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    Where did all my Hard drive space go!!!

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by alazar14, Aug 16, 2009.

  1. alazar14

    alazar14 Notebook Enthusiast

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    So I recently sent my computer to Dell for repairs. It is an Inspiron 1520. It came back, after a graphic card replacement working like new. I decided to erase my HDD and return it to factory settings for the heck of it, after all I didn't have anything important in it except a bunch of music I don't really listen to anymore.

    So I return it to factory settings, re install vista, re install the drivers for my web cam, microphone, and my graphic drivers from the Nvidia Website.

    I begin to do all of the Windows Vista updates, and I notice...first of all my HDD says its only 148GB

    My first question is

    Why does my HDD say its only 148GB if its supposed to be 160GB.

    Then I notice that out of those 148GB I only have 108GB of open space...what the heck. This is all I have installed in my computer currently.

    Windows vista home premium + updates.
    Nvidia Drivers (about 2.5GB)
    Avast Anti virus (Less than 1GB)
    Open office (less than 1GB)
    Google earth (less than 1GB)
    Windows Live Messanger
    Ccleaner (less than 500MB)
    Google Chrome
    Other Misc, drivers, webcam, microphone, monitor, basic drivers that do basic functions, and my sound blaster audio drivers.

    This is all that is currently in my computer after factory settings. Why has 40GB of my HDD space been used up without me even knowing where it is. It seems like every day I have less and less space in my HDD, and all I do is hit the update button on vista *which by the way is trying to download a failed update over and over again without success*

    So what gives, whats going on with my HDD, is there a program that can detect where the heck all of my space is at? Maybe some one who can please coach me on what I can do about this to get some of my storage back. It seems to be shrinking by GB's every single day and I don't install anything new!
     
    alazar14, Aug 16, 2009
    #1
  2. Lithus

    Lithus NBR Janitor

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    Lithus, Aug 16, 2009
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  3. iGrim

    iGrim Notebook Evangelist

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    There is no missing space.... 160 decimal and 148 binary are the exact same quantity....
     
    iGrim, Aug 17, 2009
    #3
  4. NAS Ghost

    NAS Ghost Notebook Deity

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    As it has been said, you are missing space due to decimal vs binary, but if you where all your other space is after the 148GB, download and run "WinDirStat".
     
    NAS Ghost, Aug 17, 2009
    #4
  5. davepermen

    davepermen Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    davepermen, Aug 17, 2009
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  6. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    except OCZ :)

    with the Vertex series
     
    The_Moo™, Aug 17, 2009
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  7. Nankuru

    Nankuru Notebook Evangelist

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    Decimal vs binary accounts for only part of the space loss. I'm guessing that the Vista installation etc. takes out another 20 gig and that leaves your missing 20 gig.

    This is almost certainly due to shadow copies. When Vista has system restore enabled, copies of files are taken before they are updated. Only folk with Vista business or ultimate can restore them, but all versions create them.

    It's an appalling security hole.

    Probably the easiest way to check is to delete all but the most recent restore point. If that gets most of your space back, you've found the problem. You could switch system restore off but that can be useful. Limiting the amount of space taken up by shadow copies is very fiddly.
     
    Nankuru, Aug 17, 2009
    #7
  8. Bog

    Bog Losing it...

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    Bog, Aug 17, 2009
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