Just converted my systems to Windows 10. Working well, so far.
I would like to install 4TB disks on a couple of the systems and understand that I need to use UEFI.
Looks like my ASUS P8Z68-U GEN 3 MB supports UEFI, but I don't understand how to enable it. The other system has ASUS B85M-E mother board.
I've seen some one paragraph descriptions, but they don't really walk me through the process.
1 - Can I upgrade my existing system without a complete Windows 10 reinstall? I have lots of apps installed so I'd like to avoid complete system rebuilds.
2 - Due to legacy use of Mirrored drives, I'm using the Intel RAID stuff, although I no longer need it. Will that be a problem? SSD and other disks are JBOD. I'd like to get rid of that, but I think that does require a complete system reinstall since disabling the RAID wipes the disk.
Can someone point me to video or other step by step process to convert a system to UEFI to support 4TB disks?
Thanks much,
wg
I just discovered that the ASUS B85M-E mother board system is apparently booting Win 10 with UEFI and has RAID disabled. When I put the 4TB drive inside on a SATA bus it came up fine and I can see all 4TB. Guess I'll try the other system. When attaching the 4TB disk to the system with a USB adapter, It only saw 2TB. Maybe the USB adapter is the problem. Guess the next thing to do is try a 4TB disk in the P8Z68 system and see if it just works.
We'll see.
ww
You don't need UEFI for the drives. You just need to format them as GPT instead of MBR. You can convert an MBR disk to a GPT (for instance with partition wizard). I don't know how easy this would be for you with a boot disk though - you would need to do it outside of windows.
You aren't booting with EFI. You have to have your boot disk formatted GPT, and you have ato have n EFI system partition on it that is used to boot - you do it by creating formatting the disk GPT, then install windows in EFI mode on it. You won't be able to boot full EFI unless you reinstall windows.
You only need UEFI for GPT drives that you want to boot up from. IF all they are going to be used for is storage you do not need UEFI.
Just to clarify. You initialize as GPT partition type instead of MBR. However, You format both to be NTFS.You don't need UEFI for the drives. You just need to format them as GPT instead of MBR. You can convert an MBR disk to a GPT (for instance with partition wizard). I don't know how easy this would be for you with a boot disk though - you would need to do it outside of windows.
It's possible to upgrade to UEFI, but it's a real pain. It involves repartitioning drives, and moving them around, and generally just a huge pain. I did it once, and I wouldn't do it again, it would have been easier to just reformat and re-install.
UEFI has a lot of advantages, including lightning fast boot times in most UEFI bioses.
Yep. I see that. My problem was attaching the 4TB drive with a USB adapter and seeing only 2TB. When I attached it internally it worked fine. One on each of the two MBs in question. Thanks. I guess having modern UEFI "capable" bios is enough. Got a 4TB going now on both systems.
Thanks all.
ww
