Formatting 3TB HDD for windows 8.1 pro install.

I purchased a product key and am in the process of trying to install 8.1. I have A 3TB hdd that i deleted all of the partitions from. I have been looking to find out what partitions and formats I should have for 8.1 to properly install.

[h=1] Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 ST3000DM001 3TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s[/h]

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  [*=left]1 x GIGABYTE GA-B85M-DS3H LGA 1150 Intel B85 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
  [*=left]Intel Celeron G1820 Haswell Dual-Core 2.7GHz LGA 1150 54W Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics BX80646G1820

OK. U will have to do extra head banging if you keep any single partition more than 2.2 TBs in size so my advice is to make three. one for 8.1 (depending on your needs/if you do everyday stuff 30/40 gb is enough) If you install games then even 200GB might be less.

Bottom line is if you have any one partition more than 2.2 Tb you would have to install 8.1 using different, often complicated methods/GPT partition types come in to play.
I had the exact same issue. I made 2 partitions. 40gbs and the remaining as one and now I can't install 8.1 on it since its a GPT partition. Now I have the second huge partition full of data I can't backup, format drive and re-partition it. funny. Since the new 3TB i have is almost twice as fast as my old sata 2 hdds I have my 8.1 installed on an older slower 1TB

Ok. so I would make one that is 200 GB and then two others that are 1200 GB. I am mainly using the computer for media. so I might need larger file sizes. What format would work best? I have been reading about the different ones but I really dont know what im doing. I tried formating it to ntfs but when I did and tried install, it said, "windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition. Style."

It appears you have a motherboard which I believe is UEFI capable. You are installing an OS which needs UEFI to accommodate some of its advanced features. You have a Hard Drive which needs no special partitioning if used in the GPT configuration....

I would install as UEFI. The hardest thing about UEFI is understanding the boot media has two images. One is the Old Legacy (MBR) and the other is the UEFI designation. if you boot the UEFI designation, it will install with that configuration. If you boot to the Legacy version, it will install as Legacy.

But, as always, whatever makes you happy is the way to go.

I was trying to install 8.1 pro from dvd in a GPT partition. I was told to enable ACHI in BIOS but it did not happen. Am I missing something?
OP Sorry to hijack your thread, I guess you know what to do now.

Saltgrass said:

It appears you have a motherboard which I believe is UEFI capable. You are installing an OS which needs UEFI to accommodate some of its advanced features. You have a Hard Drive which needs no special partitioning if used in the GPT configuration....

I would install as UEFI. The hardest thing about UEFI is understanding the boot media has two images. One is the Old Legacy (MBR) and the other is the UEFI designation. if you boot the UEFI designation, it will install with that configuration. If you boot to the Legacy version, it will install as Legacy.

But, as always, whatever makes you happy is the way to go.

Click to expand...

I think this worked. I also just found this that I think is also saying what you just said.

Windows Setup: Installing using the MBR or GPT partition style

Thank you for the help!!! I have been trying to figure this out for like 8 hours today.