HD Properties

[Overhill]

In checking my 8.2 GB Cdrive HD properties using the W98 Window to see how much space is free I get many different readings thruout the day. Today for instance I had decimal readings of 235 GB, 6.53 GB and 507 MB and the "pie chart" goes along with those readings. (The binary readings are just as inaccurate/confusing.)
Norton Sys Doctor and Sequoia View programs always show the same results.

Why do these readings show such a disparity and how can I get the real reading? I've defragged often but that's no help.

[GaryRouth]

Hi Overhill

. . . and Welcome to the PC Mechanic forums.

Well, it does seem rather unusual to have a reading of 235 GB of free space on an 8.2 GB drive, true.

Just to make sure that we're talking about the same place that the data is coming from - you are referring to the view in either My Computer or Windows Explorer?

My first inclination is to think that perhaps you've misread gb, mb, and kb numbers - and possibly selected a folder or a removable media drive by accident. Or you've got a whopper of a virus (a thorough scan with recent definitions would rule that out).

Did you build this system yourself, or buy it from a major vendor? If a major vendor, what make/model is it?

I'm also a little suspicious about the hard drive really being 8.2 gb - that's a drive size often wrongly reported due to an older motherboard being unable to correctly "see" the full size of the newer, larger hard drives.

We'll need more information to really get a better idea of what's going on.
Best of luck
. . . Gary

[Overhill]

Thanks Gary for your input. My PC was purchased 5 years ago at a local computer store that builds them and it has just recently started giving these odd numbers for the C-drive properties. I've done Norton Virus scan with Feb 5 definitions and today did a ScanDisk and no problems showed up on either.
The ScanDisk results states 8,201,180 KB total space and 486,920,192 bytes avail. The My Cmptr > C: props shows
Used =7,873,339,392 bytes (7.33GB)
Free = 524,668,928 bytes (500MB)
Capacity = 8,398,008,320 bytes (7.82MB)

I just looked at the C: props again and it's changed a little although I will tend to believe now that the 500MB is close to the actual free space. Those numbers in my original post are all correct as to amounts/GB,MB, etc. and I expect that future random checks of the C: props will be as confusing.
When I had that reading of Free = 235Gb the binary number was 252,485,709,824 bytes and the binary Used was a jumble of characters such as these> ...o0]o/+O,
I had numerous times getting those weird numbers.
I thought maybe there could be a logical reason for getting the weird numbers but maybe it's due to my pc being old?

[GaryRouth]

Hi again

I think you're OK. The 3rd # in your post, for Capacity = 8,398,008,320 is indeed the right number for an "8.2" GB drive. The hard drive manufacturer's count gb's (multiples of 1000) differently than Windows (multiples of 1024). Not to worry.

[The number 7.82mb should probably read 7.82 gb]

With only 500mb free, it might be time to free up some space. Empty your Temporary Internet Folders, set them to delete their Temporary files after the browser is closed (a setting under the "Advanced" tab in Internet Options ... scroll down the list to the Security section), empty your C:\Windows\Temp folder (if there's nothing in there you need). Then run a Defrag in Safe Mode. Performance might be a step quicker.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[Overhill]

I've just chk'd C props again after doing some negative scanning into tif files (which should have taken away from free space).
Readings are: Used = 1,401,708,544 bytes (1.30GB)
Free = 6,996,299,776 bytes (6.51GB)
Cap. = 8,398,008,320 bytes (7.82GB)

These quicky changing readings are what has me confused and never sure what is correct-would like to believe these latest are the correct ones but know there is no way. I often do the Disk Cleanup when I'm in the C: properties window and clear out all the Temp and empty the Recycle Bin, etc.
I think I will just have to live with this.
Thanks again for your help.

[GaryRouth]

Seems unlikely that you've jumped to 6.5 gb free from 500mb, eh?

I've got to do some system work here, but I'll have to check over at Norton's site to see if perhaps System Works isn't playing nice with Windows. Yes, your numbers are downright wild and crazy. Have you run a full system antivirus scan lately?
. . . Gary

[oops - yes you did run the antivirus [just reread your earlier post . . . well, we have to research this a bit!]

[Overhill]

Am closing down for the night-just did editing on the 2 scanned negatives and ckd C: props. My free space keeps getting larger-

Used = 1,389,293,668 bytes
Free = 7,008,714,752 "

[GaryRouth]

Well, I haven't forgotten you, but I haven't found a good explanation for your situation either.

Is the drive in question a "compressed" drive?

If there are no other errors other than the misreported free space, I suppose you have to option to let it be. A reinstall would probably fix things: but that seems like overkill if you have no other problems.

If you find the answer, post it here on the forum & others who wander into the same problem can benefit from your search.

Best of luck (. . . and I'll keep looking around . . . )
. . . Gary

[Overhill]

Thanks Gary for all the effort you've spent on this problem. I've never done any drive compression as had read long ago not to do it for some reason.

Like you say I will live with the problem rather than reinstall as only wanted to know my free space before adding PaintShopPro and then saw the diff readings day to day and began to wonder how to find out which to believe.

FYI my C: readings are still just over 1.2 GB Used and 7.1 GB Free (digital) but I know those are false and prob not even reversed.

My biggest folder with lots of photo files shows its props to be 2.93Gb in size and the Program Folder's size is 1.32GB so it seems if I check any single folder's props I get a normal reading.

If the prob ever clears up I will add to the post if it's available.

Thanks again Gary.