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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Hard drive question
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01/29/2005 06:02:06 PM · #1
I just bought a new 160GB HDD, but I was wondering if it's normal for the drive to be only showing a total size of 149-150GB. I was only expecting a loss of 3-4 gigs.

Message edited by author 2005-01-29 18:02:31.
01/29/2005 06:08:26 PM · #2
my 40gb is the same. i think its normal of all computers.
01/29/2005 06:14:13 PM · #3
Its normal for the hard drive to write out its allocation table information, and its boot sector files.

I have never had a drive that big. I usually stick with two drives, with 100 gig each, and keep a backup on both drives, that way if one drive goes (And it does happen) I will have the other one.

As far as you losing about 10 gigs... its normal for that size drive. Plus, Windows takes up around 1.8 to 2 gigs...

Message edited by author 2005-01-29 18:16:01.
01/29/2005 06:30:52 PM · #4
What OS are you using? It may not recognize drives over 150GB.
01/29/2005 06:39:18 PM · #5
I was wondering if any one has a way of backing up there files, in case the hard drive goes nuts, you don't lose all of your photos???
01/29/2005 06:52:57 PM · #6
I have 2 hard drives spinning, so both drives have my files. If one goes down, then the other one still has my files. The technical term for this is R A I D.

Also... back up your stuff on CD or DVD media.

Message edited by author 2005-01-29 18:57:34.
01/29/2005 07:22:07 PM · #7
Originally posted by cbeller:

What OS are you using? It may not recognize drives over 150GB.


The computer I have the HDD on is running windows me

Message edited by author 2005-01-29 19:22:18.
01/29/2005 07:25:09 PM · #8
Originally posted by Havok:

Originally posted by cbeller:

What OS are you using? It may not recognize drives over 150GB.


The computer I have the HDD on is running windows me


That's probably the problem. I'm gonna go search the MS site right now, but I don't think ME recognizes drives that large.
01/29/2005 07:32:30 PM · #9
It's possible it is your motherboard too. Have you updated the BIOS lately?
01/29/2005 08:05:58 PM · #10
Originally posted by Havok:



The computer I have the HDD on is running windows me


If you ever have any more money to upgrade anything on your computer, I'd suggest getting rid of Windows ME as soon as humanly possible. Really.
01/29/2005 08:12:11 PM · #11
Hard drive manufacturers consider that there are 1000 bytes in a kilobyte, while the rest of the civilized world, even microsoft, knows there are 1024 bytes.

So, if you take 160*1000*1000*1000 bytes (160G according to hd manufacturers) and divide that by 1024*1024*1024 (1G according to the rest of the industry) you will get about 149.
01/29/2005 08:22:05 PM · #12
Originally posted by Havok:

I just bought a new 160GB HDD, but I was wondering if it's normal for the drive to be only showing a total size of 149-150GB. I was only expecting a loss of 3-4 gigs.

This is normal and is the result of the marketing people referring to 1,000,000,000 as a GB when selling harddrives. A GB is actually 2^30 (that is 2 raised to the 30th power) and is 1,073,741,824. So the drive that is 160GB according to the marketing people has 160,000,000,000 bytes; and when divided by a 1,073,741,824 (a GB) give the value the OS will see, a tad bit over 149GB.

FWIW: network speeds are treated the same way. That is, a 100Mb network adapter is operating at 100,000,000 bits/sec, not 104,857,600 bits/sec as it would seem.

David

/edit: damn, I type to slow. But, be aware you will also lose some storage space to the structure placed on the drive by formatting it -- how much will depend on what file system used.

Message edited by author 2005-01-29 20:24:12.
01/29/2005 08:24:56 PM · #13
When hard drives are formatted, some of their intrinsic capacity is used up for formatting and file management, and is not available to record user data.
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