hard drive size differences showing?

[djc]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

I have a maxtor 4A250J0 250GB IDE/ATA hard drive. I am confused at the
different sizes I see reported in various places as follows:

1) supposed to be a 250 GB hard drive.
2) BIOS shows a 'max LBA capacity' of 251003 MB (which is roughly 245.12 GB)
3) Windows XP Sp1 Disk Management shows the disk as a 233.76 GB hard drive.

I am aware of bios and software(os) limitations in partition size (the 2GB,
8.4 GB, and 137 GB.. limitations. and earlier ones) And, I am aware of
depending on cluster size your 'usable' space on a disk varies and may not
equal the advertised drive capacity.... however, those are all refering to
partitions and/or partitions after formatting.

I am refering to the drive as a whole before partitioning. The numbers I
listed are refering to the drives capacity as a whole. So my questions are:
1) whats with the difference in numbers (explanation)?
2) is there something wrong? if so is it something I can/should fix? Or is
this normal?

any and all info is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

djc wrote:
> I have a maxtor 4A250J0 250GB IDE/ATA hard drive. I am confused at the
> different sizes I see reported in various places as follows:
>
> 1) supposed to be a 250 GB hard drive.
> 2) BIOS shows a 'max LBA capacity' of 251003 MB (which is roughly 245.12 GB)
> 3) Windows XP Sp1 Disk Management shows the disk as a 233.76 GB hard drive.
>
> I am aware of bios and software(os) limitations in partition size (the 2GB,
> 8.4 GB, and 137 GB.. limitations. and earlier ones) And, I am aware of
> depending on cluster size your 'usable' space on a disk varies and may not
> equal the advertised drive capacity.... however, those are all refering to
> partitions and/or partitions after formatting.
>
> I am refering to the drive as a whole before partitioning. The numbers I
> listed are refering to the drives capacity as a whole. So my questions are:
> 1) whats with the difference in numbers (explanation)?
> 2) is there something wrong? if so is it something I can/should fix? Or is
> this normal?
>
> any and all info is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
>
>

250GB on the box means that Maxtor is selling a HD with a capacity of at
least 250GB. Note that, as Maxtor and all other HD vendors define
capacity, 1GB = 1,000MB = 1,000,000KB = 1,000,000,000B. So your 250GB
HD has at least 250,000,000,000 Bytes of addressable storage.

251003MB as reported by the BIOS means that Maxtor has given you a HD
with a bonus of 1.003GB; it has approximately 251,003,000,000 Bytes
of addressable storage.

Windows usually reports HD sizes using the "software" definition, in
which 1GB = 1,024MB = 1,048,576KB = 1,073,741,824B. Doing the math,
233.76GB(software) => 251GB(hardware).

So, there is nothing wrong with your hardware or software. {I do wish
that M$ didn't use binary sizes for HDs, since HDs -- unlike RAM sticks --
do not naturally have binary sizes.
--
Cheers, Bob

 

[djc]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Thank you... now that I have read your response I am reminded that I read
that fact somewhere before (HD manufacturers using 1000 and not 1024) I
would personally rather the HD manufacturers use 1024 though...

thanks again.

"Bob Willard" <BobwBSGS@TrashThis.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:uSqbYbadEHA.3316@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> djc wrote:
> > I have a maxtor 4A250J0 250GB IDE/ATA hard drive. I am confused at the
> > different sizes I see reported in various places as follows:
> >
> > 1) supposed to be a 250 GB hard drive.
> > 2) BIOS shows a 'max LBA capacity' of 251003 MB (which is roughly 245.12
GB)
> > 3) Windows XP Sp1 Disk Management shows the disk as a 233.76 GB hard
drive.
> >
> > I am aware of bios and software(os) limitations in partition size (the
2GB,
> > 8.4 GB, and 137 GB.. limitations. and earlier ones) And, I am aware of
> > depending on cluster size your 'usable' space on a disk varies and may
not
> > equal the advertised drive capacity.... however, those are all refering
to
> > partitions and/or partitions after formatting.
> >
> > I am refering to the drive as a whole before partitioning. The numbers I
> > listed are refering to the drives capacity as a whole. So my questions
are:
> > 1) whats with the difference in numbers (explanation)?
> > 2) is there something wrong? if so is it something I can/should fix? Or
is
> > this normal?
> >
> > any and all info is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
> >
> >
>
> 250GB on the box means that Maxtor is selling a HD with a capacity of at
> least 250GB. Note that, as Maxtor and all other HD vendors define
> capacity, 1GB = 1,000MB = 1,000,000KB = 1,000,000,000B. So your 250GB
> HD has at least 250,000,000,000 Bytes of addressable storage.
>
> 251003MB as reported by the BIOS means that Maxtor has given you a HD
> with a bonus of 1.003GB; it has approximately 251,003,000,000 Bytes
> of addressable storage.
>
> Windows usually reports HD sizes using the "software" definition, in
> which 1GB = 1,024MB = 1,048,576KB = 1,073,741,824B. Doing the math,
> 233.76GB(software) => 251GB(hardware).
>
> So, there is nothing wrong with your hardware or software. {I do wish
> that M$ didn't use binary sizes for HDs, since HDs -- unlike RAM sticks --
> do not naturally have binary sizes.
> --
> Cheers, Bob
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

