Differences for same data on W8 and 8.1.

Mustang

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I have three external hard drives, 2 x 750GB USB3 Western Digital, and 1 x 1TB Western Digital Caviar Black spinner.

All three have identical data on them, right down to the last byte ... both for the size of data itself; and the size of data on disk.

This is true whether they are opened on W8 or Windows 7 machine. Yet when I open all three of them simultaneously on the machine that had W8, but now has Windows 8.1 ... while they all show the size of data, the size of data on disk is different for each one! Despite the fact that all three still show identical data on disk on Windows 7. Or even on Windows 8 if I reinstall it on the machine which 8.1 is installed on.

Can anyone explain to me why this is so? It is important because having the data on disk the same confirms they are exactly identical.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ult Reatil & Win 8 Pro OEM
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Built as DIY
    CPU
    6 core 12 thread & 4 core
    Motherboard
    Inel Extreme & Intel standard
    Memory
    12GB & 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    3 top end SLI linked & onboard
    Sound Card
    In built in graphics card & onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24 & 23 inch Samsung LED backlit
    Screen Resolution
    High def
    Hard Drives
    Corsair Force 128GB SATA3 SSDs in each machine. Plus several external USB3 and eSATA spinner HDs
Any difference in the disk management view? Any differences when querying each disk via "diskpart?"

DiskPart Command-Line Options

Be careful if you decide to use the above please.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel G2020
    Motherboard
    ASRock B75M-DGS R2.0
    Memory
    8GBs @ 1333 MHz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 840 EVO
    PSU
    400w
    Internet Speed
    57/11
Win8.1 Disk Management does not go to that degree of accuracy. Unfortunately neither does DiskPart as it stops at megabyte.

The puzzling thing is why W8 and Windows 7 shows all three disks having the same size down to the last byte, but 8.1 shows them all different on disk?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ult Reatil & Win 8 Pro OEM
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Built as DIY
    CPU
    6 core 12 thread & 4 core
    Motherboard
    Inel Extreme & Intel standard
    Memory
    12GB & 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    3 top end SLI linked & onboard
    Sound Card
    In built in graphics card & onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24 & 23 inch Samsung LED backlit
    Screen Resolution
    High def
    Hard Drives
    Corsair Force 128GB SATA3 SSDs in each machine. Plus several external USB3 and eSATA spinner HDs
Good luck.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel G2020
    Motherboard
    ASRock B75M-DGS R2.0
    Memory
    8GBs @ 1333 MHz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 840 EVO
    PSU
    400w
    Internet Speed
    57/11
sound like the why are oranges question to me,[answer because snakes have no armpits]

also good luck finding out why win8.1 would do this
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win8.1.1 enterprise
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Hinze57
    CPU
    AMD FX 6100 6core 3.30gHz
    Motherboard
    gigibyte ga-78lmy-s2p
    Memory
    4gig ddr3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radon hd5000 Series
    Sound Card
    onboard realtek hd
    Monitor(s) Displays
    19" viewsonic/ 22"Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    128gig ssd Kingston
    80gig WD 10000 rpm spinner
    Case
    micro
    Keyboard
    microsoft curve 200
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless M215
    Internet Speed
    high speed 20
    Browser
    ie 11
    Antivirus
    windows defender
    Other Info
    updated enterprise apr 2/14
Thanks for the input. What makes it difficult is that while it's acceptable that the internal SSD & USB Flash drive will vary on disk, you need one other one that is a yard stick.

Even when data is copied onto the internal SSD HD it used to be the same on 7 & 8 but is now different on that one too on W8..1. So basically you've got 5 HDs all different on disk. Previously it was only the USB thumb drive.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ult Reatil & Win 8 Pro OEM
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Built as DIY
    CPU
    6 core 12 thread & 4 core
    Motherboard
    Inel Extreme & Intel standard
    Memory
    12GB & 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    3 top end SLI linked & onboard
    Sound Card
    In built in graphics card & onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24 & 23 inch Samsung LED backlit
    Screen Resolution
    High def
    Hard Drives
    Corsair Force 128GB SATA3 SSDs in each machine. Plus several external USB3 and eSATA spinner HDs
I have three external hard drives, 2 x 750GB USB3 Western Digital, and 1 x 1TB Western Digital Caviar Black spinner.

All three have identical data on them, right down to the last byte ... both for the size of data itself; and the size of data on disk.

This is true whether they are opened on W8 or Windows 7 machine. Yet when I open all three of them simultaneously on the machine that had W8, but now has Windows 8.1 ... while they all show the size of data, the size of data on disk is different for each one! Despite the fact that all three still show identical data on disk on Windows 7. Or even on Windows 8 if I reinstall it on the machine which 8.1 is installed on.

Can anyone explain to me why this is so? It is important because having the data on disk the same confirms they are exactly identical.

Could it be that Windows 8.1 is inserting a hidden file somewhere? And could it be a different size depending on (what?)? Also, HDDs have a "total" amount of space and "useable" amount of space. Could it be that's what 8.1 is seeing . . . which negates this supposition because two HDDs are identical.

But, another question arises . . . did you purchase the 2 750GB drives together or separately? Even if together, unless the serial numbers are within a few digits apart (0000003 or 0000008 vs 0000003 or 0000159) it could be that the useable space could vary.

