Max Internal SATA Hard Disk capacity for Asus mobo P5Q

[mwvirk]

i have old asus P5Q mobo and Internal SATA Hard Disk are installed with the size of 1TB (boot) 2x1.5TB (slave) 1x2TB

i want to know what could be the max HD capacity i can use on this mobo. can i use 4 5 or 6 TB - if not then what will be the max size i can use.

 

[trents]

http://forumstest.tweaktown.com/gigabyte/38852-max-hdd-size-p45-boards.html See post #3.

Looks like the HD partition capacity is limited to 2tb unless using GPT partitioning. If you are using Windows 64-bit Vista/7/8/8.1/10 you have GPT capability and no partition size limit on data drives. If you have a non UEFI bios the boot drive will be limited to a 2tb partition. I do not think that motherboard has a UEFI bios.

Check this out too, particularly the paragraph dealing with "Compatibility." http://www.howtogeek.com/193669/whats-the-difference-between-gpt-and-mbr-when-partitioning-a-drive/


"Windows can only boot from GPT on UEFI-based computers running 64-bit versions of Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, and corresponding server versions. All versions of Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, and Vista can read GPT drives and use them for data — they just can’t boot from them without UEFI."

 

[EarthDog]

I'd imagine the mobo manual has the information too...

 

[trents]

From my research, the P45 chipset itself poses no limitation on the size of the hard drive. It's other issues that come into play with regard to the max size of the system drive.

 

[EarthDog]

That is correct. The manual I believe mentions it.

 

[mwvirk]

i want to install additional new HD for data without any partition.
bootable is a separate HD of 1TB
so; mean to say, other than the bootable, i can install additional HD of any size 4/6/8/10TB SATA without making any partition but i have to format it using GPT
i'm using Win-10 - if i plug new SATA HD of size 6 or 8 TB, then windows will deduct it and will give me option to format with GPT

 

[trents]

What you haven't grasped is that any drive must have at least one partition, even if it takes up the whole drive. Partitions in hard drives don't necessarily divide available storage space into two or more compartments like interior walls in a house do. Each partition on a drive reserves space for storage. If you use the whole drive with only one partition, then the drive is not divided.

When you connect the drive, Windows will recognize the drive and prompt you to take the necessary actions to set up a GPT partition.

 

[mwvirk]

If you have a non UEFI bios the boot drive will be limited to a 2tb partition. I do not think that motherboard has a UEFI bios.

thanks for your help. i have windows 10 64 bit and i am planning to buy new HD of 8TB or 10TB for data (not for bootable) - i'm not willing to make any partition.

 

[trents]

thanks for your help. i have windows 10 64 bit and i am planning to buy new HD of 8TB or 10TB for data (not for bootable) - i'm not willing to make any partition.

Windows will make the partition for you when it initializes the drive. The building of the partition will be transparent to you but it will have a partition. No hard drive is readable by the OS until it has a partition.

 

[Theocnoob]

thanks for your help. i have windows 10 64 bit and i am planning to buy new HD of 8TB or 10TB for data (not for bootable) - i'm not willing to make any partition.

Then you won't be able to use the drive. You don't seem to understand what a partition is. You can have a drive with a single partition, where all the usable space on that drive is in that partition, or you can have 2, 3, etc partitions. At least one partition must exist to be able to actually use the drive with your machine. You don't sacrifice anything by having this partition, which the function of the drive depends on. It's just a terminology that's used.

 

[mwvirk]

i assume that you are thinking that i want to install bootable.
i am using c: 1TB NTFS as a bootable.
also have d: 2TB NTFS.
i want to replace my d: 2TB NTFS to 4TB or 5TB or 6TB
i read here that formatting such big HD using GPT will work on this mobo asus p5q (processor is Q6600)- and this is what i want to confirm before buying it.
i can afford 4, 5 or 6TB HD but can't get new rig.
also note that i'm going to save mostly big ISO files of games (some are +50 GB) and will convert my blurays and save on this d: drive (movies might b 4 - 10GB each)
now play confirm if i can really install such big HD

 

[trents]

But what we want you to realize is that whether you realize it or not you will be partitioning those drives one way or the other unless they are already formatted with GPT. You can't format a drive that doesn't have a partition.