GA-Z68X-UD7-B3 4Tb RAID 5 format as GPT

[stinch]

I've put together my RAID 5 , 4Tb system , loaded Windows7 Professional 64 bit and noticed that my system doesn't recognize anything above 2Tb . I think I just figured that since my motherboard had 3TB+ HDD support , that it would recognize the array above 2Tb. And then I found this forum. Wish I had done my homework first.
I have found several posts about this problem and I'm about ready to fix it, but I have a few questions.
There is an option to choose EFI in the BIOS, so I have that all set but,

Since I have Windows 7 installed, how would I go about reformatting to GPT. Is that done from the BIOS?

And I would also like to partition the boot drive to 1.5Tb out of this 4Tb array and have the remainder be set to another drive letter.
Should that be done before Windows is installed?   What would be the proper way to do this at this point. 
Thanks
 

[Aussie Allan]

  stinch ....Welcome

  To truly streamline the procedure......start again 99!

  You found the EFI option so that's done.......next will be to format and reload Windows.....when prompted at the "which drive to use"part of the install choose  format GPT, and partition as you see fit.....then load windows.....this will/should give you the least problems.

  trying to recover a prior install under NTFS to GPT....from say a 1TB to a 1.5+2.5TB multi-partitioned drive array

  you can always backup critical data and copy it over when done!

  P.S....Raid 5 luvs odd numbers.....3 drives.....5 drives.....

  Aussie Allan

[stinch]

Hello Aussie Allan, Thanks for the reply.  I have 3 - 2Tb drives in this array. Fortunatly I have really only have Windows installed and a few Gigabyte programs so reformatting and losing programs wont be an issue.  I will give this a try tomorrow night.
Thanks for the info
Stinch

[stinch]

Got a dumb question. How do I reformat  now that windows is installed?  Sorry for the noobish question, it's been a while since I built from scratch and first time dealing with raid.
 

[Aussie Allan]

   Sorry for the long .....been busy,busy......just boot off the Windows install disc and follow the prompts.......it'll all come back when you see it up on the screen.

  any problems , just shout.

  Aussie Allan

[stinch]

I thought that was it, but when I tried it last night it didnt look right to me so I thought I'd ask before proceeding.
Ok, now that it has booted up with Win7 in the drive I am at the window that shows my options for the disks and partitions that are available .  Here's how it looks.

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO INSTALL WINDOWS?

name                                                                      total size                       free space                          type

DISK 0 PARTITION: 1  System Reserved                   100. MB                           70. MB                               system   

DISK 0 PARTITION: 2                                             2047.9GB                          1995.2GB                          primary

DISK 0 UNALLOCATED SPACE:                                1678.GB                            1678.GB                             

       
It shows I can format the first two partitions where I would assume I would choose GBT  And the Last disk it shows my options for that disk =  NEW.  How should I go about formating from here.  Do I choose the system partition   or primary partition to start the formatting?

[Aussie Allan]

  Just start deleting/formatting....( just Delete the new [disc0] first)............the others should fall into line as you proceed to format.....could be a few reboots involved......being honest Ive never been this path as yet with my system....some experimenting will probably get you there.

  I'll send a message to DM in the morning, I think he went down this path not to far back .... where I'm stuck is not sure whether the system reserved can be NTFS or needs to be GPT

  Aussie Allan

[stinch]

Ok, Thanks AA. I will hold off until then.      That last   DISK 0 UNALLOCATED SPACE   doesn't give me an option to delete. (it's greyed out)  The only choices are Refresh , Load Driver and *New.   I imagine if I chose "NEW"  for that unallocated space , there should be some options after that?
Stinch

[Dark Mantis]

Hi stinch

I received Allan's PM and so I have dropped in to have a look. I am afraid though that like the rest of you I too am on new ground when it comes to this. Allan seems to have steered you down the right path so far. I would go along with your idea there and pick "New" for the unallocated space and see what options are offered afterwards. There are not going to be many members who have experience of this and so I expect it is going to be a lot of trial and error.

[Aussie Allan]

    I think like us, the best way forward is to punch madly at keys like a monkey...


    The advice DM and I gave you should get you there......it's just a matter of getting the install disc to play and get to the stage where  all disc space is under  GPT ...I feel even the 100MB sys area would probably need to be GPT but you'll have to play the guinea pig for us ...........please keep us informed.....we'll all be there in the next 12 months

  Aussie Allan

  PS.....Thanks DM .... gave you a star

[Dark Mantis]

No problem Allan but I am afraid in this instance I wasn't able to help much at all. All new stuff this and can't say I have had a reason to get involved with it so far.  Not rich enough to play with these huge new drives!!

[Aussie Allan]

  Agreed!.....but we are viewed as the "Tip of the Spear" re Technology goes!.....in 5 yrs 2 TB magnetic drives will considered obsolete....and NTFS something old farts play around with.....

  Aussie Allan

[Dark Mantis]

I'm totally in agreement with you as we haven't had a lot of hardware made available for testing or forum use which would make it so much easier to make sure that  our advice was correct.

[Aussie Allan]

  It does make it Difficult DM... I'm amazed as to the manufactures/ sponsors that are willing to put product forward for my new pet project.

  But the critical kit ... ... ..( SSDs,GPU,CPU,System boards)  it just makes it a long,slow and costly process .... I might start hitting the developers forums and work out how they get there funding/R&D kit .... it really should not be this hard to get the knowledge we need to be more effective for the Gigabyte community!

  Aussie Allan

[stinch]

So I'm at that same screen as last night where I posted what partitions and disks were available.   And when I choose either the smaller system reserved Disk 0 partition or the Disk 0 partition 2 and I click on "Format", it says all data will be erased, bla, bla, bla.  I click "ok" and then I see the little blue circle that spins around like it's doing something, then it stops. No error message, nothing happens. No changes.
Tried it several times and nothing happens.  The last unallocated partition says I can choose "new" and all that does is gives me an option for the partition size (currently displays 1718300 MB) can go higher or lower.  So I didnt bother with that.
What I have noticed is a yellow triangle with a ! in the center of it saying: Windows cannot be installed to this disk....  So I click on that and it continues to say The slected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only be installed on GPT disks.
.
So maybe I need to delete all partitions on Disk 0 , reboot and see if it gives me an option to format as GPT?
It seems that it's telling me that I cannot install (or format for that matter) to this disk because it already has a MBR partition table on it already?