Switching from Vista to XP

[Neb2489]

Alright, so I have been through computer he11 in recent months.
We all have the family members that rely on us for full and free tech support, and for me thats my folks.
For the last year they have had constant computer issues (many were likely user error...), so they finally gave in and got a pretty nice looking computer - the m8400f HP Media Center PC, which I snagged off Woot.com for $500
The specs are as follows:

~ Processor: AMD LIVEâ„¢ Smarter Digital Entertainment AMD Phenomâ„¢ 9500 Quad-Core Processor
~ Processor Speed: 2.20GHz
~ Chipset: NVIDIA nForce 430
~ Cache (L2): 2MB L2 + 2MB shared L3 Cache
~ Bus Speed: 2000MHz System Bus
~ Memory: 3072MB PC2-6400 DDR2 SDRAM memory (2×512 and 2×1024 MB for ultimate performance) (expandable to 8GB)
~ Hard Drive: 720GB (2×360GB) 7200RPM SATA hard drive
~ Optical Drive(s): SuperMulti DVD Burner with LightScribe Technology 16x DVDR, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 8x DVD+R DL, 4x DVD-R DL, 5x DVD-RAM, 16x DVD-ROM, 40x CDR, 32x CDRW, 40x CD-ROM
~ Video Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT graphics card with 256MB dedicated video memory, TV-out, DVI, and HDMI capabilities with support for Microsoft® DirectX® 10. Up to 1535MB Total Available Graphics Memory as allocated by Windows Vista
~ Network Interface: Integrated 10/100Base T network interface
~ Sound: High Definition Audio, 8 speaker configurable
~ Fax/Modem: 56k modem
~ Memory Slots: 4 DIMM (240-pin, DDR2) (occupied)
~ Expansion Slots: 1 PCI (occupied) 2 PCI Express x1 (two available) (24) 1 PCI Express x16 (occupied)
~ Expansion Bays: 2 external 5.25” (one available) 1 external 3.5” (occupied) 2 internal 3.5” (occupied)
~ Front panel 15-in-1 memory card reader: supports SmartMedia, xD, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital (SD), Mini Secure Digital, Compact Flash I, Compact Flash II, IBM Microdrive, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro Duo, RSMMC, MMC Mobile, MMC+
~ 6 USB 2.0 ports (2 Front, 4 Back)
~ 2 FireWire® (IEEE 1394) port(s) (1 Front, 1 Back)
~ Headphone; Microphone; Audio left/right-in; S-video; Composite Video (Front)
~ 2 PS/2; Digital Audio Out; LAN; Microphone/Line-in/Line-out; Rear speaker-out; Side speaker out; Center (subwoofer); VGA-out
(Back)
~ Dimensions Unpackaged: 7.60” (W) x 15.16” (L/D) x 16.54” (H) approx.
~ Dimensions Packaged: 19.63” (W) x 22.75” (L/D) x 10.75” (H) approx.
~ Operating System: Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium with Service Pack 1


With my family being rather tech-illiterate, I installed XP Pro instead of the included Vist Home Premium. Made sense to me at the time, as this way they would not have to learn a new OS, and it would make life simpler for me! Well I was very wrong there...
I remarkably found XP drivers for all of the components, and everything seemed just peachy - that is until I looked in My Computer and saw how much harddrive space I had. This computer has 2 360GB hardrives, for a total of 720GB. However, I am only showing 127GB available in each of the two hardrives for a total of a mere 254GB...
So I open up the disk management window, and it shows that both harddrives are indeed 360GB, but the C: is partitioned into 2 partitions - 1 that is 127.99GB, and another that is 207.36GB








*****Update**** I have installed service packs 2 & 3 for XP and this problem is still ongoing

 

[Fat.Clown]

it shows the rest of the drive as unallocated you can right click the unallocated space and select create partition...it will now be the size of the unallocated space, unless you changed the size . it will offer format options as you go through the steps so it will be ready to use when you are done. if you want the entire size of the disk in one partition, you will have to use a program like partition magic to merge the partitions

 

[KSoD]

XP Pre-SP2 had the HDD limit on it of 137GB. After installing XP SP2 you can get the space back but you have to create a new partition for it and format that part of the drive.

If you want it all 1 big drive. Use something like Acronis Disk Director.

 

[eyeCpc]

Actually that was preSP1 for XP or preSP4 for 2000 that saw the 137gb barrier. A good reference for this is seen at http://www.seagate.com/support/kb/disc/tp/137gb.pdf

What you need to do there since the installer was preSP1 apparently for an initial release of XP is use a 3rd partition drive partitioning tool to expand the existing primary or creating a new one in the empty drive space on drive #0 if you decide to dual boot Vista rather then simply see XP replaced.

Another option is to create a second storage partition on the first drive and see Vista go on the second once you decide if you want a single large primary or a second storage partition there as well. That starts becoming a little more complicated for others around you however.

There are several retail partitioning programs as well as the free Linux tool GParted for partitioning and formatting the drives the way you want them. Two drives with two large single primaries or a split on one for a dual boot are the options there.