DOS ain't dead

Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes (Users)

posted by bretjohn  , Rio Rancho, NM, 28.04.2026, 03:04

> As people already started to work on this, I suggest to contribute to DOS
> GPT support if you really want > 2 TB for DOS.

This is the correct approach.

> Does hybrid GPT-MBR really work? Or is the MBR on a GPT disk just a dummy
> to keep non-GPT OS from causing problems?

Short answer is no, it doesn't work. It's called a Protective MBR and it's just there, as the name implies, to try and keep non-GPT OS's from screwing everything up. There were a few attempts to try and have hybrid MBR's, but there were never any standards so there were incompatibilities and problems everywhere. It's just a bad idea.

If you try and be hybrid you need to keep the MBR and GPT sides synchronized properly so they are telling the same stories regarding the partitions, and the other OS's won't be sympathetic. Bottom line is that you can't avoid implementing GPT, which I think is part of your reason for wanting to go hybrid.

Also, it is possible to read GPT partitions in DOS if things are handled correctly. I do it with my USB drivers. But booting from GPT is another matter altogether -- that is what I think some people are working on.

Complete thread:

• Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes - RayeR, 27.04.2026, 22:45 (Users)
  • Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes - mceric, 28.04.2026, 01:35
    • Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes - bretjohn, 28.04.2026, 03:04
      • Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes - Laaca, 28.04.2026, 05:08
        • Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes - RayeR, 28.04.2026, 17:28
          • Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes - Rugxulo, 29.04.2026, 05:23
            • Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes - RayeR, 29.04.2026, 20:09
        • Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes - bretjohn, 28.04.2026, 17:30
          • Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes - Laaca, 28.04.2026, 18:31
            • Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes - RayeR, 28.04.2026, 20:31
    • Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes - RayeR, 28.04.2026, 17:21
  • Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes - Zyzzle, 29.04.2026, 01:39
    • Partitioning of 4TB HDD for legacy OSes - bretjohn, 29.04.2026, 03:39
    • some TSR/patch to modify BIOS/EDD? - RayeR, 29.04.2026, 20:20
      • some TSR/patch to modify BIOS/EDD? - ecm, 29.04.2026, 20:56
        • some TSR/patch to modify BIOS/EDD? - RayeR, 30.04.2026, 17:31
          • some TSR/patch to modify BIOS/EDD? - ecm, 30.04.2026, 20:06
          • some TSR/patch to modify BIOS/EDD? - Laaca, 01.05.2026, 12:24
          • some TSR/patch to modify BIOS/EDD? - RayeR, 04.05.2026, 17:48
            • failed with hybrid MBR under Windows - RayeR, 07.05.2026, 15:40
              • failed with hybrid MBR under Windows - bretjohn, 07.05.2026, 22:36
                • failed with hybrid MBR under Windows - RayeR, 09.05.2026, 18:16
                  • failed with hybrid MBR under Windows - RayeR, 11.05.2026, 07:47
                    • New Idea how to beak 2TB on WinXP-32 - RayeR, 23.05.2026, 13:51