Windows XP will choke on a hard-disk that is bigger than 137 Giga Bytes. If you get something bigger you need to add 48 bit LBA (Logical Block Addressing). LBA was originally only 24 bits for ATA/ATAPI devices, which meant that the largest hard drive you could use was 137.4 GB (Gigabytes). Now that hard drives have increased beyond this size changes where needed. So came along 48 bit LBA. This has increased the maximum size of hard drives to 144,000,000 gigabytes.

The requirements for your system are:

• your BIOS will handle a big hard-disk
• you are using SP1 or newer
• you have the latest ATAPI drivers

Verify that your are running SP1+

1. right-click My Computer
2. click Properties
3. Enter the General tab

Any Service Packs installed will be listed under "System."

Verify that you have the latest ATAPI driver

1. all explorer to view hidden folders
2. do a search for Atapi.Sys

   make sure the Atapi.sys file is in %systemroot%\system32\drivers.
   If it is elsewhere you may have an infection of some kind.

3. Right-click on the Atapi.sys file and then click Properties.
4. make sure the version number in the file properties is ok.
• 32 bit XP: 5.1.2600.1135 or later
• 64 bit XP: 5.1.2600.1152 or later

enabling LBA in XP

• Navigate the registry:
  1. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
  2. System
  3. CurrentControlSet
  4. Services
  5. Atapi
  6. Parameters
• set the key
• name = EnableBigLba
• value = 1

an unattended installation

To enable 48-bit LBA support by with in an unattended installation with the Microsoft System Preparation (Sysprep) tool.

1. In the Sysprep image, create a folder ($OEM$) in the Sysprep\I386 folder.

2. Create an .INF file (48bitLba.inf)
   and put it in the Sysprep\I386\$OEM$ folder.

   [version]
   signature="$CHICAGO$"
   SetupClass=BASE
   
   [DefaultInstall]
   AddReg=48bitlba.Add.Reg
   
   [48bitlba.Add.Reg]
   	HKLM,"System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Atapi\Parameters","EnableBigLba",0x10001,1
   

3. Create a text file (Cmdlines.txt)
   and put it in the Sysprep\I386\$OEM$ folder.

   [Commands]
   "rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 128 .\48BITLBA.INF"
   

4. In your Sysprep.inf file, add a key named InstallFilesPath to the [Unattended] section.

   • Name = InstallFilesPath
   • Location = [unattended]
   • Value = InstallFilesPath = "C:\sysprep\i386"

To make a remote install

1. Use MS's OEM preinstallation kit

2. Use the server that contains the Riprep image

3. create a Sysprep\I386\$OEM$ folder in the following folder:

   RemoteInstall\Setup\Language\Images\Riprep_dir_name\I386\Mirror1\UserData

   Note: Language is "English" for the English language, and Riprep_dir_name is the unique name that you selected for the Riprep image.

4. Copy the 48bitlba.inf and Cmdlines.txt files into the $OEM$ folder.

Modify the Riprep.sif file (and any other template files for this Riprep image that you have created) in the following folder: RemoteInstall\Setup\Language\Images\Riprep_dir_name\I386\Templates\Riprep.sif To do this, add the OemPreinstall and InstallFilesPath values:

[Unattended]
OemPreinstall = "Yes"
InstallFilesPath = "C:\sysprep\i386"

Notes

The hard disk may become corrupted when entering standby or hibernation or when writing a memory dump.

sources:

Microsoft article Q303013 on LBA (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302347/))

WINDOWSREINSTALL.COM article on LBA http://www.largeharddrivesupport.windowsreinstall.com/winxp.htm

searching hidden/system folders: MS article 302347 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302347/)

getting the latest ATAPI driver: MS article 331958 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/331958/)

setting-up a remote installation: MS preinstallation kit (http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.microsoft.com%2foem)