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MM-o4 · Jul 21, 2004, 11:51 PM

Hi guys I have been having a problem with a 200Gb harddrive that I want to install in a G4 Dual 533 running OSX.

The drive was originally in a FireWire case that was capped at 136Gb.

I have taken the drive out but when I reformat it in the G4 I only get the 136Gb but I know it's 200Gb. I have put in a XP box which tells me it's size is 200GB but will not mount it.

Any ideas how I can get correct size in OSX?

Any help will be great cause I'm out of ideas

MM-o4

Lateralus · Jul 21, 2004, 11:54 PM

Your G4 is only capable of recognizing up to 136GBs per hard drive. To get past the limitation, you would need to purchase a new ATA PCI card.

MM-o4 · Jul 22, 2004, 01:37 AM

thanks 'PowerMacMan' much appreciated

Looks like I'll be getting a new Firewire drive that can read 200GB harddrive.

MM-o4

MM-o4 · Jul 22, 2004, 02:52 AM

well I guess persistance pays off.
I updated the dirvers in XP on the drive. But it still did not mount in XP. Then put it in a G4 MMD and initalized it. The MMD saw it as the 200Gb . whooohooo

So I though might just try it one more time in the G4 Dual 533. Guess what? 200Gb of funness to be had

So 'PowerMacMan' but we have both learnt something new

MM-o4

Scotttheking · Jul 22, 2004, 03:14 AM

Originally posted by MM-o4:
well I guess persistance pays off.
I updated the dirvers in XP on the drive. But it still did not mount in XP. Then put it in a G4 MMD and initalized it. The MMD saw it as the 200Gb . whooohooo
So I though might just try it one more time in the G4 Dual 533. Guess what? 200Gb of funness to be had

So 'PowerMacMan' but we have both learnt something new

MM-o4

G4 MDD has a newer drive controller that will see all 200GB.
Your 533 onboard ATA controller won't see it. The 200GB you are seeing on the 533 is nice, now try and write to it all. Don't come crying if you get massive data corruption. Your partition table shows 200GB, so that's what the OS reports, even though the drive controller can't write to it all.

MM-o4 · Jul 22, 2004, 05:56 PM

Ok cool.

Thanks Scotttheking thats why I'm in these forums for the knowledge that I don't have.
I thought if it could see it, you can use it. But definitely not interested in data loss. It's on a work machine were data is very important.

Would partitioning help? Or because it the one drive it's never gunna happen?
Well I should just be happy to get back the extra space. 50Gb extra (186GB formatted) is nothing to sneeze at.

Thanks guys I really appreciate your help

MM-o4

Lateralus · Jul 22, 2004, 05:59 PM

Originally posted by MM-o4:
Would partitioning help? Or because it the one drive it's never gunna happen?

Unfortunately not. The limitation is on the drive itself.

Eriamjh · Jul 25, 2004, 12:21 PM

You can use that drive and see all 200GB in your 533 if you put in an ATA133 PCI drive controller. The ATA66 controller in your 533 just doesn't have enough bits to access the whole 200GB.