Please explain my HDD capacity

[Quacker]

This is probably laughable to you people out there with knowledge of such things, but leaves me confused. I've recently purchased a Packard Bell IXtreme 15662 UK (if that helps).

 

It is said to have 640Gb Hard drive.

 

My C drive shows 230Gb of 291Gb free - I guess this holds all my programmes etc.

 

My D drive shows 291GB of 291GB available and is labelled DATA (D)

 

What does this mean exactly, i.e. can I use the D: drive, for what and how?

 

Secondly, the total of these drives is 582GB. meaning some 58GB is "missing" or presumably partioned with windows and recovery etc. - so where is it?

 

Can someone please explain in laymens terms what this all means?

 

Steve

[BeeCeeBee]

If you right click on "my computer" and select manage then select "Disk Management" (found under "Storage" on the left column) you will be able to have a look at your disk layout. If you need clarification just post a screenshot of the window.

[Quacker]

Ok on Windows 7 it is no longer called "My Computer" - just Computer.

 

Disk 0 consists of;

 

13.00GB recovery partition

291.62 with 291.16 free Primary Partition - known as DATA (D:)

291.45 with 231.23 free Boot, Page, File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition Packard Bell (C:)

100.00 with 72MB remaining System, Active, Primary Partition SYSTEM RESERVED

 

Can't do a screen print either, but have nothing to print to. Haven't added Office and not sure if MS Paint is on here. I actually thought I could just paste it in here with CTRL-V.

 

SO presumably from that lot the 13GB recovery is in case of having to use recovery disks. The Packard Bell C: drive is where all my stuff is at present.

 

Not sure what the System Reserved bit is for although it has used 28 of the 100MB.

 

Finally the D: or DATA as it is called is a Primary Partition. What is it for, can it be added to, can I add another OS?

 

Does that make sense?

 

Apologies but no screen print.

 

Disk 1 is my separate 160GB portable HDD - which I use for backup etc. - I shall remove this.

 

Steve

 

Edit the smilies are meant to be C: and D: both in brackets!

Edited June 28, 2010 by Quacker

[BeeCeeBee]

Ok on Windows 7 it is no longer called "My Computer" - just Computer.

Sorry Quacker but your profile does say XP and you did not specify.

 

There is "paint" in windows 7 under accessories. A screenshot will probably be more helpful but I think I will stay away from this and allow someone who knows a bit better to post.

[Synapse]

Its correct.

 

Total adds up to 596.17 GB.

 

Your 640 GB drive capacity is stated in decimal units, binary equivalent is 596.04 GB.

 

Your 13GB is accessed at strartup using Alt F10 or similar to recover to factory settings - I think you can also get there from Advanced Startup Options, F8.

 

Don't add another OS to D, you'll trash your boot and recovery options.

 

Use D to store data separately to your OS

[KenB]

The 13.00GB recovery partition contains files that would allow you to restore the hard drive to the condition it was in when Windows 7 was first installed. You could use this if you had a severe problem with the present installation of Windows.

 

291.62 with 291.16 free Primary Partition - known as DATA (D:\)

This is an area of your hard drive that you could use to save data / photos etc to.

Treat it as you would a giant memory stick.

 

291.45 with 231.23 free Boot, Page, File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition Packard Bell (C:\)

This is the drive that you have Windows and the rest of your installed software on.

 

100.00 with 72MB remaining System, Active, Primary Partition SYSTEM RESERVED

Windows 7 uses 100Mb of your hard drive space for Boot Files. These are essential files and Win7 would not boot up without them.

 

Hope this answers some of your question.

[KenB]

Correction:

 

The 100Mb partition does contain boot files but they are for backup / troubleshooting purposes.

Sorry for any confusion.

[Quacker]

Thanks all - makes good sense now. Apologies as I never updated my o/s as I run several! - Anyway all good now. The D: bit is really just extra backup/storage.

 

Plenty of scope for use there as I use an external HDD as well.

 

Just curious and now am a bit more savvy.

Cheers!

[KenB]

You are welcome.