Is there a size limit for hdd total gb in xp and vista?

[ingeborgdot]

If there is what is it? 

[Whizbang]

Good question, but I have yet to be able to "Google" up an answer.   ???

[Buffalo2102]

You need to consider the file system, bus type etc., not just the OS when talking about max. storage sizes.

I believe the limit for a single basic volume is 2TB (NTFS).

If you use striped or RAID5 volumes the limit is 64TB.  There are separate limits that define this, like a maximum volume size of 2TB and a max total of 32 disks per volume.  If using RAID5, the limit is 62TB as 2TB is used for the parity imformation.

There are loads of other things to consider when looking at large amounts of storage though - the file system limits are affected by the cluster size that you use - the bus limits (no. of devices) of IDE, SATA compared to SCSI - the fact that you only have 26 drive letters (you can use mounted drives to get around that) - etc.

[Whizbang]

Thanks, Guru Bill, for the intensive enlightenment.   ;)  Reportedly, size is not a significant factor with Linux because the base from which it is constructed is so adaptive to many different file choices, ext, ext2, ext3, Reiserfs, ...etc, and growing.  However, I have not found a very large following for the terrabyte drive, whose main detractors after having purchased one simply say that they are too big; and the installation of which is a bit like a mature childless couple purchasing a hundred-room castle, only to remember that the only visits 90 of the rooms will see is an occasional vacuuming visit from the maid.   ;D

I have decided that multiple drives of much smaller capacity is the much safer and more practical approach.  Also, installing a mobile rack or two that allows instant removal of a SATA drive and instant removal at power down of an IDE drive is by far the most practical and low-wear solution I have found for storage drives, giving anyone the opportunity to have an unlimited number of storage units at quick retrieval capability.

Of course, it was also Bill Gates who said something to the effect that 500Kb should be big enough for anyone.   :o

[Mark H]

It is a bigger volume than I need, so I'm not worried about it.

Mark H