[Don Stewart]

Re-loaded Xp and now my C & D drives/partitions are backwards.....is there a simple way to fix, as everything is downloading to D, which is running out of space? Tons of free space on my C drive.

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FIRSTLY - you will find numerous suggestion of how to do this using various downloadable free untilities.
CAUTION If you try and change the drive letter of the drive on which the system is loaded ie: Windows you may VERY WELL end up with severe problems. In fact you will not be able to load Windows or indeed boot into any mode.

Here is the Microsoft article
http://support.micro...om/?kbid=223188

HOWEVER when you say you reloaded XP have you checked to establish where you reloaded it to. BEFORE you proceed as below.
IT MAY BE EASIER to start again, depending on what you now have installed and what brought about the necessity for the reinstallation.

A far better way is to leave it as is. Move whatever you can from D to C and then change the download path.for files downloaded from IE if you are of course using IE
See my screenshot please

On the screenshot you will notice in the main window the registry key for default download directory .
This is arrived at by Start, run and typing "regedit" without the quotes.
Then you need to go on the left hand pane to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer.

So you find the MAIN heading for HKEY_CURRENT_USERS, expand that, then Software, expand that, then Microsoft, expand that, then click once on Internet explorer.
Then you will be at my screenshot.
You then double click on that Download Directory entry in the main window and edit string will open.
In the white box will be the entry you saw in the main window for the download directory presumably in your case D:\etc.
Having established your new desired path you type that in. and then click OK.

NOTE CAUTION BEFORE DOING THIS establish a restore point. That is Start, Programs, Accessories, System tools, System restore and create restore point

Edited by Macboatmaster, 23 February 2011 - 08:58 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

FIRSTLY - you will find numerous suggestion of how to do this using various downloadable free untilities.
CAUTION If you try and change the drive letter of the drive on which the system is loaded ie: Windows you may VERY WELL end up with severe problems. In fact you will not be able to load Windows or indeed boot into any mode.

Here is the Microsoft article
http://support.micro...om/?kbid=223188

HOWEVER when you say you reloaded XP have you checked to establish where you reloaded it to. BEFORE you proceed as below.
IT MAY BE EASIER to start again, depending on what you now have installed and what brought about the necessity for the reinstallation.

A far better way is to leave it as is. Move whatever you can from D to C and then change the download path.for files downloaded from IE if you are of course using IE
See my screenshot please

On the screenshot you will notice in the main window the registry key for default download directory .
This is arrived at by Start, run and typing "regedit" without the quotes.
Then you need to go on the left hand pane to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer.

So you find the MAIN heading for HKEY_CURRENT_USERS, expand that, then Software, expand that, then Microsoft, expand that, then click once on Internet explorer.
Then you will be at my screenshot.
You then double click on that Download Directory entry in the main window and edit string will open.
In the white box will be the entry you saw in the main window for the download directory presumably in your case D:\etc.
Having established your new desired path you type that in. and then click OK.

NOTE CAUTION BEFORE DOING THIS establish a restore point. That is Start, Programs, Accessories, System tools, System restore and create restore point

Edited by Macboatmaster, 23 February 2011 - 08:58 PM.

[Don Stewart]

Thanks for the quick response to my concern. One of my issues since this all happened, (yes I'm using IE) is that my "system restore" is also gone and I'm willing to do what you suggested without the restore, assuming the worst scenario is that I have to reload XP once again. OK to proceed?

My other issue is that just about every large file that currently resides on my overloaded "D" drive won't let me delete it....access denied or if I delete it it comes right back again. Is there a way that I could show you what I have on my D drive so that you can tell me which ones can be deleted and/or tell me how to delete them? I'm not a real computer guy, but follow instructions OK and what really got me going on this is that Windows keeps telling me to load SP3, but I have no room if it tries to load to D. Thx again in advance.

[Macboatmaster]

In view of what you have now posted re System restore etc.

1. Was this a complete reinstall of XP, ie format partition and reinstall - from the Microsoft XP CD. or a reinstall from a OEM ie Dell CD provided with the computer.
OR
2. Was it a recovery from a partition on the hard drive - usually found on OEM machines ie a Branded computer.
OR
3. Was it an attempted Repair install with a Microsoft XP CD

Please provide more detail
Make and full model if branded.
Answers to the above

However in your situation - I tend to opine that a complete FORMAT and reinstall is the best way. PLEASE HOWEVER be aware that you will then of course lose everything on the hard drive

MY advice on post 2 will NOT correct the problem you now tell me about with access denied. All it will do is send downloads to the location you enter.
I can send you advice to try and correct the access denied errors, but on the evidence available you have reinstalled Windows on the wrong drive and changing drive letters HOWEVER it is done will not help you.

[Don Stewart]

I have an older Compaq Persario model # SR1315CL and loaded via new Windows Xp CD (Version 2002). I agree that I most likely loaded it to the wrong drive and I think it will be OK if I lose everything to correct the problem.

