Solved esata does not see full ntfs drive

[catman275]

Hi all
I have a PK5 premium m/b desktop, using esata connections for my two external drives, a 750g and a 1T both WD in Akasa Integral boxes working ok.
I can remove them from esata and connect by usb to my laptop ....works fine. Both using win 7 64.

I bought a new 2T Wd and fitted it in an another Akasa Integral box.

I formatted it ntfs on my laptop and connected it onto the desktop by esata.
The esata connection on the desktop saw it as a 232gdrive with 1600g unallocated.
I tried it with the usb on the desktop and it saw the full 2T(or thereabouts).

I reformatted it on esata and when connected by usb it said it needed formatting.
I was getting a bit confused about this.
The drive is not for an OS, just for duplicate backups of family home movies photos, 3 different laptop images etc.

I tried several different combinations including using different esata sockets, eventually reformatting it Exfat.
That seems to work, but I dont know about putting backup images on the drive.
Will an ntfs image saved on Exfat work?
I would be grateful for any comments or guidance on this.
Thanks Peter

 

[whs]

This is indeed a strange phenomenon. When you say you formatted the disk, did you also define a partition. If no, I would try that first. I don't think exFat is such a swift idea.

 

[catman275]

This is indeed a strange phenomenon. When you say you formatted the disk, did you also define a partition. If no, I would try that first. I don't think exFat is such a swift idea.

Hello again,thanks for the reply
I tried again this morning.
created partition, formatted ntfs on esata.
changed back to usb and the message said that drive needed formatting.

deleted partition on usb, created new partition on usb
formatted ntfs, swapped back to esata.... message says formatting needed.
I cant understand.
I am going to take a sata drive out of my desktop and fit the new one in there and try that way.
The exfat seems not to work now so I will forget about that.
One of the times I formatted on the usb it gave me about 6 partitions.perhaps the drive is at fault?

cheers Peter

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
If this isn't a boot disk try converting it to a GPT Disk. If it's not a boot disk then you don't need UEFI and you can convert to GPT.

This will allow you to read / write disks > 2 TB without any problem. The maximum size for an MBR disk is 2.2 TB so your disk is just on the borderline for MBR. I'd tend to use GPT especially if it's not a boot disk.

The GPT disk will work just fine on your laptop as well. The Esata thing might be hosing it up --but GPT will work.

The 2TB drive might be SATA rather than esata. Try using a SATA==>USB connector for testing on your desktop -- open the case and connect the SATA power to the SATA power on the disk and the USB connector to a USB slot on the PC and see if the drive works.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[catman275]

Hello all again,
Well I got home from work this evening 9pm.
Started trying things out.
I fitted the 2T drive into my desktop converted to GPT and partitioned and formatted it.
Replaced it in the enclosure....no change... recognised on esata not on usb
I tried a drive from my desktop...still not working.

I then put the new drive into one of my original enclosures ....and it worked!
I put the old drive into the new enclosure that worked too.

I was getting tired at this point so I replaced things as they were originally checked the desktop booted ok and turned it all off.
So it appears to work with swapped drives.
I will sort it all out properly when I have more time am not so tired and report on on it then.
Cheers Peter

 

[catman275]

Hi all again,
Well it looks as if swapping new drive to old enclosure and old drive to new enclosure is the answer.
They all work in esata and usb modes which is what I wanted.

The only difference that I can make out is that the old enclosure(blue) supports up to win xp and older operating systems.(it worked on win 7 as well)
The new enclosure(black) supports up to win 7(which it didn't)
I may have had a faulty one, but it works now so I am happy.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
Best wishes to you all Peter