Weird HDD space issue…

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

  1. Posts : 294
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #1

    Weird HDD space issue…


    I have two 1TB storage drives in a Lian Li EX-503 setup as individual disks. One is a old WD 1TB Black and one is a newer (2012) Hitachi. These drives are not in RAID1 but I have them both synced with FreeFileSync.

    The weird thing is the WD has 1.05GB less space than the Hitachi and both drives have exactly the same amount of data (950,506,779,339 bytes). I do not have system restore turned on and I checked for hidden files and folders. There are no partitions on either drives.

    *edit* - TreeSize also shows the exact same amount of space used on both drives.

    I can't figure out where the 1.05GB on the WD drive went.

    The only thing I can think of is the Hitachi uses Advanced Format and the WD does not, does AF affect available storage space?
    Last edited by 0pTicaL; 04 Jul 2013 at 13:25.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 6,292
    Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
       #2

    A lot of it probably has to do with they way individual programs calculate disk size. What program/utility are you using to see this difference?

    A possibility is that one drive was initialized and formatted by Windows, and the other by a Linux based program like Partition Wizard.
    Windows will create blank space on either side of the volume for it's use in disk organization (Dynamic Disks and such). Linux will use the entire disk.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 294
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
    Thread Starter
       #3

    TVeblen said:
    A lot of it probably has to do with they way individual programs calculate disk size. What program/utility are you using to see this difference?
    Not using any program. Just using Windows Properties (right-click > Properties) to see Used, Free and Capacity.

    TVeblen said:
    A possibility is that one drive was initialized and formatted by Windows, and the other by a Linux based program like Partition Wizard.
    Windows will create blank space on either side of the volume for it's use in disk organization (Dynamic Disks and such). Linux will use the entire disk.
    Nope, both drives were formatted under Windows 7 x64.

    There's nothing complicated about this issue other than one drive not showing the correct amount of free space.

    It's like this I have two 1TB HDDs inside a Lian Li EX-503 enclosure, the drives are setup as individual disks.

    1) WD 1TB has 3 folders with files in them, the total size of all 3 folders 950,506,779,339 bytes

    2) Hitachi 1TB is identical to the WD with 950,506,779,339 bytes

    However the WD is showing 45.3GB of free space while the Hitachi is showing 46.3GB free space.

    There are no hidden files or folders on either drive (other than Recycling Bin and System Volume Information). System Restore is disabled.

    How can both drives use the same amount of space but have different amount of free space remaining?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #4

    What does total capacity show for each drive? One may have 1 trillion bytes while the other may be a little shy but they market it as a 1TB drive.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 294
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Both drives show a total capacity of 1,000,202,039,296 bytes (931GiB).

    I have never seen a 1TB consumer drive, after format, have less or more than 1,000,202,039,296 bytes.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #6

    Well it is odd then, the total capacity is the same whether raw, formatted, or full of data.
    Could one drive have a hidden Folder such as a $RECYCLEBIN?
    Here's why I asked, these are two Seagate 500GB Barracuda drives and capacity is different by 6MB and a bit.

    -drive-capacity.jpg
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 294
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Here's a screenshot of the 1TBs. As you can see I resolved the issue, both show 45.3GB free space now. There seemed to be a anomaly with the Hitachi drive because the total size of all 3 folders exceeded the total used space shown under Drive Properties.

    Both drives have the hidden folders $RECYCLE.BIN and System Volume Information but they are do not contain any data in them as shown under TreeSize. TreeSize is required to view the contents of System Volume Information because the folder is system locked.

    I went ahead and deleted the Hitachi volume under Disk Management and quick formatted the drive and re-transferred the data from the WD to the Hitachi drive and now it shows up correctly.

    However, there is still a 40.21MB difference.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails -capacity.png  
    Last edited by 0pTicaL; 04 Jul 2013 at 21:00.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #8

    I don't know the answer of the used space mismatch. It may have something to do with how Windows measures sizes. Here is a snip of a folder I keep, well see the title, things in. The Size and Size on Disk are different as are all files.
    Are both drivse formatted with the default sector size of 4096K?
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 294
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Britton30 said:
    I don't know the answer of the used space mismatch. It may have something to do with how Windows measures sizes. Here is a snip of a folder I keep, well see the title, things in. The Size and Size on Disk are different as are all files.
    Are both drivse formatted with the default sector size of 4096K?
    I think you mean allocation unit size/cluster size. You can't change a HDD's sector size. Yes, all drives are formatted the default 4K cluster size.



    Look at it this way, I have two identical 1TB HDDs 1,000,202,039,296 bytes (931GiB).

    I copy 1 file onto each HDD, the size of that file is 31GiB. When I check Drive Properties it should show the exact same amount of Used space, which is 31GiB.

    The problem I'm having is that it doesn't show the exact same amount of Used space. One drive is showing 31GiB used, and the second drive is showing 32GiB used.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #10

    Yup, sorry I did mean allocation unit size. Since one is WD, the other Hitachi, it may be some glitch in the drives' controllers and how data is handled, the newer being more efficient...or something.
    It's a curiosity though, but if all is working well it shouldn't cause any issues.

    Do both drives have the same SATA interface, SATA SATAII, SATAIII, etc?
      My Computer


 
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 7 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 7" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:39.
Find Us