The 137Gb limit may be in the BIOS, but is also in older versions of windows
OS,
hence my remark about EnableLargeLBA, that being a keyword into the MS KB
entry about the OS problem.
If the problem is in the BIOS, then it's almost certainly only going to
apply to drives connected as IDE on the PATA (40, or 80 wire) cable.
And a system that doesn't support big drives in not likely to support
booting from a USB drive, so a USB connected drive will be accessed using
the Windows drivers - so the BIOS limit will not matter.
Re the partitioning, you could setup a primary FAT16, or FAT32 partition at
the start of the drive for use by older systems and just backup/transfer of
your data, but systems old enough to be running 95, 98, and/or Me are
unlikely to be running USB mode 2, (unless you have an add-in board)
As stated - there is a 4GB limit on files in FAT mode, so use NTFS for any
partition to be used for bulk, or large file storage - such as DVD images
and partition backups.
NTFS also allows you to better control ownership of files - but simply
connecting the drive to another system can bypass that sort of security.
You can also encrypt partitions under NTFS - and as long as you remember the
passwords that's may be a useful facility.
Finally, remember that a USB connected drive in a separate case is subject
to more vigorous movement, more likely to get power problems, and more
likely to get a miswrite - if for no other reason that you not pulling out
the cable cleanly, or the system not finishing it's data buffer flushing
(writing) before the drive loses it's connection, or power.
A miswrite can easily corrupt the partition or file allocation entries -
losing ALL the data on the drive, so do make sure your backup
policy/processes do allow for such an (un)happy event.
Me - I'd probably set the drive to be a replacement for the old one, and
lose the extra 130Gb space, until I got a new system
remember drives have warrantees that the manufacturer doesn't expect to cost
them many new drives
(Except when you have to pay more for a longer warrantee - think of that as
more of an insurance policy to cover the cost of replacing drives when they
do give up.)
The declared warrantee life is a reasonable minimum life expectancy for the
drive so, if you have the original drive in an old system - take backups as
if you will get a drive failure next time you power-up.
If it's a new system - you do, however have the 'not yet fully burnt-in'
consideration.
I tend to consider systems by powered-up time, and power-up cycles -
Less than 12 cycles, and 12 hours usage - waiting for it to give-up
Less than 50 cycles and 120 hours usage - Probably OK, but not going to do
without adequate (daily) backup of data
More than 50 cycles and 120 hours usage - probably going to last for the
warrantee period
More than the warrantee period/a year old - start considering the backups -
and what I'd do for a replacement system (or just the part that gives up
first)
JimB
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