When you get through that, why do programmers (and many electronics
types) think the numbering system starts with 0 and the elctrical and
mechanical types think it starts with 1?

djc wrote:

> Thank you... now that I have read your response I am reminded that I read
> that fact somewhere before (HD manufacturers using 1000 and not 1024) I
> would personally rather the HD manufacturers use 1024 though...
>
> thanks again.
>
> "Bob Willard" <BobwBSGS@TrashThis.comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:uSqbYbadEHA.3316@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>
>>djc wrote:
>>
>>>I have a maxtor 4A250J0 250GB IDE/ATA hard drive. I am confused at the
>>>different sizes I see reported in various places as follows:
>>>
>>>1) supposed to be a 250 GB hard drive.
>>>2) BIOS shows a 'max LBA capacity' of 251003 MB (which is roughly 245.12
>
> GB)
>
>>>3) Windows XP Sp1 Disk Management shows the disk as a 233.76 GB hard
>
> drive.
>
>>>I am aware of bios and software(os) limitations in partition size (the
>
> 2GB,
>
>>>8.4 GB, and 137 GB.. limitations. and earlier ones) And, I am aware of
>>>depending on cluster size your 'usable' space on a disk varies and may
>
> not
>
>>>equal the advertised drive capacity.... however, those are all refering
>
> to
>
>>>partitions and/or partitions after formatting.
>>>
>>>I am refering to the drive as a whole before partitioning. The numbers I
>>>listed are refering to the drives capacity as a whole. So my questions
>
> are:
>
>>>1) whats with the difference in numbers (explanation)?
>>>2) is there something wrong? if so is it something I can/should fix? Or
>
> is
>
>>>this normal?
>>>
>>>any and all info is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>250GB on the box means that Maxtor is selling a HD with a capacity of at
>>least 250GB. Note that, as Maxtor and all other HD vendors define
>>capacity, 1GB = 1,000MB = 1,000,000KB = 1,000,000,000B. So your 250GB
>>HD has at least 250,000,000,000 Bytes of addressable storage.
>>
>>251003MB as reported by the BIOS means that Maxtor has given you a HD
>>with a bonus of 1.003GB; it has approximately 251,003,000,000 Bytes
>>of addressable storage.
>>
>>Windows usually reports HD sizes using the "software" definition, in
>>which 1GB = 1,024MB = 1,048,576KB = 1,073,741,824B. Doing the math,
>>233.76GB(software) => 251GB(hardware).
>>
>>So, there is nothing wrong with your hardware or software. {I do wish
>>that M$ didn't use binary sizes for HDs, since HDs -- unlike RAM sticks --
>>do not naturally have binary sizes.
>>--
>>Cheers, Bob
>>
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Simply because programmers and electronics people think in binary which has
two states which are 0 and 1. Electrical and mechanical people measure
things in positive numbers (they generally have something to start with) and
are generally using a base 10 system which has the numbers 0-9 but they
throw out the 0 as it means nothing.


"Mike Powers" <mikepowers5@cox.net> wrote in message
news:ZfiOc.1083$oA5.208@okepread05...
> When you get through that, why do programmers (and many electronics
> types) think the numbering system starts with 0 and the elctrical and
> mechanical types think it starts with 1?
>
>

 

[djc]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

LVTravel is correct. Another way to think of it is this: computers use
binary (and so programmers and many other computer related things) to
represent everything. When something is stored or represented in binary then
0 is the first one... say we have 2 bits to hold data. The different
possible combos would be:
00
01
10
11
That makes 4 possibilities and the FIRST, number '1' possibility is 00.
Those numbers are actually 0 through 3 in binary. And on the hard drive
thing, in my head, since they are storing binary information they too should
follow the 1024 number, not 1000.

Just my 2 cents.


