Missing Disk Capacity, and Misallocated Reserved Partitions. Oh My!

D

djfunz

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
161
Hello everyone,

So the title basically describes my next bit of confusion. I have a 128 GB SSD, and (2) 3 TB HDDs. The attached Disk Management screenshot tells the tale in better detail.

2nqa5is.png
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One HDD detects the capacity as it should. Almost 3 TB. The issue is that misallocated reserve partition. I've installed Windows 8 three times now and it always allocates the reserve partition on the HDD rather than the SSD. Any way around this? I tried coping all the relevant boot files using the cmd line to no avail. I can't move 'system from the HDD to the SSD.

Second issue. One of the 3 TB HDDs aren't being recognized for its full capacity. Try as I might, it only reads as 746 GB. I read a little bit about Intel's Rapid Storage technology and the tool on the site didn't recognize my hardware for some reason. I have RAID selected in my BIOS rather than AHCI. The second 3 TB HDD reads as 3 TB with no issue.

I'm really lost here and would appreciate any insight. Thanks
 
Without having actually looked at the links, google throws up a bunch of stuff about how to fix an issue when you search for "3TB drive 746gb".
 
For the reserved partition deal, I always just unplug everything except for the boot drive of course. What motherboard you using?
 
Hi again everyone. I added some additional troubleshooting information below.

OS is Win 8 x64
The rest of the hardware is in my sig.

I previously tried updating the Intel RST drivers and receive the following error below.

"This computer does not meet the minimum requirements for installing the software."

I did a Google search for the received error that didn't result in anything helpful.

It's definitely the Intel Controllers because the HDD that's connected to the Marvel Controller shows the correct capacity in Disk Manager.

c7nsw.png


As shown in the screen shot, the Storage Controllers are (according to Windows) using the latest drivers.

Regarding the misallocated partitions, I originally attempted to re-install Windows with all the other drives disconnected except the SSD. After the installation, I reconnected the HHDs and Windows wouldn't boot.
 
For now, I've switched to AHCI in the BIOS and all the drives capacity lists correctly in Disk Management.

It's disappointing though, because my plan was to configure RAID 1 using the two 3 TB HHDs.
 
You sure you have the right drivers selected?

Intel® RSTe AHCI & SCU Software RAID driver for Windows*

This download provides support for the Intel® C600/C222/C224/C226 chipsets on both AHCI Capable SATA Controller and SATA/SAS Capable Controller in Intel® Rapid Storage Technology enterprise (Intel® RSTe) mode.

Package Version = 3.5.1.1009
The iaStorA driver version is 3.5.1.1008
The iaStorS driver version is 3.5.1.1008
The iaStorA Win8/Win2012 driver version is 3.5.1.1008
The iaStorS Win8/Win2012 driver version is 3.5.1.1008
Click to expand...

As far as the 2TB thing, is the drive set up with MBR or GPT?
 
Since you seem a little new for this, I wouldn't recommend RAID1.

Windows won't boot when you install with only the SSD because you didn't put the SSD first in the BIOS.
 
The reason Windows wouldn't boot after re-plugging in the other hard drives most likely has to do with the boot order in the bios. After installing Windows on the SSD, ensure that boot order settings in BIOS are correct(SSD first)

Second, I can tell from your screenshot that your 3TB drives are set-up with MBR. That's what causing the odd partition splitting. For any drives larger than 2TB, you should/must use GPT. Disk Manager should give you the option to "convert", the other option being using the commandline program diskpart to clean the disks and then re-initalize them(either in diskpart or disk management) as GPT. See the following link on how to use diskpart: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html
 
The MBR on the 3 TB drive limits the usable space to about 2 TB. Windows will not let you convert the 3TB MBR drive to GPT as long as the boot loader resides on it. So before even trying that you need to reinstall on the SSD only. Like Chilly said you should make sure the SSD is considered the boot drive, a common approach is to just disconnect everything else.

In case you want to use the 3 TB as a boot drive with all space available you have to make sure the PC boots the install media in EFI mode. Only in EFI mode you can partition boot drives with GPT.
 
I'm in the process of moving so I haven't been online for a little while. I should also work on my clarity.

Disk 0 in my first screenshot is the disk with the capacity issue. That's a 3TB HDD. It's listed at 746.39 GB. I tried setting up GPT and it's still lists as 746.39 GB. My guess is that the problem lies in the Intel RST drivers, but I can't seem to install them hence the error I attached on my second screenshot. If I move the affected drive to a Marvell Controller it lists the correct capacity. Keep in mind this capacity issue only occurs when I have RAID selected in the BIOS. AHCI works fine. Does that theory line up with the others here?

@Aesma, While I respect your suggestion, simply recommending that someone avoid RAID altogether because their new, falls right into the stereotypical arrogant IT mentality. It's completely counterintuitive to what a forum and community was designed to implement. Learning and helping one another. I fail to see how your "suggestion" does either. Case in point, I was "new" to water-cooling as well, but I'd like to think I built a pretty solid rig for myself these last couple of months just from learning and reading in forums.

That rant aside, I never had an issue with booting solely from an SSD. It's possible that after I re-connected HDDs, they somehow gained boot priority though. I will confirm that today and report back. I still am rather confused why the Intel RST drivers produce the error when I try to install the latest version 11.6
 
Well, that makes it a bit tricky. Can you post a screenshot of the Intel RST Software? Or alternatively of the RAID BIOS drive configuration?

I just checked with my Win8 PC and in fact Win8 seems to boot from its system partition. But my partition layout looks different (300 MB restore, 100 MB EFI, 2.8 TB system/boot), my only explanation is that it is an EFI system.
 
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