Thus I guess I need instructions to "However in your situation - I tend to opine that a complete FORMAT and reinstall is the best way"

[Macboatmaster]

Here is the link to the information for your computer.

http://h20000.www2.h...ortTaskId=22434

and loaded via new Windows Xp CD (Version 2002).

If XP was on the computer before and you did NOT have the Compaq HP recovery CD`s, there was on this computer a recovery partition from which YOU could have reinstalled the Operating system and any other software to the state it was in when the computer was first sold.

Please explore that link I have sent. All the information you need is there.

I still do not know of course, what exactly it was you were trying to do, or indeed did do, as your reply the relevant part of which is quoted above does not really answer the questions I asked..

What I suggest you do now, providing you are sure you do mind losing everything is to follow this guide on the link below.
You may well have problems with drivers and other issues but hopfully these can be sorted out later..
YOU will again need that link. to your computer for these various driver downloads.

Basically what you are now going to do is to insert the XP CD and perform a clean install of Windows.
Follow the guide carefully and take your time., posting back with any problems.
Good Luck with it.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978307
Please follow method one. on this link.

Here is another link you may read through first that includes images.
http://www.theelderg...l_-_graphic.htm

Edited by Macboatmaster, 24 February 2011 - 11:31 AM.

[Don Stewart]

Yes "XP was on the computer when I purchased it and I did NOT have the Compaq HP recovery CD`s" Can't remember the exact reason why I tried to re-load Xp nor the method I used and FYI, the Xp CD I have is Professional, if that makes a difference?

When you said "Please explore that link I have sent. All the information you need is there." did you mean the link right above your note or this one http://h20000.www2.h...rtTaskId=22434?

Is another possible solution to add memory to the existing D drive.....not sure if that is feasible, diificult to do or expensive.

Someone once told me about a download called sysrestorepoit.exe, would that help my situation or am I about to do something similiar to Flatten & Re-load, but I'm not going to be able to capture existing data to re-load?

[Macboatmaster]

Sorry if I worded it a little ambiguously.
The link you have quoted is the one for - this is the link to the information on your computer.
Everything you need by way of drivers etc is on that link and its allied pages.

The next link is the Micrsoft guide to installing XP and as I said use method one.
The last link is the alternative guide with images in case it assisted you.

Is another possible solution to add memory to the existing D drive.....not sure if that is feasible, diificult to do or expensive.

I do not know who has told you this or where you have read it.
A HDD does not have memory a such. It has drive space measured in Mb (megabytes) Gb(Gigabytes) or now Tb(Terabytes)
You cannot ADD to a drive.
I think what someone has told you is that you can repartition the drive, so that the space on D becomes more and the space on C less.
You can, providing it is ONE drive with two partitions, but I doubt it will solve your problem.
If you wish to try here it is

http://www.partition...om/personal.htm
You either, want to save your data, which is what I asked at first or you have, only just installed the system again, nothing worth saving and wish to proceed to a clean install.
A system restore point restores windows from a PREVIOUSLY established restore point in that INSTALLATION, any you have wil be restore points created since you reinstalled.

I respectfullly suggest you have little alternative to what I have recommended.
You could of course TRY any number of solutions suggested elsewhere or found by googling. - if they work I would be extremely surprised.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 24 February 2011 - 02:16 PM.

[Don Stewart]

Thanks again for all your help....think I will do this Friday and then I'll let you know the results.
I do have another computer (laptop) and lots of CD's & thumbnail....is there anything that I might want to capture before starting this process?

Edited by Don Stewart, 24 February 2011 - 02:33 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

Good luck with it please do let us know how it goes and do not hesitate to come back as you need help.
Is there anything I might want to capture - other than your personal docs, image etc. I do not think it is worthwhile.

[Don Stewart]

Macboatmaster.....Friday turned out to be a bad day (income tax stuff) same for today, so I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to do this re-load on Sunday.......much better day for me to do this.

[Don Stewart]

Macboatmaster....are you online currently? Need some help with the load.

[Macboatmaster]

YES.
Post and I will be here

[Don Stewart]

Here's where I'm at with the load: Windows Prof setup The following list shows the existing partitions & unpartition space on your computer:
unpartition 7 MB
D: partition2 [NTFS] 5389 MB (551 MB FREE)
c: PARTITITON1 [NTFS] 147228 MB (105810 MB FREE)

Which do I use or should I delete some 1st?

Options:

to s/u on selected item....enter
to create a partition in the unpartition space.....C
to delete selected......D

Edited by Don Stewart, 27 February 2011 - 01:33 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

Before we proceed is the CD you are using a Microsoft one provided with a product key that is available for use on this computer.
On that compyuter will be a label showing what operating system WAS installed when it was new. and that will also have a product key.