S?: Dell 1505 60gig HD has less free space is expected.

mcs328 · 08-07-2006, 02:16 PM

This is just more of a rant. I bought a Dell 1505 with a 60gig HD. After using the Dell De-crapifier, I noticed that I have only 50gigs total of HD space.

I speak to Dell tech support to find why I'm missing 10 gigs. From our 42m 11s conversation I find out a few things. The HD is coming up in the BIOS with only 58 gigs. The other 8 gigs is taken up by a hidden partition which according to Dell is where all the CD's that came with my laptop are stored as an files as well as an image file of my laptop as it shipped from Dell.

To get him to tell me this, I had to walk him through the process. It was like pulling teeth. I had to grill him on the 10 gig discrepancy. Then asked him if it's hidden for my protection, what's on the partition. If it's an image file and he tells me I can use Ghost to get it then 1) How would I get it if it's hidden 2) How would I use Ghost if it expires in 90 days and 3) Why would you tell me that DELL would reformat the HD and not use the hidden partition with the image file to load it up again if you're going to use CD's to install it again? Isn't that the point of the hidden partition? To not have to load it up using CD's and use an image file to get it back to it's original shipped state? Does the WinXP Media Center really take up an 8gigs just for the OS itself?

I don't what level of tech support he was but he just finally said that it was too technical for him. Bottom line according to him, the missing 8-10gigs is a hidden partition that contains an image of my orginal shipped state that can be accessed by hitting CTRL+F11 and use the DELL Recovery System to restore laptop. This needs to be more clearly stated I think because I get a little annoyed when he tells me that Dell warns it's users that the extra stuff takes up a little of HD space. I think 10gigs or about 10-15% of HD space that is untouchable is significant. The OS and all the stuff further diminishes the amount of free space right out of the box.

Oh well...I'm done.

Markel · 08-07-2006, 02:21 PM

Since Windows XP can fit on a single 700MB CD, I wonder how much other junk Dell needs to be able to "restore" along with the OS? 9 Gig worth??!! No wonder the users need a de-crapifier!

Maarchk · 08-10-2006, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Markel

Since Windows XP can fit on a single 700MB CD, I wonder how much other junk Dell needs to be able to "restore" along with the OS? 9 Gig worth??!! No wonder the users need a de-crapifier!

I dont think they leave you with a backup copy of windows and installs of the other programs. Since they are using norton ghost my guess is that they are making your PC. Taking an image of it. And dropping that on the harddrive.

To test this theory, see how much space is used of your 50 gigs before you put anything on it. (although i imagine thats too late now). I'll check out a dell i just got.

Ok weird.. my C drive has 58 gigs total
and 8.5 are used. I've removed the crap and added one small 5 meg program.

The D drive has 18.6 gigs total
and .1 gig or 65 mbs are used. I can open the drive and drop stuff on there.... Maybe it just uses the XP restore feature to start dropping snap shots on there? I dont know... i guess if i can use the 18 gigs on drive D, i wouldn't care but its a work computer so i dont think space is an issue i'll face any time soon.

InfiniteNothing · 08-10-2006, 10:47 AM

Why not just give you a backup dual layer DVD with all your crap on it.

ray · 08-10-2006, 10:59 AM

Is that the System Restore partition? I believe the max system restore space is something like 12% of your hard drive space.

mcs328 · 08-10-2006, 11:31 AM

Well I think the hidden 8 gigs is the System Restore partition that you can retrieve using Norton Ghost before it expires or the Dell on restore software. Still I'm losing a lot of space out of a 60gig HD. Even when I take into account that WoW takes up almost 6gigs and my wedding pics take up almost 8gigs, theres something take up a whole lot of space. I thought it was iTunes but I've found out that it doesn't add my songs into it's own folder but just reads it off the source folder which in my case in on an external HD.

Blah...if I had the guts I'd wipe it and start over.

Markel · 08-10-2006, 12:03 PM

System Restore takes up space on the current partition (it uses the System Volume Information folder). Dell put's their "recovery" information on a separate partition. If you were to boot with some sort of a utility CD and view the partitions on your primary hard drive, you'd see your primary (C:\) partition, and another partition (probably identified as an "unknown" type). If you ever boot up with Dell's recovery CD, their utility will use this information to restore the PC to it's original condition.

redcolours · 08-10-2006, 06:44 PM

1) get new dell notebook.
2) Ghost the whole existing drive.
3) Nuke drive and wipe it clean.
4) Install your own OS and preferred apps.

Grubbie · 08-11-2006, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Markel

System Restore takes up space on the current partition (it uses the System Volume Information folder). Dell put's their "recovery" information on a separate partition. If you were to boot with some sort of a utility CD and view the partitions on your primary hard drive, you'd see your primary (C:\) partition, and another partition (probably identified as an "unknown" type). If you ever boot up with Dell's recovery CD, their utility will use this information to restore the PC to it's original condition.

