Storage bug? summary capacity & usage greater than disk/partition size


  1. Posts : 14
    Windows 10, Windows 7, Linux Mint 17.3
       #1

    Storage bug? summary capacity & usage greater than disk/partition size


    re Settings -> System -> Storage

    It seems as though Windows 10 can add some, but not necessarily all new or detected partitions to an aggregate capacity under the label This PC (C: ) Even if the partitions are empty NTFS or RAW (inc. Linux Swap?) also include them as usage: 'System & reserved.' I haven't able to discern a pattern of how Windows 10 determines if a new or empty formatted partition will be added to the aggregate Storage summary. At best it's confusing, and appears to be broken.

    Further: deleting some partitions, or shutting down, unplugging disks and rebooting does not necessarily alter the reported aggregate that is shown for This PC (C: ) i.e. You would expect removing all drives and partitions to restore This PC (C: ) status to show only the Windows partition capacity - it doesn't and it continues to show 100s extra GB that are no longer present on the PC.

    e.g. on my previous install I was seeing an impossible 239GB 'system & reserved' with 323GB 'capacity.'

    My system:
    • Windows 10 & 7 partitions each = 100GB
    • Windows disk total capacity = 223GB
    • Other disks, mix of NTFS, EXT4 (Mint 17, /home) Swap (Linux)

    N.B. I've tried this a couple of ways with fresh installs on clean disks and see the same result. It doesn't make a difference if Windows 10 or Windows 7 is installed first. I have made the partition order: recovery|efi|msr|windows|other

    Other things that make no difference:
    • Removing or assigning new disk letters
    • For both Windows 10 and Windows 7:
      1. Hibernation is disabled (from admin cmd terminal)
      2. Page-file management to be on C: only (other disks set to none)

    At the moment I am unsure if this is merely a 'cosmetic' issue or something that might cause more serious functionality problems later e.g. not being able to install since Windows incorrectly thinks a drive or partitions are used or reserved.

    I'm guessing this is multi-boot related, but does this strange Storage summary behaviour occur on anyone's system with Windows 10 only? Is anyone aware of this issue in dual/multi-boot PCs? is there a known bug or fix?
    Last edited by Berk; 11 Jan 2016 at 16:08.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #2

    Me too. I'm using 50GB of my 32GB partition apparently.....

    Storage bug? summary capacity & usage greater than disk/partition size-capture.png

    Actually I think you are right - for me it thinks my 32.6GB partition is 57.4GB as it adds on HFS partitions.

    Code:
    Number  Start (sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
       1              40         1024039   500.0 MiB   2700
       2         1024040         1433639   200.0 MiB   EF00  EFI
       3         1435648         1468415   16.0 MiB    0C01  Microsoft reserved ...
       4         1468416        69982207   32.7 GiB    0700  Basic data partition
       5        69982208       186220543   55.4 GiB    0700  Data
       6       186482800       235708599   23.5 GiB    AF00  El Capitan
       7       235708600       236978135   619.9 MiB   AB00  Recovery HD
    I'm pretty sure it is only cosmetic so I'm ignoring it

    EDIT - if I boot from another Windows instance then the same 32.6GB partition is seen as correct size

    Storage bug? summary capacity & usage greater than disk/partition size-storage-2.png
    Last edited by lx07; 11 Jan 2016 at 13:10. Reason: Another view...
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 9
    Windows 10
       #3

    And then up-to-date ver.2004 now proved it outstanding over the years.....

    There must be a common cause so far unknown (playing with us).
    Microsoft has not yet responded in this matter at Feedback Hub to me and three others. That's quite a few just in one year.

    I observed drive letter manipulation from Windows Recovery Environment affect the capacity of C: drive with Professional edition pre-installed. The inconsistency would disappear if you removed letters and assigned them back to partitions whose capacities have been added up.
    N.B. Partitions removal or system restore apart from them, presumably makes things irreversible.

    Microsoft Japan Community, where you will find more in Japanese with screengrabs at
    https://answers.microsoft.com/ja-jp/...7-1c5d3d1c3696
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 1
    Windows 10
       #4

    Capacity difference in multiboot Windows 10 and Linux


    Recently I also noticed this phenomenon. I have a multiboot system on a ~465 GiB SSD with a 78 GiB partition for Windows 10 and several others for different Linux systems. The layout of this disk is shown in this (GParted in Linux) screenshot:
    Storage bug? summary capacity & usage greater than disk/partition size-in_gparted.png

    The properties in Windows 10 Explorer shows this:
    Storage bug? summary capacity & usage greater than disk/partition size-in_explorer.png
    So like you would expect of the 78 GiB Windows partition.
    Settings>System>Storage in Windows 10 on the other hand shows:
    Storage bug? summary capacity & usage greater than disk/partition size-in_storage.png

    A little arithmetic suggests that Storage adds up the Windows NTFS partition with both the Linux ext4 partitions of 68.36 and 25.63 GiB and the Linux swap of 7.81 GiB to get a total of ~180 GB for a "C: disk".
    It doesn't seem to add the XFS partition of Scientific Linux (Redhat based).

