8 MB unallocated?

[redeemed]

I want to resize my C: partition (which is taking up all of my 160GB hard drive) and install Vista alongside XP Home. However, when I view the HDD with Paragon Partition Manager 8 (this also happens with Gparted), it shows 7.5 MB of unallocated space (see attachment). If I want to resize C: and make a new partition with the free space, that 7.5 MB won't be there anymore.

My question is if I resize C: and make a new partition and the 7.5 MB isn't there anymore, will that affect the HDD? Does the hard drive need that space to operate? This may sound trivial but I don't want to destroy the existing partition (C:).

TIA :)

[HouseCookie]

I played around with my partitions recently too. I noticed that I already had one 7.5 MB unallocated part and when I played around more I had the same thing. So I assume its normal...

Yeah... so i guess I didn't really help any... Sorry

[redeemed]

NP :)

Did you also create a partition HouseCookie or just played around with it?

[tao muon]

It's basically space that does not fit 'cleanly' into the partition table- when the space available does not evenly divide itself into parts the file system can understand, there is left-over, unused space. It's like the remainder in a long division problem.

You can later take that space and integrate it in to the file structure, but it is basically the uneven remainder from dividing the space into blocks based on the file structure.

Does that make sense?

[LightIdea]

It is for Dynamic disk setups within windows.

Search.

[SnowRanger13]

I always thought that since my harddrives have a 8MB buffer and my unallocated space is always close to 8MB I always thought it was that, but what tao muon makes more sense.

Not that it matters but out 7.8MB of unallocated space you have used 2047.9GB :p

[redeemed]

It's basically space that does not fit 'cleanly' into the partition table- when the space available does not evenly divide itself into parts the file system can understand, there is left-over, unused space. It's like the remainder in a long division problem.

You can later take that space and integrate it in to the file structure, but it is basically the uneven remainder from dividing the space into blocks based on the file structure.

Does that make sense?

Yes thanks it does :)

Now I know that I can format this space without destroying my partition :yes:

And because all hard drives have the same sized blocks there will always be this space (or remainder) left over, right?

Thanks again tao muon (Y)

It is for Dynamic disk setups within windows.

Search.

I found this in "Help and Support":

Some space at the end of the disk is reserved by Setup in case you later want to upgrade the disk to a dynamic disk. Dynamic disk information is saved at the end of the disk. The amount that is reserved is a minimum of one cylinder, or 1MB, whichever is greater. One cylinder can be up to 8MB, depending on drive geometry and translation.

That explains it :yes:

I always thought that since my harddrives have a 8MB buffer and my unallocated space is always close to 8MB I always thought it was that, but what tao muon makes more sense.

Not that it matters but out 7.8MB of unallocated space you have used 2047.9GB :p

Yeah I noticed that which is weird :wacko: ...but AFAIK it's not hurting the HDD's file system so I'm not too worried :laugh:

Edited May 16, 2007 by redeemed

[tao muon]

Yes thanks it does :)

Now I know that I can format this space without destroying my partition :yes:

And because all hard drives have the same sized blocks there will always be this space (or remainder) left over, right?

Thanks again tao muon (Y)

...

I found this in "Help and Support":

{Dynamic Disk info cut}

That explains it :yes:

I have had instances on two of my computers where a whole drive has been partitioned and formatted for NTFS during Windows' setup (the computer I'm using at the moment, for instance) and not had any left-over space for Dynamic Disk conversion. I have also had 3 computers I've worked on with unused disk space after partitioning as well so I don't completely believe the Help info, but it is possible I suppose.

I believe it is primarily caused by how some drive manufacturers count their storage space: many consider a gigabyte as 1000 megabytes and a megabyte as 1000 kilobytes but Windows (and most computers for that matter) calculate a gigabyte as 1024 megabytes and a megabyte is 1024 kilobytes since those numbers fit evenly into binary counting. This is where the 'unused' portion comes from since the conversion from decimal gigabytes to binary gigabytes will result in a remaining portion as I mentioned.

But, you can allocate and format that partition if you want. Personally, I wouldn't quibble about 8 megabytes of unused space on the drive- that would basically allow me room to rip an audio CD. And if I was that close to running out of space, I'd go buy another drive. I often send emails of 10+ megabytes so 8 is not that much space.