Computer Hope

Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: Dalo on April 08, 2009, 12:54:36 AM

Title: Capacity issue
Post by: Dalo on April 08, 2009, 12:54:36 AM
Hello everyone...i just finished installing a couple new hard drives into my system that i got from a friend...one is a 200gb drive and the other is a 500gb drive.  I got them installed correctly but windows is telling me that the one drive has only 96gb and the other has 98gb.  Have i done something wrong ?  My bios detects them as being the capacity they should be.  I know im bein pretty vauge as to what im runnin but thought someone could give some suggetions...if you need more info, and you probably will, plz tell me what you need to know and ill do my best to respond quickly...tyvm in advance for your assistance.
Title: Re: Capacity issue
Post by: KingPincer on April 08, 2009, 03:59:25 AM
Have you checked the hdd already? Maybe it already have some files on it.
Title: Re: Capacity issue
Post by: quaxo on April 08, 2009, 04:43:18 AM
What Windows version is this and what Service Pack?
Title: Re: Capacity issue
Post by: Dalo on April 08, 2009, 07:52:04 AM
HDD were both formatted before they were givin to me

Windows XP home edition
service pack 3
Title: Re: Capacity issue
Post by: patio on April 08, 2009, 06:22:53 PM
It doesn't matter if they were formatted if the partitions weren't set up properly to begin with....
Title: Re: Capacity issue
Post by: Dalo on April 08, 2009, 06:34:37 PM
so how can i fix it so my drives are at full capacity ?
Title: Re: Capacity issue
Post by: BC_Programmer on April 08, 2009, 07:06:28 PM
visit disk management. (Start->Run, "diskmgmt.msc")

determine if any drives have unallocated space.
Title: Re: Capacity issue
Post by: Dalo on April 08, 2009, 08:49:12 PM
As far as i can tell there is no unallocated space on either drive
Title: Re: Capacity issue
Post by: patio on April 08, 2009, 08:55:44 PM
As far as i can tell there is no unallocated space on either drive

That just doesn't make sense...even if they were setup wrong to begin with the free space would still show...
How did you determine the drive/partition space exactly ? ?
Title: Re: Capacity issue
Post by: Dalo on April 08, 2009, 09:24:16 PM
Diskmgmt is telling me that the drives capacity on the 200gb drive is like 97gb and the max capacity on the 500gb drive is 92gb...But my bios recognizes them as being 200 and 500
Title: Re: Capacity issue
Post by: Dalo on April 08, 2009, 09:50:02 PM
ok...i figured out what my problem was and have the situation under control...one more question though...is it a good idea to partion my 500gb drive...if so, how big of a partion and how many?  Probably personal preference eh?

TYVM guys for taking the time to read my posts and help me figure out what i did wrong.
Title: Re: Capacity issue
Post by: patio on April 08, 2009, 09:54:36 PM
And how was this mystery figured out ? ?
Partition sizing an # ing is personal preferance...
Title: Re: Capacity issue
Post by: Dalo on April 08, 2009, 09:58:00 PM
i thought i was looking at both my drives...turns out i was only looking at one of them which was partitioned into 2 >> 97bg and 92gb = 200gb drive

thx for the insight patio
Title: Re: Capacity issue
Post by: patio on April 09, 2009, 06:21:52 AM
No Problem.
If you are going to partition the drives decide now...it's best and easiest to do it prior to the OS installation.