Computer experts! Memory capacity question . . .

[Deb in IA]

How many KB are in a MB?

How many MB are in a GB?

Thanks.

 

[Bob Slydell]

http://familyinternet.about.com/cs/computinghelp/l/aa052401a.htm

1,024 Byte = 1 Kilobyte (KB)
1,024 Kilobyte (KB) = 1 Megabyte (MB)
1,073,741,824 Bytes = 1 Gigabyte (GB)
1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1,024 Megabyte (MB)

 

[GoofyDad869]

A Kilobyte is actually 2 to the 10th power bytes. True measurement is 1,024 bytes.

A Megabyte is actually 2 to the 20th power bytes. True measurement is 1,048,576 bytes. It's typically rounded down to 1,048,000 bytes for easier calculation (but is still roughly an exact figure).

A Gigabyte is actually 1,024 Megabytes. True measurement is 1,073,741,824 bytes.

A Terabyte is actually 1,024 Gigabytes. True measurement is 1,099,511,627,776 bytes.

 

[Deb in IA]

Thanks.

Hmmm. Always thought they were even multiples of 1000. Wonder where the extra 24 comes in.


Started playing around with storing files on a jump (or flash) drive, and was discussing with DH how many KB files would fit in a 256 MB jump drive.

 

[GoofyDad869]

Hmmm. Always thought they were even multiples of 1000. Wonder where the extra 24 comes in.

The extra 24 comes in with the Nth power calculation. That's what usually throws people.

The 'kilo', 'mega', 'giga', 'tera' prefixes are misnomers on the part of whoever arrived at this naming convention many, many years ago. In their defense, I wouldn't begin to guess what '1024' would be described as. Maybe base 'em off the Marx Brothers? Or 'Our Gang' characters?

Harpo = Kilo = Buckwheat
Zeppo = Mega = Alfalfa
Groucho = Giga = Spanky
Gummo = Tera = Butch
Chico = ? = Darla ('cuz she's the mostest)

 

[Towncrier]

It works both ways. Most hard drive capacities are reported in Gigabytes that are NOT based on a power of 2, but on a power of 10. That way they can sell you a drive that will only hold 120,000,000,000 bytes and call it a 120 Gigabyte drive when, by the strictest definition, it is only a 111.75 Gigabyte drive.

Confused? Aren't we all.

 

[GoofyDad869]

Confused? Aren't we all.

So whaddawe name 'em after?

 

[Deb in IA]

You computer folks are weird . . . (just kidding!)

 

[Galahad]

Thanks.

Hmmm. Always thought they were even multiples of 1000. Wonder where the extra 24 comes in.

It's based on binary (on/off). 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 1024

 

[Tinkerbelle739]

This thread makes my hair hurt!!