I think this is because there is a hidden partition that is used to store the Dell Utilities.
From the Control Panel, select Administrative Tools and then Computer Management. From within Computer Management, select Storage followed by Disk Management. You should then see this hidden partition.
It all has to do with the way you add the numbers. A true gig is equal to 1024 megabytes. But the marketing guys say 1 gigabyte is equal to 1000 megabytes. It is in this that you loose roughly 0.98% from the stated capacity.
I don't think the Dell partition has really any effect. On my 60gig the partition is only 31megs and my listed size of c:\ is 55.84 gigs.
All brands are like this, no need to worry about it. It would be nice if they listed the actual size for people who don't know this though.
So this would also explain the reason why my new 2nd 120GB HD i just installed only came up with 111.7GB after formatting. In properties it's listed as 67.9MB used and 111GB free. My question is, what is using the 67.9MB ( I'm not a computer wiz ).
Knowing that I paid for 120GB but really only getting 111GB is kind of upsetting.
Yes, i have the same problem, not a 12 GB space, only 111.7, if you don't have important data in your new hard disk, format the hard disk again, make a full format, like:
format X: (where X is the drive letter of your 2nd hard drive)
To do that, you need to create a system startup floppy disk, do it with an old Windows OS (win98, win95, win me), an insert the disk on the floppy drive, then restart your computer.
If doesn't boots from the disk, restart the system again and press F12 in the bios screen (the dell logo) and select the floppy rive as boot device.
Hit enter and execute the format.
Maybe you need to make a partitioning o the new hard drive, to do that use Fdisk. Dell can guide you with that task.
Note that you still getting 120.000,000,000 bytes. In decimal (which is what the manufacturers use, this is 120 Gb. In binary, which is how Windows calculates it, it is 120,000,000,000 bytes/1024 bytes/Kb /1024 Kb/Mb / 1024 Mb/Gb = 111.76 Gb. It has always been this and likely always will. In the older days when drives only had 1 Gb capacity, the 7% or so difference did not add up to much. With the large drives, the 7% is a much larger number.
groovemasterj
17 Posts
0
January 24th, 2004 15:00
I think this is because there is a hidden partition that is used to store the Dell Utilities.
From the Control Panel, select Administrative Tools and then Computer Management. From within Computer Management, select Storage followed by Disk Management. You should then see this hidden partition.
Hope that helps.
John
lordzod
48 Posts
0
January 24th, 2004 15:00
It all has to do with the way you add the numbers. A true gig is equal to 1024 megabytes. But the marketing guys say 1 gigabyte is equal to 1000 megabytes. It is in this that you loose roughly 0.98% from the stated capacity.
I don't think the Dell partition has really any effect. On my 60gig the partition is only 31megs and my listed size of c:\ is 55.84 gigs.
All brands are like this, no need to worry about it. It would be nice if they listed the actual size for people who don't know this though.
Message Edited by lordzod on 01-24-2004 12:32 PM
txares1rn
3 Posts
0
January 24th, 2004 16:00
So this would also explain the reason why my new 2nd 120GB HD i just installed only came up with 111.7GB after formatting. In properties it's listed as 67.9MB used and 111GB free. My question is, what is using the 67.9MB ( I'm not a computer wiz ).
Knowing that I paid for 120GB but really only getting 111GB is kind of upsetting.
antovasa
44 Posts
0
January 24th, 2004 16:00
Yes, i have the same problem, not a 12 GB space, only 111.7, if you don't have important data in your new hard disk, format the hard disk again, make a full format, like:
format X: (where X is the drive letter of your 2nd hard drive)
To do that, you need to create a system startup floppy disk, do it with an old Windows OS (win98, win95, win me), an insert the disk on the floppy drive, then restart your computer.
If doesn't boots from the disk, restart the system again and press F12 in the bios screen (the dell logo) and select the floppy rive as boot device.
Hit enter and execute the format.
Maybe you need to make a partitioning o the new hard drive, to do that use Fdisk. Dell can guide you with that task.
volcano11
2 Intern
•
28K Posts
0
January 24th, 2004 16:00
Note that you still getting 120.000,000,000 bytes. In decimal (which is what the manufacturers use, this is 120 Gb. In binary, which is how Windows calculates it, it is 120,000,000,000 bytes/1024 bytes/Kb /1024 Kb/Mb / 1024 Mb/Gb = 111.76 Gb. It has always been this and likely always will. In the older days when drives only had 1 Gb capacity, the 7% or so difference did not add up to much. With the large drives, the 7% is a much larger number.
Steve
antovasa
44 Posts
0
January 24th, 2004 16:00
Ok, thanks for the info, anyway, 8.3 Gigabytes of difference is a lot, near to the 10 % of 120 GB, is ok, thank you very much for the info.
Antonio
antovasa
44 Posts
0
January 24th, 2004 17:00
Thanks fo the info, then, i i buy a "250" GB drive? haha, wow only 232 GB, the hand disk manufacturers needs to make real 120 GB hard disks.
Thanks
antovasa
44 Posts
0
January 24th, 2004 18:00
HI, it was a reply for a previous message. Well, 111.7 GB is ok, i have a DVD + RW Drive, so i can save data on DVDs.
Thanks.
txares1rn
3 Posts
0
January 24th, 2004 18:00
volcano11
oooh lots of numbers but yea I see how it figures out. Everything on my computer ( BIOS etc) says I have 120Gb.
I should have done my research first, then I wouldn't have been shocked.
antovasa
Are you using XP? You can just go into computer management and reformat from there.
but I don't see how reformatting will increase size. I also did 1 partition for the whole drive