2TB+ addressable with Windows 7 x86?

[LydianKnight]

Ok, this question could be a bit stupid but I'm wondering if it could be possible...

Ideally, I would like to build a JBOD array but I'm using Windows 7 x86 and I don't know if it can support arrays with more than 2TB of storage space.

Is this possible or... does anyone tried this (or have this)?

Julio

[LovingSticky]

I think Windows 7 x86 uses 64bit LBA for disk access, so it should be fine.

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device...e/GPT_FAQ.mspx

[Q]

I have no problem running a RAID 5 that's 3 TB on 7-64. Of course, I'm not BOOTING from that volume. You'll need an EFI based BIOS and just about any 64-bit OS for that.

[LovingSticky]

For booting, see this thread:
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=138263

[LydianKnight]

You'll need an EFI based BIOS and just about any 64-bit OS for that.

No, my question is about using the x86 version, that's the 32bit one, My media and gaming needs doesn't really force me to move to a 64bit environment, except for the fact I just want to know if it could be possible to have a JBOD (RAID is completely out of scope in this case as it would be a JBOD USB drive, like the Avolusion one, not internal drives).

About EFI, don't really know... my machine is a Shuttle SN78SH7 barebone for AM2+, 4GB DDR2-1066 RAM installed, a 500GB Seagate SATA2 drive, NVIDIA 9800GT GPU, and a TV Tuner card from Hauppauge, so it's my media center and gaming machine and it's currently running Windows 7 x86 (32bit) edition.

Ideally, I would like to avoid the x64 edition (I don't really care about it being more stable or whatever, my video encoding app (TMPGEnc XPress) doesn't work in a 64bit environment and the Flash plug-in doesn't have a 64bit native binary, enough to be a showstopper for me), so I would like to try make it work on 32bit.

If it's not possible, it's ok, I could still buy <2TB drives and enclose it in a USB box, if it's possible I could get an Avolusion unit or something similar and make a bigger array, hence my question :P

Julio

[LovingSticky]

With 4GB of RAM, you should use Windows 7 x64. It is compatible with 32bit apps and comes with both 32bit IE (flash works in this one) and 64bit IE.

[LydianKnight]

While the Flash plug-in effectively works in 32bit IE or Firefox (my current browser of choice), my video encoding application does not, and that's a stopper for me, so I can't go the x64 edition, I would be losing one of my daily-use apps.

About the GPT partitioning, seems like it's depending on EFI support, have to look into it.

[LovingSticky]

You need EFI to boot from GPT, but not when you use GPT partition as a data disc.

[Rakeesh]

Originally Posted by LydianKnight

Ideally, I would like to avoid the x64 edition (I don't really care about it being more stable or whatever, my video encoding app (TMPGEnc XPress) doesn't work in a 64bit environment and the Flash plug-in doesn't have a 64bit native binary, enough to be a showstopper for me), so I would like to try make it work on 32bit.

Pretty sure tmpgenc xpress uses nvidia CUDA so it doesn't need to muck with the kernel space at all to use acceleration functions, thus it'll run fine in 64-bit even though its a 32-bit binary.

Also flash plugin works fine if you run a 32-bit browser, which tbh I don't think anybody uses 64-bit browsers as there isn't really a need to.

[LydianKnight]

Yes, it uses CUDA, but not for the full pipeline, just parts of it, so still depends on 32bit code.
About Flash, would really like to be able to have a native 64bit plug-in, but maybe the wise solution is to wait until Windows 7 officially launches and then, I'll be keeping an eye on TMPGEnc, if it works under x64 with no problems, maybe I could give up and go 64bit, but would ideally like not to.

[Rakeesh]

Originally Posted by LydianKnight

Yes, it uses CUDA, but not for the full pipeline, just parts of it, so still depends on 32bit code.

I still don't think it needs to use any 32-bit code in the kernel space though, so it should run jut fine on a 64-bit OS.