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NT Server: Need Larger Partition tnan 2 Gig

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Hawki

Programmer
Oct 16, 1999
63
US
I have a Maxtor 11.5 Gig hard drive. When I tried to install NT server, the setup program would not let me create partitions larger than 2 Gig. So, it ment I had to chop up my hard drive into smaller partitions. I have tried formating them in the NTFS format with no luck, it still says I have a 2 GiG limit per partition. I even tried the ATAPI.EXE file off the Internet with no luck. I'm in the process of re-installing NT server and want to improve the partitions size to greater than 2 Gig this time.<br>
<br>
Thank you <br>
<br>
Hawki
 
That's weird since the limit before install is 4GB do to the limit of FAT in Windows NT. Try creating the system partition, then after everything is installed, try creating a larger drive in Windows NT. <p>John D. Saucier<br><a href=mailto:jsauce@net1plus.com>jsauce@net1plus.com</a><br><a href= Backup</a><br>
 
If you do an unattended install you can go to 8 gig. If not then format the disk with fat32 for 4 gig then run install.. 4 gig is max unless you do unattended..
 
It didn't work for me when I tried exactly 4GB (4096MB). Admins at our parent co. said the same thing. I use 4000MB for the system partition. I then do what jsauce is suggesting: install to the system partition, add NT4 SP5, THEN and only then use NT's DIsk Administrator to deal with the rest of the disk.
 
I have used Partition Magic to increase a boot partition's size to 8 Gigs. It worked fine.
 
perhaps create a 3.9G partition, after all 4096Mb IS over 4G technically speaking. I've have success with this take.
 
This works in NT Workstation 4.0, so I do not see why it will not work in Server. I do an unattended FAT install of 1-2GB, installing just the essentials. No Add-Ons. After NT is installed, I go into Disk Administrator and create and format using NTFS the free space on the hard drive. After the conversion is completed, I reboot with Partition Magic in the A: Drive. I then delete Partition One, which housed NT and resize Patition Two that I created in Disk Administaror to 0MB Before (It should already be OMB after) Be careful for patitions that contain diagnostics. Do not delete these partitions. You must then apply all changes and make the new partition active. Exit Patition Magic and reinstall NT to your preferences. <br>
<br>
Note: During Setup do not recreate a partition, use the current one, which should be your hard drive size.<br>
<br>
Good Luck.<br>
<p>Joe<br><a href=mailto: > </a><br><a href= > </a><br>
 
Easiest way that I have found to deal with the problem is to install to a 1-2 GB partition (NTFS). Then when the system is running install SP4 (or SP5)...which is needed to boot an 8 GB partition. Then download the trial version of Symantec's Ghost. Attach a 2nd hard drive (only needs to be 500 mb or so...whatever the size of the data is) and clone from the good hard drive to the temp hard drive and then back again. During the clone back to the good hard drive it will allow you to resize the partition up to 8024 MB i believe.<br>
<br>
good luck
 
Thanks to all of you for your help. What I finally did was:<br>
<br>
1. Use a Windows 95 boot floppy to fdisk the hard drive to create a 4008 Gig partition without formatting the drive<br>
NOTE: Windows 95, 32 bit<br>
2. Booted the system off the NT CD-ROM<br>
3. When it came time for NT Setup to find a partition, it saw the 4Gig.<br>
4. At that time formatted the 4Gig partition in the FAT format.<br>
5. Allowed NT to complete setup<br>
6. After NT was up and running, as Admin formatted the rest of the drive using NTFS.<br>
<br>
Now I have two partitions 4 and 6 Gig. The 4Gig I'm using for the NT operating system and files. The 6Gig I install all the application on.<br>

 
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