How to re-initialize Vista extra hard-drive

[reekeekee]

Hi,

I purchased a Hitachi 3TB drive for my 64bit Vista system as an extra drive for storage (not for OS booting). However, I chose to initialize the disk in the Computer Manager as a 2TB disk sort of by accident. I can't remember the exact terminology the window presented, but one was to handle the standard limitation of 2TB and the other option could take full advantage of the 3TB drive. Once I selected the 2TB option, I could not go back and de-select or change it to the 3TB option. I decided to go ahead and format the new drive anyways. As I sit here waiting for the formating to complete, and hoping that I will have the opportunity to re-initialize it to the 3TB option, I wanted to ask this community of folks if they could provide the guidance on how I can re-initialize to take full advantage of the 3TB and have it appear as one volume. Again, this new drive will not be the boot disk.

Attached is a screen shot. That little window that says Properties and then Help, is where it used to say 'initialize'. So how do I get back to that so I can choose the 3TB option? Many thanks...

[reekeekee]

Figured it out from: Change a Master Boot Record Disk into a GUID Partition Table Disk
To change a master boot record disk into a GUID partition table disk using a command line

1. Back up or move the data on the basic master boot record (MBR) disk you want to convert into a GUID partition table (GPT) disk.
2. Open an elevated command prompt (right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as Administrator) and type diskpart. If the disk does not contain any partitions or volumes, skip to step 6.
3. At the DISKPART prompt, type list disk. Make note of the disk number you want to convert.
4. At the DISKPART prompt, type select disk <disknumber>.
5. At the DISKPART prompt, type clean.
   Important Running the clean command will delete all partitions or volumes on the disk.
6. At the DISKPART prompt, type convert gpt.

After the above, then the disk appears as a 2.9 TB disk and I could configure and format it through the Computer Management window interface.
Hope this helps someone else.

[Taxmancometh]

In computer management just allocate the remaining 700 GBs. Or should I say format it.

You may need this program to combine the two partitions. EaseUS Partition Master Freeware download and reviews from SnapFiles

[reekeekee]

I love your name, Tax man. Indeed there are few things one cannot avoid and Taxes are one of them. Well, that is unless you shop online at a store with headquarters outside your state. But that benefit will disappear soon.

Regarding the formatting of the remaining partition, then one would have two drives on the physical 3tb disk, correct? My system is 8 hours into reformatting the drive right now after following the instructions I posted and using Diskpart to change the format from mbr to gpt. And, had I known to formulate my question as that, "how to change format from mbr to gbt" I would have arrived at the answer sooner. This info did not seem to be a part of the threads I had been following. Thanks, RKK