Vista HDD free space help

=112= · 07-14-2007, 11:54 PM

i got a t61 not to long ago and have been having some confusion about the available hdd space. i got it with the 100gb hdd and i know that in windows its not actually 100gb but like 90ish.

the problem im facing is, if i select all the files (including the hidden files) in the C:drive (i have no other drives) it shows that there is 20gbs worth of data. so technically, considering the space vista and backup files take, i should have at least 50-60gbs left.

it states that i only have 10gbs left. i have no idea where the other 40+ gbs went. and sometimes the available C:drive space fluctuates even though i havent downloaded or installed anything. anyone experience this problem as well? any help would be appreciated. thanks in advance.

Jeffbx · 07-16-2007, 05:52 AM

Well, first of all the best thing to do to determine the amount of available drive space on your machine is to right click the drive letter in Explorer & choose 'properties'. Using your method, you're making a number of assumptions that are throwning the number off.

First of all, the backup partition that Lenovo uses is in a different partition than C:\, so that space is taken right off the top. Go to disk management (right click My Computer, Manage, click Disk Management under Storage) to see the size of your partitions.

Second, by selecing all files in C:\ & adding them up, all you're getting is the total size of the files, NOT the amount of space they take up on the drive. You need to take into consideration the cluster size the disk was formatted with - this can add up to quite a bit of slack space, which is space not taken up by files, but allocated as used (see here for details).

Third, when you selected everything, did you have hidden & system files visible? If not, that will also take up a rather sizable chunk of space.

Hope that helps.

=112= · 07-16-2007, 11:37 AM

thanks for the reply. i did check the partition info in disk management and thats why i got confused and checked the properties of all the files in the c drive (including the hidden files) so the "slack space" that you mention can be more than double the amount of files i'm actually using?

of the 88gbs available on the c: 30gbs is used by files and hidden files. the available amount is currently 8gbs. isn't there something wrong? maybe the slack space u mention is taking up the 40gbs?

Jeffbx · 07-16-2007, 12:26 PM

Woah - that's a problem, all right.

I also have a Thinkpad with a 100GB drive, and mine is about half full. I'm using 50.937M bytes on the disk, and the total size of all of the files on my HD is 47.608M bytes - about 3GB in slack space. That's more like what you should expect to see.

What does it say when you right click on C: and look at the properties? Does it show all of that space as used space? Have you tried running error checking (including a surface scan) on your HD?

Does your recycle bin say 'Norton Protected' on it?

=112= · 07-16-2007, 02:35 PM

no, it doesnt state norton protected on my recycle bin.

i got the 7200rpm 100gb hdd. how do i even know if its 7200rpm? thats the least of my worries though right now.

if i right click the c: drive it states that i'm using 80gbs on the disk but the total files of all hidden and non hidden files are 30.2gbs. i'm running the error checking program right now, so hopefully i can come up with something. thanks for your help.

i've also tried to find anything on google, but i guess no one else is experiencing this problem.

07-14-2007, 11:54 PM	#1
=112= Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 159	Vista HDD free space help i got a t61 not to long ago and have been having some confusion about the available hdd space. i got it with the 100gb hdd and i know that in windows its not actually 100gb but like 90ish. the problem im facing is, if i select all the files (including the hidden files) in the C:drive (i have no other drives) it shows that there is 20gbs worth of data. so technically, considering the space vista and backup files take, i should have at least 50-60gbs left. it states that i only have 10gbs left. i have no idea where the other 40+ gbs went. and sometimes the available C:drive space fluctuates even though i havent downloaded or installed anything. anyone experience this problem as well? any help would be appreciated. thanks in advance.

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07-16-2007, 05:52 AM	#2
Jeffbx Fleet Admiral Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Michigan Posts: 9,390	Well, first of all the best thing to do to determine the amount of available drive space on your machine is to right click the drive letter in Explorer & choose 'properties'. Using your method, you're making a number of assumptions that are throwning the number off. First of all, the backup partition that Lenovo uses is in a different partition than C:\, so that space is taken right off the top. Go to disk management (right click My Computer, Manage, click Disk Management under Storage) to see the size of your partitions. Second, by selecing all files in C:\ & adding them up, all you're getting is the total size of the files, NOT the amount of space they take up on the drive. You need to take into consideration the cluster size the disk was formatted with - this can add up to quite a bit of slack space, which is space not taken up by files, but allocated as used (see here for details). Third, when you selected everything, did you have hidden & system files visible? If not, that will also take up a rather sizable chunk of space. Hope that helps.

07-16-2007, 11:37 AM	#3
=112= Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 159	thanks for the reply. i did check the partition info in disk management and thats why i got confused and checked the properties of all the files in the c drive (including the hidden files) so the "slack space" that you mention can be more than double the amount of files i'm actually using? of the 88gbs available on the c: 30gbs is used by files and hidden files. the available amount is currently 8gbs. isn't there something wrong? maybe the slack space u mention is taking up the 40gbs?

07-16-2007, 12:26 PM	#4
Jeffbx Fleet Admiral Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Michigan Posts: 9,390	Woah - that's a problem, all right. I also have a Thinkpad with a 100GB drive, and mine is about half full. I'm using 50.937M bytes on the disk, and the total size of all of the files on my HD is 47.608M bytes - about 3GB in slack space. That's more like what you should expect to see. What does it say when you right click on C: and look at the properties? Does it show all of that space as used space? Have you tried running error checking (including a surface scan) on your HD? Does your recycle bin say 'Norton Protected' on it?

07-16-2007, 02:35 PM	#5
=112= Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 159	no, it doesnt state norton protected on my recycle bin. i got the 7200rpm 100gb hdd. how do i even know if its 7200rpm? thats the least of my worries though right now. if i right click the c: drive it states that i'm using 80gbs on the disk but the total files of all hidden and non hidden files are 30.2gbs. i'm running the error checking program right now, so hopefully i can come up with something. thanks for your help. i've also tried to find anything on google, but i guess no one else is experiencing this problem.

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