# Boot sector error that misreads free disk space???

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boot-sector-error-that-misreads-free-disk-space/89984>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 27, 2001, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boot-sector-error-that-misreads-free-disk-space/89984 "2001-10-27T18:42:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bad\_Hat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f0a364/32.png) [@Bad\_Hat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_Hat)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2001, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boot-sector-error-that-misreads-free-disk-space/89984/1 "2001-10-27T18:42:55Z")

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It’s beeen a small nagging error on a couple of my PCs for a while.

Every once and a while I’ll notice that my C drive reads are nearly full, yet when I go thru it folder by folder (including hidden files) it never adds up to nearly as much space as Windows says. When I run Scan Disc, it tells me there is an error on my hard drive that may result in a misreading of available drive space, I hit “FIX” and everything is fine. Its never been a big issue, just a minor occasional annoyance. Its happened on at least 2 of my computers (i think all four, but not sure)under Win98, Win98SE, WinME, and recently a newly Win2K formatted disc.

Whats going on?  
the Hat

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**Author:** ![EnigmaOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EnigmaOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnigmaOne)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2001, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boot-sector-error-that-misreads-free-disk-space/89984/2 "2001-10-27T21:54:41Z")

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As a WAG, you may want to go to Microsoft’s web site and install the critical updates–especially those relating to the IDE drivers.

I recall there being an issue a while back which sounds familiar to me, in reading over what you’re describing here.