DriveStation Quattro 4 TB: how to specify volume sizes with the RAID Setup utility under Windows XP.

[jqjansse]

   

Dear *.*,

 

with a  DriveStation Quattro 4TB under Windows XP, is there a way to instruct the RAID Setup utility to specify another partition/volume repartition than the default 1.99 TB + 745 GB?

 

TIA for your reactions.

 

Kind regards,

 

Jan J.

 

 

[photoeditor]

   I just got mine from UPS today.  I'd also like to know how to change the volume size.  I was hoping that I could have one large volume like on my Terastations.  Please answer our question so that we can get our drives setup and start using them ASAP. 

[jqjansse]

   

Hi photoeditor,

 

if you are using Windows XP, I fear you're in for a nasty surprise.

 

Windows XP has a disk/partition/volume size limit of 2 TB.  This means that you will not be able to create one large volume on the DriveStation Quattro 4 TB configured in the (default) RAID 5 mode.  Theoretically this volume would be 3 TB in size.

 

In the Knowledge base (http://www.buffalotech.com/knowledgebase/users/kb.php?id=10241&category_id=7&sid2=">http://www.buffalotech.com/knowledgebase/users/kb.php?id=10241&category_id=7&sid2=) it is stated that this can be circumvented using the (commercial) GPT Mounter (http://shop.mediafour.com/ProductCart/pc/MainIndex.asp">http://shop.mediafour.com/ProductCart/pc/MainIndex.asp), but this is explicitely denied by the supplier on the product's homepage (http://www.mediafour.com/products/gptmounter/">http://www.mediafour.com/products/gptmounter/).  A previous question about this problem in this forum (http://forums.buffalotech.com/buffalo/board/message?board.id=0101&message.id=1854&query.id=17617#M1854">http://forums.buffalotech.com/buffalo/board/message?board.id=0101&message.id=1854&query.id=17617#M1854) has been left unanswered since November, 24th.

 

Because of the Windows XP limitations the DriveStation Quattro 4 TB will default to creating 2 drives on its RAID 5 disk set: one with the maximum size Windows XP can support (1,99 TB) and one with the space left after that.  In my case the unit came with 4 Samsung HD103UJ drives of 1000.0 GB, which is *not* equal to 4 times 1 TB as Windows count.  Therefore the second drive ended having a 745 GB size.

 

Worse still, this second drive can only be seen in Windows XP when using the USB connection of the DriveStation Quattro 4 TB.  Using the eSATA connection will make the second drive disappear.

 

HTH.

 

Kind regards,

 

Jan J.

 

 

Message Edited by jqjansse on 12-05-2008 01:51 PM

[photoeditor]

   Thanks for the info Jan.  That is really frustrating that they dont disclose any of this informaiton on the product pages.  I bought this specifically to use it with the E-Sata connection and now I cant access 750GB of the drive while connected that way.  I tihink it's rediculous that we have to pay for a program to utilize the full capacity of the drive.  Shame on you buffalo!