"kwilliams" <kwilliams.net@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:9BD0B464-0860-496D-8CEA-C204DFE6E614@xxxxxx

> Hi to all
> New vista user so have a few questions! firstly, am I correct in assuming
> the windows\softwareDitribution\download folder contains all my windows
> updates? If so can I remove to another drive and then use them to update
> if this laptop crashes. would like to gain some space as C:\ has 6GB space
> due to Acer formatting 10 GB partition for copy of installation and a D:\
> data partition. I understand that if I kill the reseved space vista will
> not be capable of extending my C:\ as it is to the left in drives view.
> TIA Keith

Originally Posted by kwilliams

"kwilliams" <kwilliams.net@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:9BD0B464-0860-496D-8CEA-C204DFE6E614@xxxxxx

> Hi to all
> New vista user so have a few questions! firstly, am I correct in assuming
> the windows\softwareDitribution\download folder contains all my windows
> updates? If so can I remove to another drive and then use them to update
> if this laptop crashes. would like to gain some space as C:\ has 6GB space
> due to Acer formatting 10 GB partition for copy of installation and a D:\
> data partition. I understand that if I kill the reseved space vista will
> not be capable of extending my C:\ as it is to the left in drives view.
> TIA Keith

Hi Keith,

Yes, those are the downloaded update files. You could copy them to another
drive and copy them back again ( think you need to take ownership to do that.) How would you get them to install? I just delete them.

Not familiar with your laptop, but are you sure you don't need the things Acer has reserved to do a recovery? If it is to the left in Disk Management Vista won't be able to extend.

As you have an external hd, you might like to partition that into two or three.
Copy the personal folders you don't constantly need to access onto one. Backup to another using Vista's backup function.You could image your installation onto it, using e.g. the free Drive Backup Express

Drive Backup Express &#45; Free Download&#33;

You then don't need to also keep those personal folders and backups on your C partition.

You could delete things you don't need , e.g. the sample media, pictures, tv shows, videos, music. You can also right click and delete any wallpapers you don't want - they're on your C drive under Windows/web. You could open the Fonts folder and highlight them all - right click and delete one by one (Vista won't let you delete the one's she needs). If you think you may want them back later, copy the folder to your external hd before deleting them from your laptop.

Hope this helps

SIW2