How To: Alienware Desktop Aurora-R3 add 3TB hard drive disk, enable Hyper-V (The Answer!)

Aurora-R3 is a powerful pc, some guys like to enhance its hardware by DIY, I am one of them. 

1. For  3TB hard drive disk on win7 Sp1 or win2008R2 SP1 (whatever the Disk Brand)

You can installed the software 'Intel Rapid Storage Technology' to resolve the wrong capability issue. It can be downloaded from intel's web site.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?ProductID=2101&DwnldID=20215

2. For install Hyper-V on win2008R2.

You MUST upgrade to SP1 first!!! Before that, win2008R2 without SP1 doesn't support the intel AVX feature of your CPU (i7).

Then you still need to modify the BIOS configuration, please update to the latest version.( BIOS upgrade is still danger!  Be care of power down! Don't run other application during BIOS upgrade process! )

Enter into you BIOS and find [Advanced —> CPU Configuration]:

A. make sure item  [Hyper-threading Technology]  = enable

B. make sure item  [XD Bit Capability]  = on  (it is off by default!!!)

Restart the PC, now you can both enjoy 3TB big disk and virtual machine now!

Verified on Alienware Desktop Aurora-R3 i7 16GB by Win7 SP1, Win2008R2 SP1, WD 3TB, Hyper-V

Bob Zhao - I am Alienware!