As you work with files, folders, and programs, you should know the size of the disk and how much space remains available. A disk can store only a limited amount of data. Hard disks can store large amounts of data (in gigabytes), while removable disks, such as a USB flash drive or flash memory card, store smaller amounts. You can use the Properties command on a disk to display the disk size or the amount of used and free space, and to change a disk label, which is a name you can assign to a hard or removable disk. Besides checking hard disk drive or floppy disk information, you can also use the Properties command on a folder to find out the size of its contents. This can be helpful when you want to copy or move a folder to a removable disk or CD/DVD.
Determine Free Space on a Disk
With a disk in the drive, click the Start button, and then click Computer.
Click the drive, and then click the Properties button on the toolbar.
Right-click the drive, and then click Properties.
On the General tab, identify the amount of free space on the disk.
Click OK.
Did You Know?
You can display basic system information. Click the Start button, click Control Panel, double-click the System icon in Classic view. The basic information about your computer includes system rating, processor, memory (RAM), system type, network information, and Windows activation.
You can access and display system information from the Welcome Center. Click the Start button, point to All Programs, click Accessories, click Welcome Center, and then click View computer details. You can click Show more details to access System properties in the Control Panel.
For Your Information: Understanding File Sizes
When you create a file, it takes up space on a disk. Files with text are smaller than files with graphics. The size of a file is measured in bytes. A byte is a unit of storage capable of holding a single character or pixel. It’s the base measurement for all other incremental units, which are kilobyte, megabyte, and gigabyte. A kilobyte (KB) is 1,024 bytes of information while a megabyte (MB) is 1,048,576 bytes, which is equal to 1,024 kilobytes. A gigabyte (GB) is equal to 1,024 megabytes.
With a disk in the drive, click the Start button, and then click Computer.
Click the drive, and then click the Properties button on the toolbar.
Right-click the drive, and then click Properties.
On the General tab, identify the amount of free space on the disk.
Click OK.