[Jessica Lyn Alves]

Hello Everyone.

My step father just gave me his dell which has windows vista on it . He said that he just reinstalled vista about 2 weeks ago, has been using the computer just fine. Well now that I am using it i've noticed that everything I save is automatically being saved to hard disk RECOVERY (D:) . I dont know how to change it so that it starts saving to OS (C:) . When I restart my computer it also goes to the black screen and i have two options to choose which both say windows vista. I'm not sure what had happened when he reinstalled. is there anything i can do to stop this from happening? Thanks

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Click File -> "Save As", instead of File -> Save, and browse to the Downloads folder location to save where you want it.

[Jacee]

Click File -> "Save As", instead of File -> Save, and browse to the Downloads folder location to save where you want it.

[Macboatmaster]

In adition to what my colleague Jacee has posted, but in respect of this below

When I restart my computer it also goes to the black screen and i have two options to choose which both say windows vista. I'm not sure what had happened when he reinstalled. is there anything i can do to stop this from happening? Thanks

You need to speak with your step-father, as from the evidence available, he has either, installed Vista AGAIN and now you have the original installation and the one he has made.
OR the screen does NOT actually offer a choice of TWO Vista operating systems, but one of the choices is the Recovery system he has created.
If the latter is the case, then he must have some degree of knoweldge and he will no dount be able to advise you.

That does not of course mean that we are not still ready to help you, but I feel certain he will have useful information for you.

[Jessica Lyn Alves]

I did speak to him about this and he said that he thought he reinstalled it correctly. there is two options which i can start up the computer either way and it will take me to different users . im not even sure which one i am supposed to be using and now i am having notifications from my computer telling me i have low space when i have a hard disk drive which is full and a hard disk drive which isnt even a quarter of the way full. when i look into both the drives i see that going into program files for each, they both contain all the windows components, explorer components, etc. i think i must have two vistas on my computer.

[Macboatmaster]

It appears likely from what you have now said

i have a hard disk drive which is full and a hard disk drive which isnt even a quarter of the way full.

and it will take you to two different users, that you MAY have two Vista installation on C drive and D drive is a recovery drive.

When you boot the computer

two options which i can start up the computer

WHAT please are the two options.

Alternatively if that message does not stay long enough for you to note, before it boots to the first option - do this please.
Start (Windows button) right click Computer, click properties on the window that opens click advanced settings left hand pane.
On the window that opens, click the advanced tab, on startup and recovery click the settings button on the window that opens the top box is default operating system to the right of the box click the down arrow
WHAT is shown please.
DO NOT change anything.

Now go start and in gthe search box type msconfig
When that opens click the boot tab
What is shown please in the white box.
DO NOT change anything please.

[Jessica Lyn Alves]

Okay in System Properties : Startup and Recovery : System Startup the options are Microsoft windows vist and microsoft windows vista. written exactly the same. Now after pulling up the System Configuration its showing Microsoft windows vista (c:\windows) : default OS and then Microsoft windows vista (D:\windows) : current OS

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[Macboatmaster]

Go Control Panel
Adminstrative tools
Computer Management when that opens
Disk management in left pane.
When that opens
ON THE TOP half of the WINDOW look at the disks shown. - ignore any external drive if you have one.
WHAT is listed please and on each entry going across to the right what is the capacity and free space of each.

On the lower half of the Window - ignore any CD drive or if you have one external drive
and the first one will more than likely be disk 0 - tell me please exactly what is shown there.
and on any line below that is not the DVD CD drive or the external drive

NOTE PLEASE
I am signing offline it is 0124 here. Back about 1800hrs.

[Jessica Lyn Alves]

I just wanted to say thank you so much for your efforts. ill talk to you when you return. the picture is attached showing the information you requested.

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[Macboatmaster]

Until I come back
The default operating system is C.

If you do not do anything on the first screen it will boot to C.

DO NOT boot to D.
One more installation on D by way of download and you will have problems.

I will continue as discussed.
For the time being DO NOT SAVE or install anything until we can sort it out.

UNLESS you can follow the first advice.
BUT if you download from the web, it depends on how IE or Firefox are configured as to where that download goes.

[Jessica Lyn Alves]

okay im not going to do anything on the computer until this is fixed.

[Macboatmaster]

On your screenshot in your post 6.
C:\Windows is set as the default operating system and you were at that time booted into D:\Windows as that is shown as the current operating system

It maybe that we will have to edit the Boot Configuration Data or indeed it maybe that we have to use a program to enable a boot to C.

When I restart my computer it also goes to the black screen and i have two options to choose which both say windows vista

WHICH if any have you BEEN choosing.
and particularly WHICH had you chosen when you sent the screenshot in Post 6.

Please either simply start the computer and DO NOT CHOOSE any and just let it boot, it will take approx 30 seconds as that is your timeout period

Then go msconfig Boot tab and see which you are in then please.

[Jessica Lyn Alves]

i chose the second one . which is the one that i sent the screenshots through. i will not reboot my computer with the default to see which one pulls up.

[Jessica Lyn Alves]

just restarted ...

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[Macboatmaster]

Now go please back to Start, computer, right click, properties, advanced system setting and on the same screen as you looked at before on startup and recovery change the time to display from 30 to 5.
click apply and Ok.

Check then by restart that NOT selecting an option you are back on C. in the 5 secs instead of waiting 30.

Just going for dinner back in one hour

[Jessica Lyn Alves]

yes i am back on c and i only had to wait the 5seconds.