I am trying to install Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Ent edition onto system that has an ASUS M3A78 Pro motherboard with 8GB of memory & an AMD Phenom II x3 2.6GHz Socket AM3 Processor (X3 710). I realize that this motherboard doesn't support UEFI but I have an Adaptec 3805 RAID controller in this system that does support the advanced format hard drives, so I would think I should be OK there. Attached to the RAID controller are 3 - 1.5TB SATA Hard Drives in a RAID 5 yeilding 2.72TB's of usable space. I followed the following process to convert the array to GPT. I booted to the Server 2008 R2 Ent installation DVD. I select next at the language \ time & currency format \ Keyboard selection screen. Then I select the 'repair your computer' option at the following screen. I do not select the 'repair' (default) option, but instead select the radio button above it (I forget what that's labeled) working from memory here - which gives me the option to launch a command prompt. I launch diskpart from that command prompt. · First I selected the disk list disk (this displays the installed disks) select disk 0 Then I converted the disk to gpt convert gpt Then I created 200 MB EFI partition: create partition efi size=200 Then I created MSR partition: create partition msr size=128 Then I created primary partition: create partition primary ...and it took remaining available space to itself. I assigned drive letter C to this new first "primary" partition Assign letter=c I confirmed the partition order is: ESP > MSR > DATA Partition After all of that I restart into the Windows installation and attempt to install by selecting the newly created primary partition and am presented with an error that states: “Windows cannot be installed to Disk 0 Partition 3. (Show details)” and the details show: "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the gpt partition style." Any help anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

1. To create GPT is a matter of one right click in the disk manager and selecting GPT. 2. As to the booting from this partition, it is on the motherboard bios side that should support UEFI. Regards Milos

Can you tell me if the Microsoft® Hyper-V™ Server 2008 R2 free product would work with this hardware configuration or does it too require a motherboard that offers UEFI support in order to recognize more than 2TB's of stoarge?

You need a GPT partition,normal one would not work. Please refer to: http://blogs.technet.com/b/askcore/archive/2010/02/18/understanding-the-2-tb-limit-in-windows-storage.aspx

I have found an answer for youe question here but not tested the configuration. http://blogs.technet.com/b/askcore/archive/2008/10/24/configuring-pass-through-disks-in-hyper-v.aspx Regards Milos

Hi, If the motherboard supports UEFI, then you can install Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 on a GPT disk, or else, you can only install it on a MBR disk. For more information, you can refer to: partitions greater than 2 TB http://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/winserverfiles/thread/f795ba31-90b9-4d75-bed4-24ec703186ed/ Understanding the 2 TB Limit in Windows Storage http://blogs.technet.com/b/askcore/archive/2010/02/18/understanding-the-2-tb-limit-in-windows-storage.aspx Best Regards, Vincent Hu

Hi, If the motherboard supports UEFI, then you can install Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 on a GPT disk, or else, you can only install it on a MBR disk. For more information, you can refer to: partitions greater than 2 TB http://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/winserverfiles/thread/f795ba31-90b9-4d75-bed4-24ec703186ed/ Understanding the 2 TB Limit in Windows Storage http://blogs.technet.com/b/askcore/archive/2010/02/18/understanding-the-2-tb-limit-in-windows-storage.aspx Best Regards, Vincent Hu

OK - because of the feedback I received here I went out and procured a new EFI mainboard, cpu, memory, power supply, etc in order to build a single 2.79 TB RAID array onto while I could install Win2k8R2 Ent and use it's Hyper-V services to host a few VM's & I am STILL seeing the same result with regard to the 2 TB ceiling. I have now spent a considerable amount of money in order to meet the requirements to allow me to utilize the entirety of this array, so to say I’m very frustrated would be an understatement. My system as I now sits is as follows: - ASUS Crosshair V Formula EFI mainboard (updated to the latest BIOS version) - AMD Zambezi (a.k.a. Bulldozer) FX 4100 4-core AM3+ Black edition processor - ThermalTake Contac 30 CPU Cooling fan - Crucial Ballistix sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 Desktop Memory Model BL2KIT51264BA160A - PC Power & Cooling Silencer 760W Power Supply - Plextor PX-712SA SATA DVD-RW Optical Drive - an older PCI ATI Video card (XPERT 2000, I think) And the storage consists of: 3 each - Seagate Barracuda 1.5 TB SATA drives running in a Raid 5 configuration on an Adaptec 3805 RAID Controller for which I’ve updated the firmware to the latest release & have assured I’m using the latest driver. My first attempt at the Win2k8R2 Ent OS installation onto this system was made with the hopes that it would simply make use of the entire 2.79 TB partition by default because the EFI MB was now in play, but it resulted in the exact same outcome I was seeing before making these purchases wherein it would only allow access to 2 TB’s and not allow any use of the remaining space whatsoever. I then ran back through the process referenced in my initial post (above -dated 12\14\11) wherein I use diskpart to convert to GPT and then create the efi. Msr & primary partitions and was then told that Windows cannot be installed onto a GPT formatted partition. Can someone please tell me what I’m missing here? Any help would truly be appreciated. Perhaps a step-by-step, here's how you do this? At this point that would be sooo great. Thank You, Herb

Hello, You are right in that you need a EFI capable mobo. Make sure you actually change it to UEFI mode instead of BIOS. Step by step instructions by using diskpart to install on > 2TB partition: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/hu/winserverfiles/thread/97ff7042-5b94-44cd-9fa7-2c0373e8f037