hello --after running "check disk," i went to the event viewer/application screen. i had a "warning" // source, windows search service // category, gatherer // event, 3086." when i clicked on that, i got to EVENTS AND ERRORS MESSAGE CENTER. i did a search for 3086, refined by XP pro. it brought up one article; when i clicked on the link to that article, i arrived at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931760 (i'm showing the title only because the article is very long) -- You cannot install Windows XP successfully after you use Windows Vista or Windows PE 2.0 to create partitions on a hard disk the article has something to do with creating partitions, which i know i've never done. plus i've never had vista installed, and i don't what know "windows preinstallation environment 2.0" is. my Qs --(1) is this article applicable to me? it has a hotfix linked to it, but it also says not to apply the hotfix unless i have the exact problem the article describes. i don't think i do, but i'm not positive i even understand what the exact problem is that the article describes.(2) am i supposed to do something as a result of the original "warning" from the event viewer/application screen, and if so, what?(3) am i supposed to make some type of change to some setting somewhere, and if so, what change, how, and where?(4) have i hopelessly crippled my computer, and if so, how can i fix it?(5) am i even asking the right Qs?thanks very much to anyone who can help!-- susie margaret1 person got this answerI do too

Hello susie margaret No, I would not use that Hotfix.1. Why did you decide to run check disk in the first place?2. Is your hard drive partitioned? For example in My Computer do you have more than one partiton listed?3. Is the machine running well?.

hello, cybertech --thank you so much for responding to my inquiry. i apologize for taking so long to get back to you; i got sidetracked by other (and, i'm embarrassed to say), less important things.because of my own dilatory behavior, now i'm afraid that i won't be able to remember everything i did, but i will answer your Qs as best i can.(1) i ran "the ultimate troubleshooter" (TUT) and got to this event table. the TUT suggested that i run the "check disk," which i did. somehow, then, i got to the hotfix article, which was pretty much incomprehensible to me.(2) yes, my hard drive is partitioned -- (a) basic/FAT, 47 MB, healthy (EISA configuration), and (b) basic/NTFS, 74.45 GB, healthy (system). while both are listed under disk 0, 74.5 GB, online, the FAT part shows no entry for "volume," whereas the NTFS part says "OS(C:) for "volume." is all of this comprehensible to you?(3) yes, my computer runs very well. it is a dell optiplex 330; i bought it in dec, 2008; i am on XP svc pack 3; and i have never had one bit of trouble with it except for one recent virus infection that was fixed remotely by the norton/symantec people.again, thank you very much for the time and effort you took to answer my Qs. is there something i should be doing differently that i can/should change?-- susie margaret

Since all is well, I would leave it alone.Keep an eye on it but "if it ain`t broke, don`t fix it"!!.