Hi, I'm using a western digital 40gb HDD i just did a reformat/reinstall. I notice that i lost around 2gb of HDD space. I'm using 5.5gb but the properties shows that i am using 7.4gb. Any ideas? Thank you

What are you using to determine on one hand that you are using 5.5gb but on other it is 7.4? By "properties" do you mean in My Computer> rightclick on your C drive and select properties tab? Is that where your used space is reported as 7.4gb? What about the unused space? What figure is given and what is the total disk size reported by windows? I used to have a signature but it disappeared and I just couldn't be bothered writing another so please feel free to ingore this.

HARDDRIVE SIZE: Decimal vs. Binary: For simplicity and consistency, hard drive manufacturers define a megabyte as 1,000,000 bytes and a gigabyte as 1,000,000,000 bytes. This is a decimal (base 10) measurement and is the industry standard. However, certain system BIOSs, FDISK and Windows define a megabyte as 1,048,576 bytes and a gigabyte as 1,073,741,824 bytes. Mac systems also use these values. These are binary (base 2) measurements. To Determine Decimal Capacity: A decimal capacity is determined by dividing the total number of bytes, by the number of bytes per gigabyte (1,000,000,000 using base 10). To Determine Binary Capacity: A binary capacity is determined by dividing the total number of bytes, by the number of bytes per gigabyte (1,073,741,824 using base 2). In other words, for example--- The Decimal Capacity of a 40GB HDD is 40GB The Binary Capacity is 37.25GB My 60GB HDD is 55.78 OR see http://www.computing.net/windowsxp/wwwboard/forum/145975.html

Western Digital and many other HD manufactors calculate 1gb as: 1000mb whereas your PC calculates 1gb as 1024mb.. thus the difference. Don't ask me why.. it is just the way things are. best of luck Frank :

If you guys want to have some real fun, go to an electronics store like Circuit City or Best Buy and ask them to explain that you. Hilarity ensues.

yeah silindro....their answer is "the box says its a 100 GIG drive...so you get 100 GIGs of space to use...." WRONG what is really fun is to listen in while someone asks the "agent" a question and you get to correct the agent in front of the customer. This message posted using 100% recycled electrons.

Lol, I did that in pc world with a friend who wanted to buy a digital camera, asistant said it was a 5 megapixel camera and I said yes but thats interpolated, confused the hell out of the poor kid, he had to go call his supervisor :) We did buy a camera but not the one he tried to sell us, got a "proper" 5MP one for less money Woof Always proof-read carefully to see if you any words out.