Dell E520 and the disappearing HDD space

"Lies, Damned Lies, Statistics, Computers"

[AlexK]

You are probably familiar with the old ordering of:

Lies
Damned Lies
Statistics
Computers

...so here is another to bracket with (4), as perfectly true as it is misleading:

Dell supplies a 320 GB HDD, but delivers only 220 GB of usable space.

This is a tale of (probably) a Dell-assigned 32-bit integer that now rolls over, since disks have reached >100 GB. To further whet the appetite, here are two further facts, drawn from the Windows Explorer 'Properties' on the C: drive:

1. An E520 with a 160 GB drive loses 52 GB of disk space.
   
2. The same-spec machine, but with a 320 GB drive, loses 100 GB.
   (that's an extra 48 GB lost, just because the hdd is bigger)

Some extra facts to fill in the picture:

Every major computer manufacturer places the original install OS cabinet files, drivers and software in a hidden partition(s) on the Hard Disk. Those files are intended to restore the (visible) factory-install OS, software etc should Windows ever go tits-up and, because of this, the hidden partition(s) are usually referred to as the "Recovery Partition".

On the E520, Dell uses Norton Ghost 10 for it's Recovery software, and has 4 partitions on a 320 GB disk (the following reported via 'diskpart' within the MS 'Recovery Console'):

1. -: Partition1 [FAT] 39 MB (31 MB free)
   
2. C: Partition2 [NTFS] 225671 MB (221558 MB free)
   
3. D: Partition4 (Backup) [NTFS] 76301 MB (76234 MB free)
   
4. F: Partition3 [FAT32] 3224 MB ( 903 MB free)
   (plus 8 MB of unpartitioned space)

[note that drive C: is visible + accessible, drive D: is visible + inaccessible, all others are invisible + inaccessible]
[note also that MS reckon 1 GB == 1,024 MB, and that the MS reported disk size (305243 MB) is equivalent to the unformatted disk size in bytes (at 1 MB == 1,024 KB, 1 KB == 1,024 bytes)]

Thus, on a 320 GB SATA drive, 2,472 MB of recovery files occupy 79,648 MB of disk space! Clearly a mistake.

Comment:
I do not think that anyone that has any experience of Windows would argue with the existence of a Recovery Partition; it is the sane option. In the days of WinMe such partitions occupied scores of MB; now it is thousands. What is not sane is to lose almost one third of the drive for the sake of such a partition.

Dell actually supplies an OEM CD for Windows, plus a Drivers CD. Unfortunately, no CDs for the DVD reader/rewriter software, nor Product Keys. I'm attempting to obtain these latter, as I will then be able to recover all of this lost space. Wish me luck.

[engine]

Typically, you could be eating up disk space by having a huge single partition. Check the cluster size, which may account for the additional space being lost.

So, you might want to repartition the drive to smaller and more manageable sizes.

[Matt Probert]

I do not think that anyone that has any experience of Windows would argue with the existence of a Recovery Partition; it is the sane option. In the days of WinMe such partitions occupied scores of MB; now it is thousands. What is not sane is to lose almost one third of the drive for the sake of such a partition.

Recovery partitions are a nightmare. You really find you need them when the HDD fails, but then err, you're stuffed!

Now, being supplied with CDs (or perhaps DVDs) containing the necessary drivers &c. is *good* customer service.

Matt

[AlexK]

engine:

Check the cluster size, which may account for the additional space being lost.

None of the above is my design - this is how Dell supplied it; it is their partitions, their cluster size.

It is also, most distinctly, *not* "a huge single partition". Re-read the OP.

[inveni0]

I always thought it to be common knowledge that Hard Drive manufacturers count HD Size differently than operating systems.

2,472 MB of recovery files occupy 79,648 MB of disk space

I'm not sure what that means, but there's no way you can repair an OS installation with 2.4 GB. There are additional programs and diagnostic tools that need to be run to operate a computer. Each time you partition a hard drive, you're ripping out a section of otherwise usable clusters. Lots and lots of variables.

There are a lot of variables in hard drive space. It's not just Dell. Read your hard drive's casing. Does it claim to be 320GB? If so, you should blame them, I think.

[digitalghost]

>>only 220 GB of usable space.

Only? rofl

[AlexK]

digitalghost:

>>only 220 GB of usable space.

Only? rofl

The original machine I ordered was identical to the latest, but 160 GB. First thing I did was transfer my data files. Took over 6 hours, then stopped at just over 100 GB with a "Disk Full" message. I still had 20 GB to go, and all the apps to install.

Bet you wouldn't be laughing if you ordered a 12" Pizza and they delivered a 8" (and charged you for a 12").

[AlexK]

inveni0:

2,472 MB of recovery files occupy 79,648 MB of disk space

I'm not sure what that means

It means that 79,648 MB of the HDD has been partitioned off and made inaccessible to the user. It also means that that (almost) 80 GB of partition contains just 2.4 GB of files.

there's no way you can repair an OS installation with 2.4 GB

Doesn't anybody read what's written? Look, I'll put it in a quote, so that you cannot miss it:

Every major computer manufacturer places the original install OS cabinet files, drivers and software in a hidden partition(s) on the Hard Disk. Those files are intended to restore the (visible) factory-install OS, software etc should Windows ever go tits-up and, because of this, the hidden partition(s) are usually referred to as the "Recovery Partition".

[kaled]

I'm taking delivering a new Dell laptop in a few days. I plan to scrub clean and repartition, etc. If I can't do this for some reason (such as a lack of driver disks and no internet download availability) it'll probably end up being sent back.

If you want to use the whole disk space, this is the only way to go. I did this with my current laptop (IBM Thinkpad) but made a set of recovery disks first - never used them though.

Kaled.

[inveni0]

I can read. I've become pretty good at it.
Dell has given you a backup partition that is heavily padded. Check to see if you can save your file backups to that partition. This would mean that you have a chance at getting the bkup data back in case of HDD failure.
Then, call them before chewing me out for trying to give you some reasons to why...

[AlexK]

inveni0:

Dell has given you a backup partition ... see if you can save your file backups to that partition

My first thought when confronted with this arrangement; that's why the OP says:

D: Partition4 (Backup) [NTFS] 76301 MB (76234 MB free)
... drive D: is visible + inaccessible

I very much appreciate your desire to try to help--the same motivation lives within myself--but it is like the difference between "hearing" and "listening". Superficially the same, but a continental time-shift of difference when you dig below the surface.

Spot the word "inaccessible" in the quote above? Dell has removed 100 GB of this disk, all for the sake of a couple of Gig of recovery files. Once you get that point, we can begin talking about the real issue here.

I feel like the small child in the (Hans Christenson Anderson?) fairy tale, pointing at the King wearing no clothes. Am I really the only person that can see this?

[inveni0]

I guess my point is that the space is there. If you are concerned about the arrangement, call Dell.

PS: Though not likely, it's not ignorant to consider the possibility of Dell giving software that will backup on the 'inaccessible' partition. We all tend to overlook simple things when 'frantic'...

Again...just trying to help.