upgraded my bike from slx 10 speed to xt 10 speed, changed shifter and rear mech but i cannot get it to shift properly
to get through the whole 10 sprockets only takes 6 clicks for some reason?
i'm normally good at sorting out my gears being a part time mechanic but this one's stumped me a bit
any help on this?

Maybe a silly question, but are you sure you have a 10 speed mech and shifter?

Only checking as 10 speed is a different cable pull ratio to 9 and below so not interchangeable. Fairly sure otherwise that the shadow mech cable routing is pretty foolproof (wrong side of pinch bolt makes little difference)

the shifter is definitely a 10 speed one as i bought it from chain reaction
the rear mech was bought 2nd hand and advertised as 10 speed but im beginning to think otherwise. is there a way of finding out whether it is 10 or 9? as far as i can see they're both shadow and both silver/black

If 10 speed there should be the dyna-sys "D" logo.

If you check the part number RDM772 (and lower numbers) is 9 speed, anything RDM780 and above is 10 speed.

right think i've got a 9 speed mech so will have to swap that for the slx 10 that it replaced.
alternatively what is the biggest sprocket anyone with a standard 10 speed road rear mech got away with?

cant use 10spd road rear mechs with 10spd mtb shifters