Dell has there reasons to do so. If you think of all the really really really really dumb customers they have who have so much spyware and adaware the computer can't be used, you see why they do it.

I personally hate delling with Dell after buying my 20.1 monitor. First I get an old revision and get stuck in tech support hell while trying to get it replaced. I told the tech support guy that I couldn't hook it up through DVI because my current crappy video card doesn't have it. After asking his manager twice he said he can't continue helping me until I plug in the monitor through DVI even though I can't plug it in.

If the thing works and you don't have to deal with talking to Dell on the phone it works out. Once you have to call them it is a pain in the ass.

mcs328 · 08-11-2006, 08:35 AM

It's my wife's laptop anyways...so I don't want to blow it away and cut off her access to WoW. Even with all the stupid users in the world...does the base installation really take up 8gigs. That just seems ridiculous to me.

08-07-2006, 02:16 PM	#1
mcs328 Admiral Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 6,578	S?: Dell 1505 60gig HD has less free space is expected. This is just more of a rant. I bought a Dell 1505 with a 60gig HD. After using the Dell De-crapifier, I noticed that I have only 50gigs total of HD space. I speak to Dell tech support to find why I'm missing 10 gigs. From our 42m 11s conversation I find out a few things. The HD is coming up in the BIOS with only 58 gigs. The other 8 gigs is taken up by a hidden partition which according to Dell is where all the CD's that came with my laptop are stored as an files as well as an image file of my laptop as it shipped from Dell. To get him to tell me this, I had to walk him through the process. It was like pulling teeth. I had to grill him on the 10 gig discrepancy. Then asked him if it's hidden for my protection, what's on the partition. If it's an image file and he tells me I can use Ghost to get it then 1) How would I get it if it's hidden 2) How would I use Ghost if it expires in 90 days and 3) Why would you tell me that DELL would reformat the HD and not use the hidden partition with the image file to load it up again if you're going to use CD's to install it again? Isn't that the point of the hidden partition? To not have to load it up using CD's and use an image file to get it back to it's original shipped state? Does the WinXP Media Center really take up an 8gigs just for the OS itself? I don't what level of tech support he was but he just finally said that it was too technical for him. Bottom line according to him, the missing 8-10gigs is a hidden partition that contains an image of my orginal shipped state that can be accessed by hitting CTRL+F11 and use the DELL Recovery System to restore laptop. This needs to be more clearly stated I think because I get a little annoyed when he tells me that Dell warns it's users that the extra stuff takes up a little of HD space. I think 10gigs or about 10-15% of HD space that is untouchable is significant. The OS and all the stuff further diminishes the amount of free space right out of the box. Oh well...I'm done. __________________

08-07-2006, 02:21 PM	#2
Markel Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 11,733	Since Windows XP can fit on a single 700MB CD, I wonder how much other junk Dell needs to be able to "restore" along with the OS? 9 Gig worth??!! No wonder the users need a de-crapifier! __________________ stay low... keep moving...

08-10-2006, 06:44 PM	#8
redcolours in living colour Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: above a raging c Posts: 1,739	1) get new dell notebook. 2) Ghost the whole existing drive. 3) Nuke drive and wipe it clean. 4) Install your own OS and preferred apps. __________________ there are pictures, but no,nothing happens on my site.

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08-10-2006, 10:47 AM	#4
InfiniteNothing Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: San Diego Posts: 10,086	Why not just give you a backup dual layer DVD with all your crap on it.

08-10-2006, 10:59 AM	#5
ray captain awesome Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 7,054	Is that the System Restore partition? I believe the max system restore space is something like 12% of your hard drive space.

08-10-2006, 11:31 AM	#6
mcs328 Admiral Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 6,578	Well I think the hidden 8 gigs is the System Restore partition that you can retrieve using Norton Ghost before it expires or the Dell on restore software. Still I'm losing a lot of space out of a 60gig HD. Even when I take into account that WoW takes up almost 6gigs and my wedding pics take up almost 8gigs, theres something take up a whole lot of space. I thought it was iTunes but I've found out that it doesn't add my songs into it's own folder but just reads it off the source folder which in my case in on an external HD. Blah...if I had the guts I'd wipe it and start over.

08-10-2006, 12:03 PM	#7
Markel Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 11,733	System Restore takes up space on the current partition (it uses the System Volume Information folder). Dell put's their "recovery" information on a separate partition. If you were to boot with some sort of a utility CD and view the partitions on your primary hard drive, you'd see your primary (C:\) partition, and another partition (probably identified as an "unknown" type). If you ever boot up with Dell's recovery CD, their utility will use this information to restore the PC to it's original condition.

08-11-2006, 08:35 AM	#10
mcs328 Admiral Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 6,578	It's my wife's laptop anyways...so I don't want to blow it away and cut off her access to WoW. Even with all the stupid users in the world...does the base installation really take up 8gigs. That just seems ridiculous to me.

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