Partitioning HD and formatting HD space issue

[markh]

My HD's Total capacity is 76293MB and I have created 2 partitions. Forgetting about C: Partition 2 created – (D) 36295MB

When I created partition D, 36295MB on my drive the actual size came up as 36287MB.

Where did the other 8 MB go

After formatting with ntfs the reported size is 35370MB

Again where does the missing space go.

Regards
Mark

 

[JMMD]

File system overhead.

 

[LookinAround]

Also, be aware there's also the matter of "disk marketting games" played by the disk manufacturers. This leads to Hard Drive Size Discrepancy: When a Byte Isn't a Byte

 

[markh]

Can you elaborate on file system overhead.

Thanks
Mark

 

[hughva]

"File system overhead" is a phrase people use when they don't know where the space went.
You can read about it here:
http://www.dewassoc.com/kbase/hard_drives/file_systems.htm
Have you looked in Disk Management to see if there's an 8MB partition?

 

[markh]

Hi, many thanks for your reply and yes there is another partition 7MB. Is there a reason for this partition?

Many Thanks
Mark

 

[hughva]

I assume it's because you chose not to use all the space.
See if you can delete one partition and make a new partition that adds that space. I'm wondering if that disk has a requirement for the space?

 

[LookinAround]

OH!

I'd make sure that's not a recovery or diagnostic partition from your system vendor before you delete it

/* EDIT */
Tho 8MB is probably too small for recovery partition, it may contain diagnostics - which you may or may not care about

/* EDIT 2 */
Is the partition formatted as FAT? If yes, is likely diagnostics. If not formatted, yea, you can probably just blow it away

 

[markh]

I use many different computers, all of which are partitioned and quriously all seem to have this 8MB partition. It must have some purpose. I remember reading that the File System reserves space to allow for the reallocatation of bad clusters, maybe this is the reserved space??

Cheers
Mark

 

[LookinAround]

You didn't answer last time: Are these 8MB partitions formatted as FAT??

 

[hughva]

This seems to the explanation:
The 8MB space at the end of the drive is not a partition, and not partitionable. It's reserved by Windows in case you want to use dynamic volumes. Most people don't use that anyway. You can't get around the 8MB reserved space using Windows because the behavior is by design.
http://www.techsupportforum.com/microsoft-support/windows-xp-support/402956-8-mb-partition.html
I've seen this on previous installs, but none of my current disks has it.

 

[LookinAround]

<snip> It's reserved by Windows in case you want to use dynamic volumes

AND one has converted their disk from Basic to Dynamic. Then, yea, that would explain it. (By default, disks are Basic)

@markh
So the question is: When you look at Disk Management, does it say Basic or Dynamic under the Disk # in the lower pane?

 

[markh]

Update

Disk type dynamic and no the disk is not formatted.

 

[LookinAround]

Update

Disk type dynamic and no the disk is not formatted.

Bingo!!

hughva nailed it! Good catch :grinthumb

 

[markh]

Update. I have worked on several Dell PC's since my last update and they have only 2 partitions (no 7 or 8 MB partition at the end). The 2 partitions are formatted with NTFS and both are of type Basic. I built 3 of them myself creating the partitions. There doesn't seem to be a standard reason for this, or is there?


M

 

[DelJo63]

I remember reading that the File System reserves space to allow for the reallocatation of bad clusters, maybe this is the reserved space??

No. Bad Blocks are contained within the partition.