WD Red 3TB external HDD showing up as 746GB

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  1. Posts : 8
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1
       #1

    WD Red 3TB external HDD showing up as 746GB


    Hi all, total newbie so I hope I'm posting in the right place & pls excuse any errors. I've been googling this issue all afternoon and it seems like a common problem, although none of the solutions I've found so far have worked for me, or there were slight differences (e.g. they were using as an internal HDD for a pc, not external usb drive for a laptop).

    I've been using an Icy Box 2-bay external Jbod enclosure containing a Seagate Barracuda Green 2TB HDD with no problems, either attached directly to my Win 7 laptop via usb 2, or attached to my Buffalo Linkstation 1TB NAS. I needed to expand the storage, so I bought a Western Digital Red 3TB NAS HDD and put that in the second bay of the Icy Box. The problem is it only shows up as 746GB, not 3TB. In windows disk management, it shows up as 746.39 GB NTFS Healthy (Primary Partition).

    Tried the following solutions from other threads:
    I initialized it as GPT and formatted but could only get one partition, max 746GB.

    Windows says the driver for the WD drive is up to date.

    Tried downloading and installing Intel Rapid Storage Technology 10.1 but got error message “This computer does not meet the minimum requirements for installing”. IRST 12.9 works fine, but doesn't see the WD 3TB drive at all.

    Tried installing EaseUS partition master, deleted the existing partition on the 3TB drive, but EaseUS only recognizes 746GB on this drive too. Can't move the partitions because it still only sees 746GB on the drive. Exactly the same as windows disk management.

    I emailed WD. At first, they said the drive has the wrong firmware on it and I should return it to the reseller for an exchange. I asked whether I could upgrade the firmware, but they then said that the drive has got the wrong label on it. So, if I'm to understand correctly, I've been sold a 746GB drive with a label on it for a 3TB drive. I find this a bit odd, especially given how common this issue seems to be. I've asked them about the common issue of 3TB drives showing up as 746GB, and am awaiting reply.

    In the meantime, I'd appreciate any other suggestions. At the moment I'm leaning toward sending it back and buying a 2TB Seagate drive instead, as I know these work with my setup.
    Many thanks
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 5,656
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #2

    Hmm, are you sure your enclosure support GPT drives? Also, is your other 2 TB HDD MBR or GPT? Maybe they don't mix well. Try removing the other HDD from enclosure and try with the 3TB only.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 8
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1
    Thread Starter
       #3

    GokAy said:
    Hmm, are you sure your enclosure support GPT drives? Also, is your other 2 TB HDD MBR or GPT? Maybe they don't mix well. Try removing the other HDD from enclosure and try with the 3TB only.
    Thanks, good question! It's a pretty old enclosure, but it does claim to support unlimited HDD capacity, which was why I thought I could push it a bit with a 3TB. No specific mention of GPT...here's the manual....
    http://www.raidsonic.de/data/allgeme...-3221StU-B.pdf
    Could that be the problem?

    The 2TB is MBR. I've tried changing the 3TB to MBR but made no difference. I couldn't change the 2TB to GPT until I've got somewhere else to put all the data (its full....hence the upgrade).

    Removing the 2TB and just using the 3TB doesn't seem to make any difference.

    The 10.1 version of Intel RST seems to have solved it for most people, any ideas why I can't install it on windows 7? *
    Last edited by NotGettinJunger; 01 Jun 2015 at 13:56. Reason: *Edit - I just read the IRST solution only applies to internal HDDs
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 5,656
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #4

    Sorry to give you the bad news, this model doesn't support above 2TB.

    Please read Google Translate

    A Czech site, thanks to google translate :)

    3TB will be limited to 2.2TB if formatted MBR. You can try to create 2 partitions (2+1)TB MBR, but not sure if it would work with the enclosure.

    MBR format of 3TB drive in Windows 7 - Hard Drives - Storage
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 8
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1
    Thread Starter
       #5

    GokAy said:
    Sorry to give you the bad news, this model doesn't support above 2TB.

    Please read Google Translate

    A Czech site, thanks to google translate :)
    Oh, that's disappointing! The whole reason I bought the enclosure was because it claimed to have unlimited HDD capacity, and I planned to gradually add bigger drives as storage got cheaper, without having to keep buying a new enclosure every few years.

    Kudos for finding that thread though, gotta love google translate!

    GokAy said:

    3TB will be limited to 2.2TB if formatted MBR. You can try to create 2 partitions (2+1)TB MBR, but not sure if it would work with the enclosure.

