Re: Will have to format HD in a Gateway DX430X

Hi!

> For some reason (probably me) I have not been able to install Vista's
> SP1.

You may have incompatible software or device drivers on your
system--especially if you're using the preloaded factory-supplied software.
(A similar problem shows up on some HP computers, where HP used the same
master software image for AMD and Intel based systems. Without SP1 these
computers were fine, with SP1 they crash.)

However...if you're trying to get the service pack from the Windows Update
application built into Vista, don't do that. Instead, go and download the
*full* Vista SP1 installer from the Microsoft web site. Take a backup of
your system, temporarily turn off your anti-virus software and install the
service pack.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

> My question is the HD that I presently have has two partitions onr for
> drive C: and one drive D: recovery. Now when I get ready to format
> drive C: will I lose D:? at the same time?.

If all you do is format the drive, you won't affect any of the other
partitions on it. If you wipe the drive or attempt to repartition it,
everything could disappear.

> I had planned on cloning Drive C to protect what files I have will it
clone
> both or just C:?

What happens will depend upon your cloning software's settings and mode of
operation. Any cloning program I'm familiar with can be set to clone only
certain parts of a drive or everything.

> Or should I clone D: separately? Just want to be sure as I have not
> done this in a long time. (Things do change)

Actually, you should have an option to make yourself a set of recovery
discs. Look on the Start menu for a utility that does this, and have some
blank discs (you can probably choose CD or DVD media) handy. When created,
these will contain the entirety of the contents of drive D. If you do that,
you won't have to worry about what might happen to the contents of the D
partition.

You should do that no matter what course of action you take. That way you
will have a way to get the system back to a working state no matter what.

William