Installing new 4TB Hard Drive with GPT won't format

Tried it in my external enclosure would windows just freezes with it. Think im going to return it and just buy a 2TB one instead

Hi,

I have run to the similar issue described in this thread but I have not given up yet and trying to get a smaller HD as I need a decent size for the next few years. I need to make this work...but actually stuck.

The HD in question is SSHD ST4000DX001, it will only be used for data not booting. OP system is Win7-64bit home premium. I have done the following, all of them yield to the same result.

My first attempt can be seen here:
https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2414683

I got a replacement HD of the exact same model, and unfortunately the exact same thing happened. I can recover it from freezing up the whole system by using "Clean" command from "Diskpart"

I have tried extending it using seagate drive wizard, I have tried have one big partition via disk manager under GPT format (A QUICK format took almost 12 hours, and when it was completed, it couldn't sign the volume name and just frozen and prevent me to restart again - I formatted from the dos format, it asks the volume name when it just completed). For some reason, computer tends to frozen up when I format using the windows interface for a long time.

Tried again with MBR this time after doing the clean command from the Diskpart, 2tb + 1.7tb, the 1.7tb quick format was a flash, 2tb formatting took a long time....couldnt see the screen again when I came back (it has turn the screen off - CPU still running), so I took it, it has frozen up....which is a common theme everytime I'm trying to 'initialise' this new HD

I have installed few HD before, none of them had to be this difficult. The system itself is generally healthy without the 4tb....but hard for me to accept receiving 2 defective HD, and it seems brand new again after the clean command....so hoping it is something that I am doing.

Any thoughts idea, what I have done wrong??

ASRock > 3TB+ Unlocker

^^^ i post this link as an example

the problem first and foremost is the motherboard whether it is BIOS or EFI and the firmware that deals with the hard drives. If you are using BIOS you most likely will NOT be able to use a hard drive greater than 2TB. You pretty much need EFI, and even then if it's an old motherboard with older EFI firmware you still may not be able to use 4-6 TB drives you need to verify with the motherboard manufacturer if what you have supports the hard drive you are wanting to use.
When booting hit F2 or DEL to go into your BIOS/EFI screen and check to see if your hard drive is shown, if it is not then stop right there Microsoft Windows or whatever operating system you plan to use has nothing to do with it.

you can also check here: Beyond 2TB | Seagate

For data drives it doesn't matter if EFI or BIOS. I have a regular BIOS and use a 3TB Seagate for data backup without any issues. However, it matters when you want to boot from that large drive. If I am wrong with this one, hopefully someone will correct me. :)

Did you try other SATA ports?
Perhaps your motherboard has a secondary SATA controller? You can try plugging to that too.

Overall requirements for a bootable system volume (with drive over 2.2TB):
The disk must be initialized by using GPT.
The system firmware must use UEFI.
The Windows version must be 64-bit

Note Windows does not support starting GPT-initialized volumes by using UEFI systems on 32-bit versions of Windows. Also, legacy BIOS systems do not support starting GPT-partitioned volumes.

From here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2581408

ron7000 said:

ASRock > 3TB+ Unlocker

^^^ i post this link as an example

When booting hit F2 or DEL to go into your BIOS/EFI screen and check to see if your hard drive is shown, if it is not then stop right there Microsoft Windows or whatever operating system you plan to use has nothing to do with it.

you can also check here: Beyond 2TB | Seagate

I haven't tried that asrock but will give a good read.

I have followed that Seagate to the dot which basically just says download seagate disk wizard which I have done and tried to use too...only partially successful at the moment. What I meant by that, the last attempt in trying to initialise it as an MBR, it managed to split to two, one 2TB and another one 1.7Tb, the 1.7Tb seems usable, when trying to format the 2Tb it always failed....to the blue screen of death.

The first initalisation to GPT didnt work well when formatting hence trying to compromise with two partitions but even then unable to access the full capacity.

Weirdly enough, the interface for the 2nd partition is SCSI instead of primary/logical...not sure if that's good or bad. I cannot combine the two partitions anymore in trying to initialize with GPT now. Disk wizard said please erase the extended capacity first, when trying to erase it it says the 2Tb is not initialised so it went in a loop.

Trying to clean all via disk part to also no luck.

Yes the BIOS picked up the new HD on all ports no issue.

I'm not sure if anyone else experience this but this happened to both HD (prior and the replacement that I am trying to get it to work), if the format failed I cannot access windows anymore the only way for me to gain back access is to do USB recovery, command prompt, diskpart, clean the disk and I get the windows back. Otherwise it would just go to blank screen if I wait long enough, blue screen of death came up and going over and over.

CountryBumkin said:

Overall requirements for a bootable system volume (with drive over 2.2TB):
The disk must be initialized by using GPT.
The system firmware must use UEFI.
The Windows version must be 64-bit

Note Windows does not support starting GPT-initialized volumes by using UEFI systems on 32-bit versions of Windows. Also, legacy BIOS systems do not support starting GPT-partitioned volumes.

From here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2581408

Thanks but I do NOT want this to be a bootable. I have an SSD to do that for the OS. If it's for data in one partition, shouldnt it be initialised with GPT? which I cannot do now as it managed to separate to two when trying it with MBR (See the above post). Anyonone know how to combine it back to one partition again, the other partition has SCSI interface.

The windows is 64 bit. not sure with this UEFI system, the mother board is Intel DH67BL

GokAy said:

For data drives it doesn't matter if EFI or BIOS. I have a regular BIOS and use a 3TB Seagate for data backup without any issues. However, it matters when you want to boot from that large drive. If I am wrong with this one, hopefully someone will correct me. :)

Did you try other SATA ports?
Perhaps your motherboard has a secondary SATA controller? You can try plugging to that too.

No, it's not for booting just data. Yes I have tried all 4 SATA ports available on my mother board Intel DH67BL all same result so I assume it's not the connection - what does the secondary SATA controller looks like?

It would be SATA ports with a different color.

Try: deleting the partitions on 4TB and re-initializing afterwards.
You can also try using Partition Wizard free.

GokAy said:

It would be SATA ports with a different color.

Try: deleting the partitions on 4TB and re-initializing afterwards.
You can also try using Partition Wizard free.

I have tried to use minitool to buldoze the partition but blue screen of death appeared after stuck at 50%. so I tried clean all which took hours but partition still exist.

I have 5 SATA ports with three different colours (two with 6GBPs, two with 3GBPs and the third one is purple labelled as eSATA). Is the last one is what you referring to? am I supposed to stick it there?