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How can I check how big a hard drive i can install

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Hi I have just bouhgt a 2nd hand desktop pc it runs win xp from an pentium 4 2.8ghz, 512 mb ram(upgradable to 4gb).
it currently only has 40gb HD so i was looking to maybe install a 2nd,

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Clarifications

In reply to How can I check how big a hard drive i can install

Clarifications

XP Service Pack?

In reply to How can I check how big a hard drive i can install

How big depends more on which service pack you have installed.

I believe for the original release of XP, you did have a 137GB hard drive limit.

With Service Pack 1, came the changes to the disk and partition tables that allow at least a 1TB hard drive.

One other thing to consider is does the power supply have enough extra capacity to handle a second hard drive and more RAM?

If the air coming out the back is very warm, you may need a large power supply to handle additional hardware.

Chas

XP service pack 3

In reply to XP Service Pack?

Hi I got service pack 3 installed, as for the ram I have 4 slots which can each take 1gb, as for the air out my pc i’ve been on line for a few minutes and not warm at all at the mo.
Does it not matter about my bios or anything else. Is it purely down to my o/s

48 bit Logical Block Addressing and BIOS

In reply to XP service pack 3

Go here to learn about the 137 GB limit and 48 Bit LBA.

http://www.48bitlba.com/overview.htm

Your OS and your BIOS both need to support 48Bit LBA.

48-Bit LBA Support for ATAPI Disk Drives in Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305098

“Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 (SP2) and earlier versions of Windows 2000 do not support 48-bit Logical Block Addressing (LBA) as defined in the ATA/ATAPI 6.0 specification. ”

How to enable 48-bit Logical Block Addressing support for ATAPI disk drives in Windows XP. (refers to XP_SP1)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/303013

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