And now that I've confused the issue even more, I'll quietly back away. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion 500-056
    CPU
    AMD Elite Quad-Core A8-6500
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 8570D
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 23"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    1 TB
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave K350
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
    Internet Speed
    Fast
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Oops, I'm back!

There are some other variables too; saved as .doc or .docx. I often have to save in both formats because one of my contacts has Office 2003, while I use Office 2010. Office 2010 files are much smaller than Office 2003 files.

I could also make the files PDF unless one of my contacts needs to revise one of our documents.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion 500-056
    CPU
    AMD Elite Quad-Core A8-6500
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 8570D
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 23"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    1 TB
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave K350
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
    Internet Speed
    Fast
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Even though the two hard drives were purchased at separate times they both show the same data on disk on both Win 7 & 8 and are copied by drag/drop onto all media from the spinner hard drive. Win 7 has Office 2010 and Win 8 has Office 2013 yet both show same data on disk on each system. Win 8.1 is the only variable in the equation.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ult Reatil & Win 8 Pro OEM
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Built as DIY
    CPU
    6 core 12 thread & 4 core
    Motherboard
    Inel Extreme & Intel standard
    Memory
    12GB & 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    3 top end SLI linked & onboard
    Sound Card
    In built in graphics card & onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24 & 23 inch Samsung LED backlit
    Screen Resolution
    High def
    Hard Drives
    Corsair Force 128GB SATA3 SSDs in each machine. Plus several external USB3 and eSATA spinner HDs
Are you finding those differences using rt click the drive>properties?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Even though the two hard drives were purchased at separate times they both show the same data on disk on both Win 7 & 8 and are copied by drag/drop onto all media from the spinner hard drive. Win 7 has Office 2010 and Win 8 has Office 2013 yet both show same data on disk on each system. Win 8.1 is the only variable in the equation.

Yeah, I understand that, and was just looking for reasons that 8.1 shows things differently.

Ain't computers wummerful? Seems as how they've taken the places of our spouses: Can't live with 'em and can't live without 'em. :confused:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion 500-056
    CPU
    AMD Elite Quad-Core A8-6500
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 8570D
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 23"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    1 TB
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave K350
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
    Internet Speed
    Fast
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Ain't computers wummerful? Seems as how they've taken the places of our spouses: Can't live with 'em and can't live without 'em. :confused:

have to say my spouse was never as annoying to live with as a computer♥
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win8.1.1 enterprise
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Hinze57
    CPU
    AMD FX 6100 6core 3.30gHz
    Motherboard
    gigibyte ga-78lmy-s2p
    Memory
    4gig ddr3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radon hd5000 Series
    Sound Card
    onboard realtek hd
    Monitor(s) Displays
    19" viewsonic/ 22"Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    128gig ssd Kingston
    80gig WD 10000 rpm spinner
    Case
    micro
    Keyboard
    microsoft curve 200
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless M215
    Internet Speed
    high speed 20
    Browser
    ie 11
    Antivirus
    windows defender
    Other Info
    updated enterprise apr 2/14
show the same data on disk


we do you go to check data on disk .

i right click on the drive and go properties ,in win7 and win 8.1, and it shows my external as having the same numbers for most of the used and unused space .
for used space win8.1 on a 74.4gig hdd ,it showed 55,620,964,352 total 51.8
win7.it showed 55,620,841,472 total 51.8
so little different numbers but same total
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win8.1.1 enterprise
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Hinze57
    CPU
    AMD FX 6100 6core 3.30gHz
    Motherboard
    gigibyte ga-78lmy-s2p
    Memory
    4gig ddr3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radon hd5000 Series
    Sound Card
    onboard realtek hd
    Monitor(s) Displays
    19" viewsonic/ 22"Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    128gig ssd Kingston
    80gig WD 10000 rpm spinner
    Case
    micro
    Keyboard
    microsoft curve 200
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless M215
    Internet Speed
    high speed 20
    Browser
    ie 11
    Antivirus
    windows defender
    Other Info
    updated enterprise apr 2/14
I have a folder for example called "Data Others". When I right click this folder and then select Properties it shows:

Size: 149GB (161,032,850,421 bytes)

Size on disk 150BG (161,222,950,912 bytes)

These figures are exactly replicated no matter which hard drive I check the size of the folder in. It's a quick way of ensuring the data has copied across correctly. The only drive it does not do this on is the USB3 Flash drive, and this is only for the size on disk, and the reason is because it does not copy the properties. Both figures are exactly the same for "Size" and "Size on disk" for USB3 West Digital, Spinner West Digital, internal SSD3 storage HD, and SSD3 C drive ... on Win 7 & 8. But not so 8.1.

WHY? :confused:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ult Reatil & Win 8 Pro OEM
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Built as DIY
    CPU
    6 core 12 thread & 4 core
    Motherboard
    Inel Extreme & Intel standard
    Memory
    12GB & 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    3 top end SLI linked & onboard
    Sound Card
    In built in graphics card & onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24 & 23 inch Samsung LED backlit
    Screen Resolution
    High def
    Hard Drives
    Corsair Force 128GB SATA3 SSDs in each machine. Plus several external USB3 and eSATA spinner HDs
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