The same bytes expressed differently
Drive makers normally describe 1 TB as 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Dividing that number by 1,073,741,824 produces about 931.3 GiB. Some Windows screens label this binary calculation as GB. The physical byte count has not decreased.
The difference between 1 TB and 931 GB alone therefore does not call for returning the SSD or installing a tool that promises to unlock missing space. Compare figures expressed in the same units before deciding there is a capacity problem.
The whole disk is larger than one partition
A Windows system drive can contain separate partitions for the operating system, startup and recovery. The size of C: in File Explorer does not necessarily represent the entire physical SSD. Disk Management lets you inspect the partition layout and sizes without changing anything.
Do not delete small partitions simply because they have no drive letter. They may support startup or recovery. If their purpose is unclear, capture the layout and identify them before taking action. A small apparent gain is not worth an unbootable system.
Capacity is different from free space
Volume capacity describes the total size of a particular volume. Free space is what remains after Windows, applications, documents and other data. If a 931 GB volume has 600 GB free, investigate storage use rather than the difference between decimal and binary units.
Review storage categories and your own folders before deleting anything. Unknown system directories should not be removed just to improve the displayed number. Keep a separate copy of important documents and establish whether selected files are genuinely no longer needed.
Recognise differences that need investigation
If an entire physical 1 TB drive appears as only a few hundred gigabytes, unit conversion does not explain the whole difference. Check the model and look for unallocated space. A cloned partition may retain the old drive size even when the replacement SSD is larger.
Back up files before extending or rearranging partitions. The drive model, advertised capacity and a Disk Management screenshot are useful for diagnosis. They help separate normal reporting from a partition layout issue or incorrect device detection.
Sources and further reading
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