Explain why a 40gig hd has 25gig hd

[Sal_gal]

I just checked the properties in C drive and it states the capacity of the drive is 26gig. I bought a 40 gig hard drive. How come it's not showing capacity 40 gig?

I have 16gig free; 9 gig used. I don't understand this. Never had problem before. Where's the other 15 gig?

Edited: Using Home XP O/S, 40 gig hard drive, 256 Ram. Store bought, Systemmax model. Runs good, no other problems.

[Platypus]

It would help greatly to know what operating system is on the system, what procedure was used to partition the drive when it was first installed, and the model of computer (if namebrand) or motherboard and BIOS revision if it's a generic system.

The first thing I think of is, if it's an older system, a 32GB BIOS limitation. Depending on what algorithm is used, some BIOS can count size down again when they hit 32GB.

What size is shown for the drive in the POST equipment report screen when the system boots up?

[DrMDJ]

The bios issue that platypus mentioned could be at play here, if (as he said) the system is older. In bios setup is the full size of the drive seen? If so, the one thought... Did you happen to set this drive up as fat32 under XP? If so then it may simply be that XP only created a 32gb partition (which is all it can for fat32), and in fact the rest of the drive is there and useable but just needs to be partitioned and formatted.

[Sal_gal]

He said the properties were right because of the D: drive having backup files.

[frebo]

dr. i have a 40 gb hard drive on fat 32 and it shows it show correctly how can that be if it will only handle 32gb i wondered why the pc store used fat 32 when they built this pc

[markp62]

Edited: Using Home XP O/S, 40 gig hard drive, 256 Ram. Store bought, Systemmax model.

He said the properties were right because of the D: drive having backup files

That explains it. Your drive was partitioned before you bought it. You may have 25 gb on the C: drive, and just a little less than 15 gb on the D: drive.
A hard drive can be divided up into different [Logical} drives, mine has four.
Your D: drive may have proprietary windows install files and hardware drivers. If your computer came with a Recovery CD(s), this confirms this. Do not delete anything on the D:.

[Sal_gal]

so -- I bought an XP machine that advertised 40 gig, but in reality has 25 gig. Oh gee, just great.

[Zedy]

No, it has 40gig, if you only have one hard drive in machine.
Then that hard drive has been partitioned.
C: = 26 gig
D: = 40 minus 26 = approx 14 in my book.

[Train]

Originally posted by Sal_gal
so -- I bought an XP machine that advertised 40 gig, but in reality has 25 gig. Oh gee, just great.

No, that 40 GB hdd seems to be partitioned into 2 partitions.
C: and D: and if you add the two together it should equal about 37 to 38GB. That is the size windows sees that hdd in total size.

Look in Computer manager and see what it shows you. I attached what mine looks like.

Attachment was hard to read, so, i uploaded it.



You will notice I have 4 hdds hooked up. All 4 are partitioned.

[Sal_gal]

I understand what you're saying, except I can't save data files and program files to the D: drive, The D Drive is reserved for backup files.

Next question: What happens when the D: drive becomes full from backing up files? I'm wondering should I get a bigger hard drive because this one, altho it has 16 gig free, that will fill up fast.

[DrMDJ]

Sal_gal,

Is your D partion not visible in windows explorer? If it is then you can save files to it.

You should ask Systemmax exactly what the backup scheme they have encorporated is (what software, how it works, what's backed up, when, etc). While it may be reasonable for them to put a backup scheme in place for people, it would be a little odd if that scheme could not be tailored (including how much space is devoted to it) to the user's needs/wants. And it would be very odd if they just said that 35% of the disk capacity they give a customer is reserved exclusively for backup and that can not be changed.

Frebo,

It's not that XP can't handle (use) a FAT32 drive over 32gb. The issue is that the native tools for creating and setting up a FAT32 partition under XP will not allow one that is greater than 32gb in size to be created. Its a limitation MS just built-in (wanting people to go to NTFS for larger sizes). However, you can still create FAT32 partitions larger than 32gb using non-XP tools (including those from prior win9x/me OSes). And as I said, once created XP has no issue with them.

[Train]

Originally posted by Sal_gal
I understand what you're saying, except I can't save data files and program files to the D: drive, The D Drive is reserved for backup files.

Next question: What happens when the D: drive becomes full from backing up files? I'm wondering should I get a bigger hard drive because this one, altho it has 16 gig free, that will fill up fast.

Nothing wrong with getting a second hdd. Seeing as how they may have used Drive IMage or the like to make D:\ drive your hidden image partition. You do not what to mess with it.

So best find out what they used and how to do what ever is necessary to restore the computer.

[Sal_gal]

capacity 11 Gig, 3.8 gig free -- oh my!

[Train]

26GB and 11Gb = 37GB.
Right on the money where it should be.

Now that second hdd would be a darn good idea.