"Mike Powers" <mikepowers5@cox.net> wrote in message
news:ZfiOc.1083$oA5.208@okepread05...
> When you get through that, why do programmers (and many electronics
> types) think the numbering system starts with 0 and the elctrical and
> mechanical types think it starts with 1?
>
> djc wrote:
>
> > Thank you... now that I have read your response I am reminded that I
read
> > that fact somewhere before (HD manufacturers using 1000 and not 1024) I
> > would personally rather the HD manufacturers use 1024 though...
> >
> > thanks again.
> >
> > "Bob Willard" <BobwBSGS@TrashThis.comcast.net> wrote in message
> > news:uSqbYbadEHA.3316@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> >
> >>djc wrote:
> >>
> >>>I have a maxtor 4A250J0 250GB IDE/ATA hard drive. I am confused at the
> >>>different sizes I see reported in various places as follows:
> >>>
> >>>1) supposed to be a 250 GB hard drive.
> >>>2) BIOS shows a 'max LBA capacity' of 251003 MB (which is roughly
245.12
> >
> > GB)
> >
> >>>3) Windows XP Sp1 Disk Management shows the disk as a 233.76 GB hard
> >
> > drive.
> >
> >>>I am aware of bios and software(os) limitations in partition size (the
> >
> > 2GB,
> >
> >>>8.4 GB, and 137 GB.. limitations. and earlier ones) And, I am aware of
> >>>depending on cluster size your 'usable' space on a disk varies and may
> >
> > not
> >
> >>>equal the advertised drive capacity.... however, those are all refering
> >
> > to
> >
> >>>partitions and/or partitions after formatting.
> >>>
> >>>I am refering to the drive as a whole before partitioning. The numbers
I
> >>>listed are refering to the drives capacity as a whole. So my questions
> >
> > are:
> >
> >>>1) whats with the difference in numbers (explanation)?
> >>>2) is there something wrong? if so is it something I can/should fix? Or
> >
> > is
> >
> >>>this normal?
> >>>
> >>>any and all info is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>250GB on the box means that Maxtor is selling a HD with a capacity of at
> >>least 250GB. Note that, as Maxtor and all other HD vendors define
> >>capacity, 1GB = 1,000MB = 1,000,000KB = 1,000,000,000B. So your 250GB
> >>HD has at least 250,000,000,000 Bytes of addressable storage.
> >>
> >>251003MB as reported by the BIOS means that Maxtor has given you a HD
> >>with a bonus of 1.003GB; it has approximately 251,003,000,000 Bytes
> >>of addressable storage.
> >>
> >>Windows usually reports HD sizes using the "software" definition, in
> >>which 1GB = 1,024MB = 1,048,576KB = 1,073,741,824B. Doing the math,
> >>233.76GB(software) => 251GB(hardware).
> >>
> >>So, there is nothing wrong with your hardware or software. {I do wish
> >>that M$ didn't use binary sizes for HDs, since HDs -- unlike RAM
sticks --
> >>do not naturally have binary sizes.
> >>--
> >>Cheers, Bob
> >>
> >
> >
> >
>

 

[djc]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Bob,
I need one clarification. I now understand there will be a discrepancy in
size due to HD manufacturers using 1000 and windows using 1024. But what
does the BIOS use? my bios reports the 251003MB size, and if thats using
1024 then the GB size should be about 245.12, right? and that is what I
would expect in windows, right? I'm sure I'm just missing something but if
you could clear that up for me I would be very gratefull. thanks again.



"Bob Willard" <BobwBSGS@TrashThis.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:uSqbYbadEHA.3316@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> djc wrote:
> > I have a maxtor 4A250J0 250GB IDE/ATA hard drive. I am confused at the
> > different sizes I see reported in various places as follows:
> >
> > 1) supposed to be a 250 GB hard drive.
> > 2) BIOS shows a 'max LBA capacity' of 251003 MB (which is roughly 245.12
GB)
> > 3) Windows XP Sp1 Disk Management shows the disk as a 233.76 GB hard
drive.
> >
> > I am aware of bios and software(os) limitations in partition size (the
2GB,
> > 8.4 GB, and 137 GB.. limitations. and earlier ones) And, I am aware of
> > depending on cluster size your 'usable' space on a disk varies and may
not
> > equal the advertised drive capacity.... however, those are all refering
to
> > partitions and/or partitions after formatting.
> >
> > I am refering to the drive as a whole before partitioning. The numbers I
> > listed are refering to the drives capacity as a whole. So my questions
are:
> > 1) whats with the difference in numbers (explanation)?
> > 2) is there something wrong? if so is it something I can/should fix? Or
is
> > this normal?
> >
> > any and all info is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
> >
> >
>
> 250GB on the box means that Maxtor is selling a HD with a capacity of at
> least 250GB. Note that, as Maxtor and all other HD vendors define
> capacity, 1GB = 1,000MB = 1,000,000KB = 1,000,000,000B. So your 250GB
> HD has at least 250,000,000,000 Bytes of addressable storage.
>
> 251003MB as reported by the BIOS means that Maxtor has given you a HD
> with a bonus of 1.003GB; it has approximately 251,003,000,000 Bytes
> of addressable storage.
>
> Windows usually reports HD sizes using the "software" definition, in
> which 1GB = 1,024MB = 1,048,576KB = 1,073,741,824B. Doing the math,
> 233.76GB(software) => 251GB(hardware).
>
> So, there is nothing wrong with your hardware or software. {I do wish
> that M$ didn't use binary sizes for HDs, since HDs -- unlike RAM sticks --
> do not naturally have binary sizes.
> --
> Cheers, Bob
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Actually, I believe the BIOS is reading the size of the disk in base 10.
This means the BIOS sees the drive capacity as 251.003 GB. The BIOS
usually reads the drive the way the manufacturer sells the product.
Remember, when you buy a harddrive, if the box says 250 GB, that means
there is AT LEAST 250 GB * 1000 * 1000 = 250,000,000 bytes = 238.42 GB *
1024 * 1024

