Partitions on large (>2TB) disks
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 9:22 am
I'm trying to read (and understand) info about partitions from standard MBR. Each partition entry contains:
1. LBA number of the first sector of that partition
2. size of the partition in sectors
Both are 32-bit values. Let's say we have a 3TB hdd with a 512-byte sector. Is it possible to put two 1.5TB partitions on that disk? First starting, say, at sector 63, second starting at sector 3.220.000.063, both having size of 3.220.000.000 sectors - all number fit in 32-bit values. So the layout would be:
1------------------------------------2----------3------------------------4
where:
1 - is the start of a disk
2 - end of first partition (and the beginning of a second one) - 1.5TB mark
3 - 2TB mark
4 - end of a disk (3TB)
I am aware of 2TB limit for 512-bytes per sector disks but this only limits the starting sector of a partition, right? If a partition starts below 2TB but ends well above that mark is it still OK to put it in a standard (32-bit) MBR?
1. LBA number of the first sector of that partition
2. size of the partition in sectors
Both are 32-bit values. Let's say we have a 3TB hdd with a 512-byte sector. Is it possible to put two 1.5TB partitions on that disk? First starting, say, at sector 63, second starting at sector 3.220.000.063, both having size of 3.220.000.000 sectors - all number fit in 32-bit values. So the layout would be:
1------------------------------------2----------3------------------------4
where:
1 - is the start of a disk
2 - end of first partition (and the beginning of a second one) - 1.5TB mark
3 - 2TB mark
4 - end of a disk (3TB)
I am aware of 2TB limit for 512-bytes per sector disks but this only limits the starting sector of a partition, right? If a partition starts below 2TB but ends well above that mark is it still OK to put it in a standard (32-bit) MBR?