    MBR format of 3TB drive in Windows 7 - Hard Drives - Storage
    How would I create the 2 partitions if both windows disk manager and EaseUS partition manager are only seeing 746GB total available space? I can't even make one 1TB partition. I tried initializing the HDD as MBR but the total space still showed as 746GB.

    Do you think there's any likelihood that the WD tech support guy was right about the drive having the wrong label on it?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 5,656
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #6

    Can you take it a friend with a PC? That would clear any questions. Or perhaps take to the shop where you bought it.

    Googling the drive name might help as well.

    You can also connect it from ESATA, if your laptop has a port. It would be fast too. You can go as cheap as ESATA to SATA cable and a 12/5V 2Amp adapter with a molex/SATA power connector. Something like this:

    Addonics Product: 12V Power Adapter for SATA Drive and External Drive System

    Amazon.com: Coolerguys 100-240v AC to 12 & 5v DC 4pin Molex 2A Power Adapter: Electronics

    Or get a dock for it (better of course).

    I use the ESATA/SATA cable + power supply combo, as follows:
    WD Red 3TB external HDD showing up as 746GB-esata-connections.jpg

    WD Red 3TB external HDD showing up as 746GB-esata-power-supply.jpg
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 611
    Windows 8.1
       #7

    May I suggest this -- Troubleshooting hard drive issues - ThinkPad - Lenovo Support (US)


    --Idea--
    You may actually have a problem with your BIOS on the laptop not reading larger drives, which would depend on your Laptop model / age. If this is the case, there may be a BIOS patch available from Lenovo for it.
    --End--

    Although because the Drive is still being forced through the Icybox, the 10% loss still applies to the drive. When you would format it in an operationally ready state, its actual amount would be about 2.7TB.

    So it could be that the BIOS of your ICYbox cannot read the other platters in the disk drive. I would suggest hooking it up to a desktop or laptop for testing...
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 5,656
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #8

    I hope you are correct Sniper :) it would save OP many trouble.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 8
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1
    Thread Starter
       #9

    GokAy said:
    Can you take it a friend with a PC? That would clear any questions. Or perhaps take to the shop where you bought it.

    Googling the drive name might help as well.

    You can also connect it from ESATA, if your laptop has a port. It would be fast too. You can go as cheap as ESATA to SATA cable and a 12/5V 2Amp adapter with a molex/SATA power connector.
    Hmm, I got it from amazon. They have approved a return for refund, so I always have the option to start over!

    I have one of those SATA adapters somewhere that I bought when a laptop died and I needed to recover the data from the HDD. I'll have a look for it. Would need to get one of the power cables though. This might work for temporarily checking the drive but no good for long term use because the whole point of the setup was to have the drive attached to my NAS so I can backup & stream from around the house. I don't have much desk space so the extra drives are in a different room from where I work.


    Windows Sniper said:
    May I suggest this -- Troubleshooting hard drive issues - ThinkPad - Lenovo Support (US)

    --Idea--
    You may actually have a problem with your BIOS on the laptop not reading larger drives, which would depend on your Laptop model / age. If this is the case, there may be a BIOS patch available from Lenovo for it.
    --End--

    So it could be that the BIOS of your ICYbox cannot read the other platters in the disk drive. I would suggest hooking it up to a desktop or laptop for testing...
    Thanks for this idea, I'll try contacting Lenovo, they may be able to tell me. The laptop is about 3 years old.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 611
    Windows 8.1
       #10

    Windows Sniper said:
    Although because the Drive is still being forced through the Icybox, the 10% loss still applies to the drive. When you would format it in an operationally ready state, its actual amount would be about 2.7TB.

    So it could be that the BIOS of your ICYbox cannot read the other platters in the disk drive. I would suggest hooking it up to a desktop or laptop for testing...
    NotGettinJunger said:
    Windows Sniper said:
    May I suggest this -- Troubleshooting hard drive issues - ThinkPad - Lenovo Support (US)

    --Idea--
    You may actually have a problem with your BIOS on the laptop not reading larger drives, which would depend on your Laptop model / age. If this is the case, there may be a BIOS patch available from Lenovo for it.
    --End--

    So it could be that the BIOS of your ICYbox cannot read the other platters in the disk drive. I would suggest hooking it up to a desktop or laptop for testing...
    Thanks for this idea, I'll try contacting Lenovo, they may be able to tell me. The laptop is about 3 years old.
    I think you missed my last added comment in there. You may want to check this too.
      My Computer


 
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