Hard drive partition questions

gfr92y · 27 Jan 2016

Please ignore the wiping part. That will be in my next post. Sorry.

Questions about Hard Drive Partitions

The first report came from the laptop's Computer Management and the second from the Properties option after right clicking on C: in Windows Explorer.

Question 1: If the recovery record has a capacity of 13 GB and its free space is 13 GB, does that mean my recovery partition is empty and therefore any recovery option that the OEM had intended is gone? (This was a company laptop that was sold or given to a family member who used it for a while before selling it to me.)

Question 2: Why does Computer Management report that I have 683 GB free while C: Properties states that I only have 679 GB? (I really do not care about the 4 GB, but I am very curious as to how and why the discrepancy exists.)
[/U][/B]

Question 3: Background: The 100 GB of Free Space was once part of the primary partition C: until I created a new 100 GB partition S: that I subsequently deleted. Question: What is the difference between 100 GB of Free Space and a 100 GB Extended Partition?

Question 4(a): Is the difference between (i) the 931.51 GB reported on the left-hand side of the table and between top and bottom, and (ii) the advertised size of the hard drive, 1,000 GB, have something to do with the data being represented by a string of zeros and ones, i.e., the binary system, and the Background: The 100 GB of Free Space was once part of the primary partition C: until I created the manner in which the data is stored on a partitioned magnetic media?

Question 4(b): Why is the sum of the Recovery, System Reserve, Primary, and Free Space partitions great than the advertised size of the hard drive; i.e., 1,000 GB versus the sum 1,031GB?

Questions about Wiping Hard Drive Partitions

Background

I have a need to wiping of my hard drive with data destruction similar to that of Acronis DiskCleanser or DBAN. That is, of course, until someone more knowledgeable than me explains why I should do something different.

kathy025 · 27 Jan 2016

Here are interesting reads for you:
Beginner Geek: Hard Disk Partitions Explained
HTG Explains: Why Do Hard Drives Show the Wrong Capacity in Windows?

LMiller7 · 27 Jan 2016

While the recovery partition shows as being empty that is by no means the case. This partition was created by the OEM and is not a standard Windows partition. Windows knows nothing about it and cannot reliably report on it's contents. Do not assign it a drive letter and do not attempt to use it for any purpose.

pbcopter · 27 Jan 2016

As to your questions:

1) It is normal for the recovery partition to show 100% free. It is a special partition and the files are hidden.

3) Free space is space not used. Since you have created an extended partition from C: and have not created a drive in it, it shows as free space.
You deleted the logical drive S: in the extended partition. The extended partition remains.

4a) Manufacturers of hard disks use decimal to specify their disk capacity. Computers use binary to show size, etc. That is the difference.

Drive displays a smaller capacity than the indicated size on the drive label | WD Support

4b) Here I believe you used 100GB instead of 100MB (for the System Reserved partition) when you totaled the sizes.

gfr92y · 27 Jan 2016

LMiller7,

Thank you for answering the recovery partition question.

Gfr92Y

DavidE · 27 Jan 2016

gfr92y said:

(This was a company laptop that was sold or given to a family member who used it for a while before selling it to me.)

I would not use/trust a used PC install, no telling what is on it, I would nuke and clean install.

No matter how well you know and trust those folks, they may have let others use the PC and did "who knows what", without the owner understanding the risk.

RolandJS · 27 Jan 2016

"I have a need to wiping of my hard drive with data destruction similar to that of Acronis DiskCleanser or DBAN. That is, of course, until someone more knowledgeable than me explains why I should do something different." Acronis DiskCleanser is not free, it's a 15-day-trial version. I downloaded it, maybe can test before time's up. :)

gfr92y · 29 Jan 2016

kathy025 said:

Here are interesting reads for you:
Beginner Geek: Hard Disk Partitions Explained
HTG Explains: Why Do Hard Drives Show the Wrong Capacity in Windows?

Kathy,

Thank you very much for referring me to the two articles, which either answered some of my questions or provided me with the background information to understand the answers to any unanswered questions,

Thanks, again.

Gfr92y

pbcopter · 29 Jan 2016

I guess my answers didn't help.

gfr92y · 29 Jan 2016

pbcopter said:

As to your questions:

1) It is normal for the recovery partition to show 100% free. It is a special partition and the files are hidden.

3) Free space is space not used. Since you have created an extended partition from C: and have not created a drive in it, it shows as free space.
You deleted the logical drive S: in the extended partition. The extended partition remains.

4a) Manufacturers of hard disks use decimal to specify their disk capacity. Computers use binary to show size, etc. That is the difference.

Drive displays a smaller capacity than the indicated size on the drive label | WD Support

4b) Here I believe you used 100GB instead of 100MB (for the System Reserved partition) when you totaled the sizes.

pbcopter,

Thank you so much for helping me. (I was impressed by your ability to identify and fix the issue regarding 4(b).)

The answers to my questions and the additional information from you and the other contributors have allowed me to continue expanding my understanding of hard drives.

Not my next post, but the post after that one will begin the discussion on wiping a hard drive. I will start by stating my desired outcome, a little background on why the hard drive needs to be wiped, propose two routes to achieve my desired outcome, and finally, to ask for help identifying the most appropriate route to achieving my desired outcome.

Best regards,

Gfr92y

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