XPS 435T/9000 Max SYSTEM HDD Space Allowed?

There shouldn't be an overall drive space limitation, so (3) 2 TB drives shouldn't be a problem.

There's reports of up to 4 GB drives working with 435T/9000.  Main OS drive I think is still limited to 2 TB, but data drives can be larger provided Intel RST (RAID) is used (not AHCI) - requires version 11 (last available version for ICH10), I believe and must be installed via Device Manager. 

Higher and Higher versions of iNTEL RST drop support for older chipsets.  RST 10.1 and up does support larger than 2TB Drives HOWEVER it DOES NOT support RAID VOLUMES larger than 2TB.

Up to 2 TB advanced format drives Require 9.6 in windows 7.

Greater than 2TB requires version 10.1 or higher.

11.0 might work but I do not think 11.7 works at all with that old of a chipset.  Going to a newer version of windows DOES NOT guarantee working aka 8.0 8.1 10.0  You may still need to install the older RST in compatability mode for windows 7.

 The INTEL MSM is not INTEL RST

Windows 7 Requires INTEL RST 9.6

Intel RST replaces Intel Matrix Storage Manager.  HOWEVER you cannot update to your hearts content from 7 to 8 to 9 to 10 to 11 to 12 to 13 etc.  As the drivers and chipsets get newer the older ICH5 6 7 8 9 etc are dropped from support.  

downloadcenter.intel.com/.../15251
Version 9.6.0.1014  may be the max for your motherboard

PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2682&CC_0104= "Intel(R) ESB2 SATA RAID"
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_27C3&CC_0104= "Intel(R) ICH7R/DH SATA RAID"
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_27C6&CC_0104= "Intel(R) ICH7MDH SATA RAID Controller"
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2822&CC_0104= "Intel(R) ICH8R/ICH9R/ICH10R/DO/5/3400 SATA RAID"
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_282A&CC_0104= "Intel(R) ICH8M-E/ICH9M-E/5 Series SATA RAID"

NEWER Versions (Not necessarily Supported on OLD chipsets)

Thanks TechGee, that's an indication, not to be rude,however "but there shouldn't be" sounds like speculation.

On the Dell specifications page it states that the system supports up to 4.3TB of HDD.

I wouldn't be surprised if that was incorrect, but does anyone KNOW - NOT SPECULATE - the answer to the original post - total system HDD space supported by this system with OEM chipset, BIOS etc. - or if there is actually any maximum at all.

(I don't need speculation or information about whether or not drives larger than 2TB may or may not be supported - I have a previous posting about that and no-one has answered that question with actual hands on experience.  As I KNOW that a 2TB is supported - with zero mucking about - simple plug and play - that's going to be good enough for now.

Thanks,

Dan

The intel RST requirements and Limitations are KNOWN not Speculation.

http://www.seagate.com/support/downloads/beyond-2tb/

WDC handled this with a Highpoint Rocket 600 series Host Bus Adapter.

This is KNOWN from more than 5 years ago now.

32 bit os and MBR being Limited to 2TB is also KNOWN.

GPT partitions are REQUIRED beyond 2TB

Beyond 2TB Drives are ADVANCED FORMAT this is also KNOWN.

http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/218571en?language=en_US

Seagate makes a driver called Disk Wizard that allows you to split up a 3TB or larger drive into chunks that OS like XP can handle on a NON BOOT Drive.

I've learned from past experience, even when I'm almost certain of something, to not make emphatic statements - I try to always qualify them.  Hence the "there shouldn't be...".  There's always something new to learn.

It's unlikely you'll get a definitive answer.

In pushing the limits of my 435T/9000, I've had to make educated guesses on what is possible.  Some is based on research, common sense and experience as a software engineer.  My current config, even though on original motherboard and PSU, is beyond Dell's specs - Xeon W3690 from ebay (3.46 GHz, 6 core - same performance as a i7-990X), 48GB RAM, a Nvidia 970 GPU (which is spec'd as needing a 500W PSU) and Windows 10 Pro.

As an engineer, I wouldn't have even asked the total drive capacity question, as OS and motherboards don't generally work that way (have an imposed total max capacity less than bays times max drive capacity per bay).  On the other hand, I don't know if you're doing a RAID array, etc. and the RAID hardware/software might have some funky limitation, hence my original qualification.

If I were in your shoes, my reasoning would be as follows:  Dell spec'd it as 4.5 TB (I don't know where you get 4.3).  There are 3 internal hard drive bays.  4.5 / 3 = 1.5 TB.  1.5 TB drives were available in 2009, around same time 435T was being sold.  So, this is likely where Dell's  spec came from - meaning individual bays are spec'd at 1.5 TB (likely because that's max Dell had to test with at the time).  You and others are already running individual bays beyond 1.5 TB drives - 2 TB without doing anything special, as you've mentioned, and up to 4 TB with special driver versions.

If you wanted to be conservative, you could order additional 2 TB drives one at a time from somewhere with a good return policy.

Individual drives work fine up to 2TB with at least INTEL RST 9.6 aka 4k Sector (Advanced Format).

Beyond 2.2TB requires INTEL RST 10.1 or Higher.

I see some saying 11.7.0.1013 may work

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/22194

HOWEVER INTEL RST does not support RAID VOLUMES larger than 2TB.

• Intel RAID does not support raid volumes greater than 2.2TB.
• Seagate DiscWizard does not support Extended Capacity volumes above 2.2TB in systems with Intel RAID in use on other drives.

http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/218615en?language=en_US