity disks with the MBR partition style. You are able to use the disk space beyond 2 TB. This free space will be recognized as a separate disk, and will be usable by your operating system and applications as if it was a regular physical hard disk.

Acronis Extended Capacity Manager wizard displays all hard disks larger than 2 TB (unallocated or with MBR partition style). You can see the disk space which Windows recognizes and allocates. This space is called Windows Native Capacity in the wizard.
The space beyond 2 TB is displayed as Extended Capacity. You can enable Extended Capacity Disks, and once it is done, this space becomes visible to the operating system and ready for disk management operations.

Did the OP ever confirm he is using 64 bit Windows 7?

[Popinjay]

Thanks guys.  Managed to get it to install with Jason's info.

Having a new problem now.  The dual booted partition will not allow me to write to it when I am booted in my original OS.  The folders seem to be marked "read only", but I can't change them.  I use a script to take ownership, but that doesn't seem to fix the problem.  I can write to the other partition of the same drive just fine.

When I try to change security permissions it doesn't allow me.  It simply gives me an error saying that access is denied when trying to apply the changes.

This is a home system and I am on as administrator of course.

Pop

[patio]

You never mentioned the fact you were setting up a dual-boot scenario...
Now we're gonna need more info.

[Popinjay]

What would you like to know.

The two partitions are not on the same drive.  I added the drive and wanted to add windows to it.  Windows is now on it, but I can't write to it when booted to my original OS.

Normally I am not such a total noob at this stuff.  I built my own system, and usually can solve problems on my own by looking around the net, checking out manuals etc.  But from what I can see the security options should be allowing me to write.  THe take ownership script I have doesn't seem to work.  I can't change the read-only properties of the folders in the new OS drive.

Pop

[patio]

So you now have 2 HDD's...with different OS's installed...and one cannot see the other ? ?

[Popinjay]

I actually have more than 2hd in the computer, and both OSes are Windows 7, but that is essentially correct---except that the old OS can "see" the partition the new OS is on, but it can not write anything to it.  Ideally I would like both OSes to be able to access all the drives.

Pop

[Popinjay]

Update: The situation is even weirder.  It turns out I can write into specific folders that already exist, like "windows" on the partition, but not into the base of the drive "eg G"

Pop

[BC_Programmer]

Did the OP ever confirm he is using 64 bit Windows 7?

 In the OP it is mentioned that they created GPT Partitions.

Since 32-bit Windows cannot create GPT partitions, they must have been using 64-bit.

[jason2074]

See this http://www.winhelp.us/ntfs-permissions-in-windows.html
Not applicable for FAT/FAT32, exFAT and not recommended for System partition drives.

[Geek-9pm]

jason2074, excellent reference in the link above.
Thanks. Hope the OP understands the implication.
When you have two Operating Systems using the same hard drive, you can have a permission conflict .

[Popinjay]

Thanks for the info.