Windows 10: HDD compatibility for my Motherboard

My Mother Board GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3, I want to upgrade my internal HDD with Hard disk HDD Enterprise 6TB Hitachi (HGST) Ultrastar He6 0F18335, 64MB, 7200 RPM, SATA 6.0Gb / s, 3.5 ", with 6 partitions, is it possible, will my mother board supports ? Please help me in this regard.

:)

 

Windows 10 Installation/Product Key

Ok, I see.

Then, what? if my motherboard fried, or HDD dead, and need to buy a new hardware of all?? will my genuine windows 10 fried along with my Motherboard and HDD?

 

If I change my motherboard, will my windows 10 license still be active?

I have been informed that there is no need of a license key for reinstalling Win 10 OS again in my system, even if the hard disk is corrupted, because, the digital key of my motherboard will be stored in microsoft servers, and retrieved during installation
even with the new HDDs.

Now, if both of my HDD and the motherboard is having issue, how to install Win 10 OS in my new HDD that is linked with new motherboard?

Regs,

Bala

 

If your installation is UEFI, it will handle any number of primary partitions on drive.

 

Thank you, how can I check UEFI, if not installed then, can I install UEFI ?

 

That’s a 2009 era socket 1156 motherboard that has not had a BIOS update since 2010.


Will this drive be used for Windows or just for data?


Looking at the Gigabyte website for that motherboard, it doesn’t appear to have any “Windows 10” updates.


Are you successfully running Windows 10 on it?


That hard drive link leads to a non-English language site, but it appears to be this drive at Newegg; helium-filled, no less:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...9SIA5AD64D9178


My guess is that it will install and spin up, but you wouldn’t be able to access more than 2 TB of the 6 TB unless you format it as GPT rather than MBR.


You might find the Marvel 9128 chip is a pain and therefore want to attach the drive to one of the 3 GB ports instead. Going from memory, I have had issues with Marvel controllers.


What is the need for 6 partitions?


Let others comment.


I’d be a bit nervous about putting a 6 TB drive on a 7 or 8 year old motherboard.


Here’s what the Gigabyte site says about storage:


Chipset:

• 6 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors (SATA2_0, SATA2_1, SATA2_2, SATA2_3, SATA2_4, SATA2_5) supporting up to 6 SATA 3Gb/s devices

• Support for SATA RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10

Marvell 9128 chip:

• 2 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors (GSATA3_6, GSATA3_7) supporting up to 2 SATA 6Gb/s devices

• Support for SATA RAID 0 and RAID 1

* SATA3 RAID 0 4x and SATA3 2x performance are maximum theoretical values. Actual performance may vary by system configuration.

* SATA3 SSDs are not recommended for use in RAID 0 mode on Marvell SE9128 ports.

iTE IT8213 chip:

• 1 x IDE connector supporting ATA-133/100/66/33 and up to 2 IDE devices

iTE IT8720 chip:

• 1 x floppy disk drive connector supporting up to 1 floppy disk drive

 

Thank you, I already ordered for 6TB, it's on the way, lets see what happens

 

If your pc does not support UEFI, which seems likely from age of mobo, you will not be able to use all 6TB if that drive is to contain the Windows operating system. You will only be able to use 2TB.

If the drive is only to be used as storage i.e. a second hard drive to drive containing OS, you can use all 6TB by formatting as a GPT drive,

HOWEVER some older bioses may not be able to see all 6TB even if GPT.

If this happens, you may be able to update the bios but no guarantees this will sort issue.

You might want to check with seller before opening pckage, if you can return drive if you have opened packaging, and you cannot use it fully.

Suppliers are normally only obliged to accept returns if unopened or faulty.

 

Thanks to all who gave suggestions, I installed 6TB HDD, made 5 partitions 1tb of 4 and the remain 1.4tb left as it is,
It's working.