# Best Solution for Low Computer Disk?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-solution-for-low-computer-disk/692826>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 11, 2014, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-solution-for-low-computer-disk/692826 "2014-07-11T05:25:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![netracer61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f1d935/32.png) [@netracer61](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/netracer61)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-solution-for-low-computer-disk/692826/41 "2014-08-22T06:55:02Z")

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My sister inlaw had the same problem with her sony, it reported low disk space, it also reported an incorrect disk size of 450 MB when it was actually a 30GB. We pulled the drive and tested it and it was bad. It was a hitachi drive which seem to be prone to early failure, saw the exact same type of drive failure in a cheap Acer craptop . Get a new drive and use your restoration disk that should have come with the laptop if it was a win7 machine. Good luck.

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**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-solution-for-low-computer-disk/692826/42 "2014-08-22T08:01:23Z")

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> [@netracer61](#):
>
> My sister inlaw had the same problem with her sony, it reported low disk space, it also reported an incorrect disk size of 450 MB when it was actually a 30GB. We pulled the drive and tested it and it was bad. It was a hitachi drive which seem to be prone to early failure, saw the exact same type of drive failure in a cheap Acer craptop . Get a new drive and use your restoration disk that should have come with the laptop if it was a win7 machine. Good luck.

The backup image of the OS is probably on the hard drive as a hidden partition so if the drive dies, the backup partition goes with it.

However, even if you just have a bare drive, you don’t have to pay for another copy of Windows provided you have your key (which should be on a sticker on the unit somewhere).

Incredibly involved instructions for getting the OS back here:

[http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html](http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html)

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