    The partition named Turntable is shown as a drive D: and there is another Local Disk E: which, according to Windows, is unformatted. I did not dare to format it though because I have no idea which part of the disk it is.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 9
    Windows 10
       #5

    So is this multi-boot related? I'm afraid not.


    Berk said:
    I'm guessing this is multi-boot related, but does this strange Storage summary behaviour occur on anyone's system with Windows 10 only? Is anyone aware of this issue in dual/multi-boot PCs? is there a known bug or fix?
    Yes, it does occur on my system with Windows 10 only (a two-drive PC configuration into two single-boot systems). As a matter of fact, a straightforward SSD replacement as preventive maintenance reportedly suffered also on a single-boot Windows 10 system.
    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...5-8942f0f7255a

    Don't get me wrong, very supportive of you. But the more stress on "multi-boot related", especially when it comes to a different operating system involved, the lesser attention you draw in Windows 10 development and test. In other words, you may use a high-grade operating system if Windows 10 sucks but many people are there living with it to get the job done. That's why. I'm anxious lest they should let sleeping dogs lie for many years to come again.

    A few edits of my previous post are as follows.

    And then up-to-date ver. 20H2 now proved it outstanding over the years.....
    (Reason: a version-up verification)

    Microsoft has not yet responded in this matter at Feedback Hub to me and seven others, quite a few just in one year.
    (Reason: a rise in feedbacks almost every other month answers the last question.)

    Microsoft Japan Community, where you will find more with screengrabs of a workaround (i.e., a "reversible" case) at either one of
    https://answers.microsoft.com/ja-jp/...7-1c5d3d1c3696
    https://answers.microsoft.com/ja-jp/...7-1c5d3d1c3696
    (Reason: to depict what are screengrabs for, and a new alias given by Microsoft)

    "You..., you may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us and the world will live as one.", quoted from John Lennon - Imagine - Lyrics © Lenono Music.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Let me try to wrap up thread starter's opening address based on my system verification.
    Berk said:
    re Settings -> System -> Storage

    It seems as though Windows 10 can add some, but not necessarily all new or detected partitions to an aggregate capacity under the label This PC (C: ) Even if the partitions are empty NTFS or RAW (inc. Linux Swap?) also include them as usage: 'System & reserved.' I haven't able to discern a pattern of how Windows 10 determines if a new or empty formatted partition will be added to the aggregate Storage summary. At best it's confusing, and appears to be broken.
    Creating a partition on a boot device (e.g., SSD) causes Windows 10 boot volume capacity up (at face value). So when viewed from another Windows 10 instance (i.e., when not used as a boot volume), it's seen as correct size.
    Creating a partition can be done in many ways, such as command line interface, disk management GUI, third party tools, and Linux distribution installers.

    "Windows 10 can add some, but not necessarily all new or detected partitions", it depends on the existence of a drive letter assignment.
    • If it has a drive letter assigned "by Windows 10" at creation, capacity up never happens.
    • If you have not assigned at once or remove it afterwards, capacity up happens at detection (i.e., the next time system starts up).
    • If you assign it right here, capacity up disappears right away (formatted) or at detection (RAW).
    Pay attention to the fact that you could add up and down every partition except EFI system (always up) and Microsoft Reserved (u can't touch this) on a boot device since drive letter manipulation can be done from any Windows 10 instance including Windows Recovery Environment (Windows PE).
    N.B. Partitions removal or system restore apart from them presumably makes things irreversible.

    That's it, very simple and primitive. Multi-booting nor Linux has nothing to do with it.

    But please remember all of the above have a secret master switch unknown so far and hardly ignite. Once ignite, however, is this burning an eternal flame? Sorry, who knows but a rise in feedbacks is asking Microsoft to reveal a secret (or unveil the truth to say whatever it is).

    Again my system has one and only Windows 10 and Recovery Environment naturally in the boot configuration data.
    Last edited by Bokutaku; 05 Nov 2020 at 02:04. Reason: Citations once more and special thanks to all for your contributions...
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 9
    Windows 10
       #6

    Oops! can edit no longer...

