(Storage) 3TB recognised as 746GB.

[dgkt77]

Hi all,
Need some help with setting up of my 3TB Toshiba HDD.
i am connecting this 3TB HDD through USB via an enclosure and it is recognised by the computer as only 746GB.

Anyone can guide me on how to fully utilize the full storage space?

My laptop is set to UEFI bios, and under the disk management, i have also deleted the volume from the disk management and have the harddisk set as GPT from MBR, and reformatted it but the storage space is still 746GB. i have also reinstalled the INTEL RST but to no avail.

Any steps i might have missed out?

BTW, i am running on windows 8.1.

Thanks.

 

[Felfirez]

Use Disk Management to set your partition.

 

[12122012]

AIUI, the firmware in most older external enclosures is limited to 32-bit LBAs. This means that the maximum addressable capacity is 2TiB, which corresponds to a maximum LBA of 0xFFFFFFFF.

The USB-SATA bridge chip in the enclosure retrieves the drive's capacity by issuing an ATA Identify Device command. The drive responds with a 512-byte data block which includes its model number, serial number, and capacity. The total number of LBAs is stored by the drive as a 48-bit value. However, because the bridge firmware is limited to 32-bits, the bridge IC reports only the lower 32 bits of the capacity to the host PC.

For example, the WD30EZRS has a capacity of 5860533168 LBAs. The hexadecimal value is 0x15D50A3B0.
5860533168 in hex - Google Search

If we take the lower 32 bits and discard the uppermost bits, then this number reduces to 0x5D50A3B0.

At 512-bytes per LBA, the reported capacity is now only 801GB:
0x5D50A3B0 x 512 in decimal - Google Search

This is equivalent to 746.5 GiB:
0x5D50A3B0 x 512 / (1024^3) - Google Search

Depending on the chip in the enclosure, you may be able to upgrade its firmware so that it supports the full 3TB.

............

 

[dgkt77]

............

Thanks for the clarification. So most probably it is due to my HDD enclosure being unable to support above 2TB HDD. IS there any new harddisk enclosure in the market that supports above that and how much does it approximately cost. Thanks

 

[Felfirez]

Thanks for the clarification. So most probably it is due to my HDD enclosure being unable to support above 2TB HDD. IS there any new harddisk enclosure in the market that supports above that and how much does it approximately cost. Thanks

Try to partition first before buying. If it is chip limit then you'll get 2tb. Then you can go and get a new enclosure for 15-30 depending on where you get it from.

 

[dgkt77]

Try to partition first before buying. If it is chip limit then you'll get 2tb. Then you can go and get a new enclosure for 15-30 depending on where you get it from.

The total unallocated space under disk management shows only 746GB. No other free space.

 

[Coolman]

Thanks for the clarification. So most probably it is due to my HDD enclosure being unable to support above 2TB HDD. IS there any new harddisk enclosure in the market that supports above that and how much does it approximately cost. Thanks

mayb u wan to consider a dockin station wif usb3.0 , something like tis

http://www.amazon.com/KingWin-EZ-Dock-2-5-Inch-3-5-Inch-EZD-2535U3/dp/B00JKM0KUE. but over us125 den got free shipping

there r oso other support 4T version

 

[dgkt77]

mayb u wan to consider a dockin station wif usb3.0 , something like tis

Amazon.com: KingWin EZ-Dock 2.5-Inch/3.5-Inch SATA Hard Drive Dock with USB 3.0 (EZD-2535U3): Computers & Accessories. but over us125 den got free shipping

there r oso other support 4T version

us 125 den got free shipping? WHOAH. Need to buy 5 of them then can get the delivery charges waived?

 

[Coolman]

us 125 den got free shipping? WHOAH. Need to buy 5 of them then can get the delivery charges waived?

y dun u get external hdd in e first place, BF was selling 5t seagate ard usd139, i send warranty to local seagate bought from amazon no problem.

 

[Felfirez]

I still think it's software issue. Driver update for intel RST or something else. Again I'd suggest don't buy a new case yet.

 

[commach]

The USB external enclosure comes with the 3TB drive as a single unit or you DIY the set?

If they bought it as a set, unlikely the problem lies with the USB-SATA bridge chip or the firmware of the external enclosure. As you mentioned, the laptop's comes with UEFI and disk management allowed you to set GPT hence we can safely rule out outdated motherboard chipset and O/S limitation as well.

What left now are more likely lies with the driver for the chipset. Is the laptop using Sandy Bridge platform? If yes, go download the latest chipset driver for the laptop and proceed to update it, don't use the Windows Update service because they might not provide you an updated driver to fix the issue which is a known issue for some Sandy Bridge chipset motherboard recognise only 746GB on larger drive.

You can google "3 or 4 TB drive detected only 746GB" for further information on the updating of the chipset driver.

 

[dgkt77]

The USB external enclosure comes with the 3TB drive as a single unit or you DIY the set?

If they bought it as a set, unlikely the problem lies with the USB-SATA bridge chip or the firmware of the external enclosure. As you mentioned, the laptop's comes with UEFI and disk management allowed you to set GPT hence we can safely rule out outdated motherboard chipset and O/S limitation as well.

What left now are more likely lies with the driver for the chipset. Is the laptop using Sandy Bridge platform? If yes, go download the latest chipset driver for the laptop and proceed to update it, don't use the Windows Update service because they might not provide you an updated driver to fix the issue which is a known issue for some Sandy Bridge chipset motherboard recognise only 746GB on larger drive.

You can google "3 or 4 TB drive detected only 746GB" for further information on the updating of the chipset driver.

I just used my old harddisk enclosure that i was previously using for the last year on my 1TB harddisk. The harddisk enclosure was also purchased separately then.

 

[dgkt77]

I still think it's software issue. Driver update for intel RST or something else. Again I'd suggest don't buy a new case yet.

Thanks for the advice. Been googling the topic on the web for the last few days and tried many of the solutions provided. But none worked.

 

[dgkt77]

I still think it's software issue. Driver update for intel RST or something else. Again I'd suggest don't buy a new case yet.

tempted with the idea of a docking station as suggested by cool man. Will hunt around sim lim for some thing similar.