New build - where did my memory go?

[BGA23]

I just completed my first build over the weekend and it went a lot smoother than I thought. I installed a 500gb hard drive and I know I don't truly have the full 500gb to use but I'm showing I only have 371 of 465gb free. I know I don't have any large files, nor have I installed programs that would use that much space. And when I go into uninstall programs I've got 2 games that use 10gbs combined and the rest only uses a couple gbs. So I can't figure out where it all went.

Any help recovering hard drive space would be appreciated.

[pam123]

It sounds like you've got a version of the 10% problem
10% for System Restore, 10% for the Recycle Bin.
Time to check that out and tell us what operating system you're using.

edit : Hard drive real estate isn't memory.

[TwoRails]

also check out this:

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=118330

[BGA23]

I'm using 32-bit version of Vista. I'll check out the recycle bin problem. I understand my 500gb hard drive only has 465 gb of usable space, that isn't the problem. The issue is way more of it has been used than should be used.

[blue60007]

How much RAM do you have? That amount would go to hibernation files, and then some for swap files (not sure how it works in Vista to be honest though).