Quesiton on perceptual storage loss

v-six · 05-07-2006, 11:39 AM

Hi all, this is a question that's been answered, but I couldnt find it so bear with it again

Hard drives only show around 90% of their actual space (my 80 gig shows 72, my 40 shows 35).
I know that it's caused when the actual space is converted from one numbering system to another, but don't remember the specifics. Would anyone like to give me a refresher? Im thinking the distortion happens when the value is converted from binary to base 10? But my memory is as reliable as an old WD hard drive that makes scary clicking noises when it's upset.

**linderman** · 05-07-2006, 05:56 PM

The problem or difference lies in the exact size of one megabyte

the hard drive manufacturers say a MB is 1000 bytes / the windows operating system says a megabyte is 1024 bytes

so windows will report your drive as being smaller than the hard drive manufacture stated size.

Its up to you to say which is correct LOL

v-six · 05-07-2006, 06:30 PM

thanks linderman, it looks like my memory really was shot.

05-07-2006, 11:39 AM	#1 (permalink)
v-six Manager Emeritus Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Gardiner, NY Posts: 2,076 OS: OS X for mac, XP Pro for PC	Quesiton on perceptual storage loss Hi all, this is a question that's been answered, but I couldnt find it so bear with it again Hard drives only show around 90% of their actual space (my 80 gig shows 72, my 40 shows 35). I know that it's caused when the actual space is converted from one numbering system to another, but don't remember the specifics. Would anyone like to give me a refresher? Im thinking the distortion happens when the value is converted from binary to base 10? But my memory is as reliable as an old WD hard drive that makes scary clicking noises when it's upset. __________________ mysql> --i-am-a-dummy

05-07-2006, 05:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 20,437 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	The problem or difference lies in the exact size of one megabyte the hard drive manufacturers say a MB is 1000 bytes / the windows operating system says a megabyte is 1024 bytes so windows will report your drive as being smaller than the hard drive manufacture stated size. Its up to you to say which is correct LOL __________________ I still know nothing and I respect that fact, striving to improve and, along the way, help anyone that comes from the place that I used to be! Power Supply Selection LEARN TO BACK-UP YOUR DATA FREE & EASY YouTube - Runtime Software DriveImage XML tutorial

05-07-2006, 06:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
v-six Manager Emeritus Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Gardiner, NY Posts: 2,076 OS: OS X for mac, XP Pro for PC	thanks linderman, it looks like my memory really was shot. __________________ mysql> --i-am-a-dummy