    For example, you could take action to remove a drive letter that Recovery Environment has assigned to Windows partition (if not, first assign any letter left at your choice) and then restart the system. That results in double-counting a boot volume capacity and typically an excess over the device size in case of Microsoft's recommended partition layout for Windows 10 (i.e., a factory-installed device just like me).

    And vice versa, to get back to normal, take action to assign any letter left at your choice (if exists, first remove a drive letter that Recovery Environment has assigned to Windows partition) and then restart the system. This kind of inconsistency between the existence and the actual state of a drive letter assignment is business as usual for Windows you have to live with.
    Last edited by Bokutaku; 14 Nov 2020 at 16:14. Reason: For example and a new sketch to be prepared; coming soon!
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 9
    Windows 10
       #7

    (continued) This kind of inconsistency between the existence and the actual state of a drive letter assignment is business as usual for Windows with such a long history, not only users to live with but also developments and tests have to deal with.
    Implementation of drive letters came first in the floppy disk era, multiple Windows instances later, and Linux distributions have just arrived.
    I mean a new kid in town to everywhere and everything embedded in the code has gone with the wind from our minds (after all... tomorrow is another day).
    Last edited by Bokutaku; 16 Nov 2020 at 21:33. Reason: Ongoing...
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 9
    Windows 10
       #8

    Source of Worry


    Bringing Disk Management into Settings
    Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20197 | Windows Insider Blog

    Brandon LeBlanc, a senior program manager for the Windows Insider Program said:
    Unlike the existing Disk Management MMC snap-in, this modern experience was built from the ground up to with accessibility in mind. It also features better integration with features such as Storage Spaces and the Storage breakdown page...
    The existing Disk Management MMC snap-in is still available for those that need it.
    [It's... a sketch as promised, showing the discussion at Microsoft Japan Community. Enjoy!]

    (teleconference) "Nonconcur in that part. To what, or not to what, that is the question with reliability in mind.
    A whole different animal is not a professional way to implement the fundamentals of operating system, you know that."

    "(buzz on sound) Building everything from scratch is sometimes too much for you and delivers without due care, tons of damages and burdens to brand loyalty of the company you work for, giving up a preventive maintenance, introducing 'Diskpart Clean' as a best practice to recover from issues, and, yada yada yada. They're really tired."

    (teleconferencing) "Well, we gotta do somethin'. You do realize that approach, moving onto a new framework anything and everything anyway, was not ideal?
    I'm afraid it's getting out of hand. Even if you release the world's most beautiful identical twin hares, you will catch neither."

    (green crabs pinned up to the wall, still teleconferencing) "What if you repeat creation and deletion? How much further up to the sky high, fly, robin fly, up, up and away?"

    '(crosstalk sings) Que... Sera, Sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours to see. Que Sera, Sera. What will be, will be... [laughs in Spanish]'

    (a window pane poster reads) WALTZ IS OVER! if you want it

    '(a faint voice) And that's the way it is. (buzzing) Happy holidays from Japan. Good night.'

    'Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)' as written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
    Lyrics [edited by sketch] © Wixen Music Publishing, JAY LIVINGSTON MUSIC, INC., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
    Last edited by Bokutaku; 04 Dec 2020 at 06:46. Reason: a sketch as promised
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 9
    Windows 10
       #9

    In Boot Camp too (Life goes on, bra)


    Microsoft community members are talking about this issue like it happens all the time in Boot Camp that I don't have.
    "No chance to see the consistency with Explorer in that arena", is true to say or not on your system, anybody?

    "System & reserved shows apparently huge storage space, 314 GiB whereas allocating 200 GiB space of a 500 GB SSD for BOOTCAMP. [Use the Force. Yes. View Japanese text hereafter... Feel it. Concentraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....]"
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 9
    Windows 10
       #10

    Microsoft finally acknowledged the issue in response to ...


    Microsoft finally acknowledged the issue in response to an initial failure of its product. "Affirmative, as you say it could be part of Out-Of-Box Experience in using a brand-new Surface Laptop 4," answered Microsoft Agent and Moderator.

    No official response to any single feedback I watch as of today. Due to its sensitive nature, I'd like to refrain from translating for now (Japanese are go, otherwise please ask your local rep). Anyway Microsoft has confirmed, not officially though, this is a problem in the Microsoft products.

    Happy 4th!
    Last edited by Bokutaku; 02 Jul 2021 at 20:40.
      My Computer


 

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