I bought a 320 GB External HD.. and it's says compacity 298 GB

[computerfix101]

Is there a reason why it would be only compacitating 298 GB and not 320GB?

I have the receipt should I return for another one?

 

[Celegorm]

Nope, that's normal. There is a difference in how HDD manufacturers define 1gig of data, vs how a computer does. You could get 100 drives, and they'll all do that.

 

[computerfix101]

ok so 22 GB are gone? I can't be able to get 320 GB?

 

[Celegorm]

ok so 22 GB are gone? I can't be able to get 320 GB?

essentially, those 22 GB were never there. The only way to get 320GB is to buy a bigger hard drive.

 

[Computer Head]

When you format a drive (a required step), some of the configuration for the hard drive is kept in an area on the hard drive. So you will always lose some space.

Before somebody corrects me, I tried to put that into very general and laymans terms. Whoever chimes in and shows off their talent of explaining that 22GB to explicit detail will get slapped.

 

[computerfix101]

ok Another Question, the folders that are factory put on the HD, can I delete them or hide them to were I cannot see them and only see my stuff.

 

[MikeReiner]

Just put all your files in "My Documents"
Don't Worry about what is at the root of the hard drive.

 

[A True Folder]

Is there a reason why it would be only compacitating 298 GB and not 320GB?

The correct answer is:

320GB = 320070287360B = 312568640KB = 305242.8125MB = 298.08GB. Windows divides by 1024 to calculate Bytes/Megabytes/etc (which it should).

It's because of this conversion of bytes -> kilobytes -> megabytes -> gigabytes that you lose some space, also you can blame everyone else for incorrectly using SI unit prefixes. GB is 1000MB, as opposed to a GiB which is 1024, you can't blame HDD manufacturers.

 

[dude_se]

you cant just magically delete a folder on the drive to fix it. thats just the way it goes. a lot of people arnt happy about this (including me. i have 465gb on my 500gb drive), and some people have seriously complained, but its just the way it goes.

 

[jashan17]

Yeah, Even if you buy a 120 gig hard drive it will show 102 or something. It is never exactly what it says. 750 = 700.