How to make all space on HDD available

[Guest]

I have a Sony Vaio with 60GB HDD running Windows XP. The original HDD was
faulty and has just been replaced under Warranty. When I look at My Computer
it shows (under Hard Disc)
Vaio C Total Size 13.9GB Free Space 5.74GB
Vaio D Total Size 37.2GB Free Space 37.2 GB
How do I get to use all 60GB?
Total Size for C + D above does not = 60GB. Where is the other 8.9GB?
Can I put files on D? Can I shift any from C to D?
Can I make C bigger and D smaller? If I change these do I have to
re-install anything or make changes in any part of the OS?
As a newbie I would appreciate help from experts.

 

[Chris]

See http://www.sudhian.com/index.php?/forums/viewthread/89238/ to explain
how manufacturers rate hard drives (and why 60 GB does not actually equal 60
GB). There's also probably a recovery partition or something fron Sony
eating up some space.

Yes, you can move files from C to D and back. However, changing the sizes
would cause you to have to reinstall Windows.

 

[Phil Weldon]

'mervet' wrote, in part:
| I have a Sony Vaio with 60GB HDD running Windows XP. The original HDD was
| faulty and has just been replaced under Warranty. When I look at My
Computer
| it shows (under Hard Disc)
| Vaio C Total Size 13.9GB Free Space 5.74GB
| Vaio D Total Size 37.2GB Free Space 37.2 GB
| How do I get to use all 60GB?
_____

You have not supplied enough information to give definitive answers. (For
example, why are there two partitions, and what file system are they?)


Sony Viao would technical support would be the place to start, as they can
help explain the major reason the C and D partitions don't add up to 60
GBytes.

However, whilst you are contacting Sony Viao, the following,

Hard drive capacities are measured in multiples of 1,000,000,000 bytes by
manufacturers; utilities and other programs like Windows Explorer measures
hard drive capacities as multiplies of a 'binary' gigabyte (1,073,741,824).
For this reason, manufacturer stated capacity will NEVER equal the 'Windows
Explorer' stated capacity.

Notebook Sony Viao computers have unformatted hard drive space approximately
equal to the random access memory size to allow hibernation - there goes
another gigabyte or so of reported hard drive space.

Sony Viao computers (as well as Dell and others) also will have several
gigabytes of 'hidden' space on the hard drive reserved for 'system restore;
all the files necessary to return the system to the software configuration
as it was when the computer left the factory (operating system, productivity
software, adware, and more.)

There is no 'missing' space on your hard drive. You can, however, make some
of changes you mention. BUT you don't know enough to do it safely at this
point. And there is little to gain. When you really need to make a change,
then you can make the effort.

Phil


|I have a Sony Vaio with 60GB HDD running Windows XP. The original HDD was
| faulty and has just been replaced under Warranty. When I look at My
Computer
| it shows (under Hard Disc)
| Vaio C Total Size 13.9GB Free Space 5.74GB
| Vaio D Total Size 37.2GB Free Space 37.2 GB
| How do I get to use all 60GB?
| Total Size for C + D above does not = 60GB. Where is the other 8.9GB?
| Can I put files on D? Can I shift any from C to D?
| Can I make C bigger and D smaller? If I change these do I have to
| re-install anything or make changes in any part of the OS?
| As a newbie I would appreciate help from experts.
| --
| Thank you for any help you can give.

 

[Phil Weldon]

'Chris wrote, in part:
| Yes, you can move files from C to D and back. However, changing the sizes
| would cause you to have to reinstall Windows.
_____

Not necessarily... there are several third party utilities that can combine
and or resize partitions (Partition Magic for one.) Or an external drive
can be used. Reinstalling the operating system is not necessary.

Phil


| See http://www.sudhian.com/index.php?/forums/viewthread/89238/ to explain
| how manufacturers rate hard drives (and why 60 GB does not actually equal
60
| GB). There's also probably a recovery partition or something fron Sony
| eating up some space.
|
| Yes, you can move files from C to D and back. However, changing the sizes
| would cause you to have to reinstall Windows.
|
| | >I have a Sony Vaio with 60GB HDD running Windows XP. The original HDD
was
| > faulty and has just been replaced under Warranty. When I look at My
| > Computer
| > it shows (under Hard Disc)
| > Vaio C Total Size 13.9GB Free Space 5.74GB
| > Vaio D Total Size 37.2GB Free Space 37.2 GB
| > How do I get to use all 60GB?
| > Total Size for C + D above does not = 60GB. Where is the other 8.9GB?
| > Can I put files on D? Can I shift any from C to D?
| > Can I make C bigger and D smaller? If I change these do I have to
| > re-install anything or make changes in any part of the OS?
| > As a newbie I would appreciate help from experts.
| > --
| > Thank you for any help you can give.
|

 

[Chris]

That is true. I guess my personal bias came into that post as I've never had
any luck with those programs (they always end up corrupting data).

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Chris

What model?

Have you read the Manual?


--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~