...to have less memory than stated ?
For example, I just bought a 350 GB seagate freeagent HD.I checked the disc space on my pc but the capacity's down to 298 GB !!! Can someone tell me if this is defective or something?
2007-12-14 22:57:12 · 6 answers · asked by ♣ hAdriAn ♣ 3 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Add-ons
sorry, i meant 320 GB
2007-12-14 23:00:49 · update #1
That's normal. You see, quite a bit of space is used by the format and directory structure that makes it work.
Good luck and Happy Computing!
2007-12-14 23:00:52 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 3⤋
IT HAS NOTHING TO DUE WITH OVERHEAD. IF YOU DON'T KNOW, DON'T ANSWER.
Sorry for the brief rant, but the same group of people give the same WRONG answer every time this question is asked.
Here is the deal, it is a difference in measuring techniques. When a manufacturer says 320GB, they mean 320,000,000,000 bytes. (1GB, being 1,000,000,000 bytes, pretty simple). However computers measure space differently. 1KB equals 1024 Bytes, 1024 KB equals 1MB, and 1024 MB equals 1 GB. Now multiply all those together, and you get 1GB actually equalling 1,073,741,824 bytes. Divide 320,000,000,000 bytes, which is how many the external has, by 1,073,741,824, and you get 298 GB, in computer terms. THAT is why there is a difference.
2007-12-15 16:39:32 · answer #2 · answered by mysticman44 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Some space is lost to overhead, but there is something you can check. Go yo start/program/administrative tools/computer management. When a new window opens select "storage" and then "disk management." This will let you see how the disk is partitioned.
Sometimes, there are multiple partitions or unallocated space. If you see multiple partitions decide if it is worth the trouble to fix. For example, my drive has a small 47MB partition that contains diagnostic software that can be accessed at boot-up. I also have a 4 GB partition of unallocated space - neither are worth the trouble to fix.
If you do want to fix it you will either have to blow away all partitions and start again, or use a product like partition magic.
However, it is mostly like just overhead.
2007-12-14 23:17:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Yes, it is, because of the way windows uses the hard drive structure. Here is a more technical (but confusing) answer.
http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=118330
And by the way, you mean hard drive space, not memory. That's different.
2007-12-14 23:06:09 · answer #4 · answered by SailorDumb 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Like the others said that is the way it is going to be, and also their could be backup or diagnostic software on there installed.
2007-12-14 23:10:49 · answer #5 · answered by shimmy 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
no its fine,mine was a 500gb but said 465 when its installed,its all to do 1000mb =1gb or 1024mb =1gb it just measures
2007-12-14 23:03:17 · answer #6 · answered by APPLEJACK 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