----
Nathan McNulty


djc wrote:
> Bob,
> I need one clarification. I now understand there will be a discrepancy in
> size due to HD manufacturers using 1000 and windows using 1024. But what
> does the BIOS use? my bios reports the 251003MB size, and if thats using
> 1024 then the GB size should be about 245.12, right? and that is what I
> would expect in windows, right? I'm sure I'm just missing something but if
> you could clear that up for me I would be very gratefull. thanks again.
>
>
>
> "Bob Willard" <BobwBSGS@TrashThis.comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:uSqbYbadEHA.3316@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>
>>djc wrote:
>>
>>>I have a maxtor 4A250J0 250GB IDE/ATA hard drive. I am confused at the
>>>different sizes I see reported in various places as follows:
>>>
>>>1) supposed to be a 250 GB hard drive.
>>>2) BIOS shows a 'max LBA capacity' of 251003 MB (which is roughly 245.12
>
> GB)
>
>>>3) Windows XP Sp1 Disk Management shows the disk as a 233.76 GB hard
>
> drive.
>
>>>I am aware of bios and software(os) limitations in partition size (the
>
> 2GB,
>
>>>8.4 GB, and 137 GB.. limitations. and earlier ones) And, I am aware of
>>>depending on cluster size your 'usable' space on a disk varies and may
>
> not
>
>>>equal the advertised drive capacity.... however, those are all refering
>
> to
>
>>>partitions and/or partitions after formatting.
>>>
>>>I am refering to the drive as a whole before partitioning. The numbers I
>>>listed are refering to the drives capacity as a whole. So my questions
>
> are:
>
>>>1) whats with the difference in numbers (explanation)?
>>>2) is there something wrong? if so is it something I can/should fix? Or
>
> is
>
>>>this normal?
>>>
>>>any and all info is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>250GB on the box means that Maxtor is selling a HD with a capacity of at
>>least 250GB. Note that, as Maxtor and all other HD vendors define
>>capacity, 1GB = 1,000MB = 1,000,000KB = 1,000,000,000B. So your 250GB
>>HD has at least 250,000,000,000 Bytes of addressable storage.
>>
>>251003MB as reported by the BIOS means that Maxtor has given you a HD
>>with a bonus of 1.003GB; it has approximately 251,003,000,000 Bytes
>>of addressable storage.
>>
>>Windows usually reports HD sizes using the "software" definition, in
>>which 1GB = 1,024MB = 1,048,576KB = 1,073,741,824B. Doing the math,
>>233.76GB(software) => 251GB(hardware).
>>
>>So, there is nothing wrong with your hardware or software. {I do wish
>>that M$ didn't use binary sizes for HDs, since HDs -- unlike RAM sticks --
>>do not naturally have binary sizes.
>>--
>>Cheers, Bob
>>
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Nathan McNulty wrote:
> Actually, I believe the BIOS is reading the size of the disk in base 10.
> This means the BIOS sees the drive capacity as 251.003 GB. The BIOS
> usually reads the drive the way the manufacturer sells the product.
> Remember, when you buy a harddrive, if the box says 250 GB, that means
> there is AT LEAST 250 GB * 1000 * 1000 = 250,000,000 bytes = 238.42 GB *
> 1024 * 1024
>
> ----
> Nathan McNulty

Yup. As I said, Maxtor guaranteed to give you 250 GBs, and the BIOS
shows that they did and even gave you 1.003 GB more than Maxtor
promised.
--
Cheers, Bob