I don't know if I'm in the right Forum or not, but am here because someone told me that this was not a Windows program, but an offshoot of some kind of software problem. (I'll probably post to the Windows Forum as well, though, to be sure!)

In any event, my problem is this: Whenever I used to use my defragmenter (the free Diskeeper lite, because I'm on a very low income), its graph would show two long rows of green diagonal stripes representing my Reserved System Space (AKA "reserved for MFT" in other defragmenters), NOW all that Reserved System Space has suddenly disappeared, and I have no reason why.

I have the same software programs that I've always had, so can't understand why one of them might suddenly have done this (if it's, indeed, a software problem). The only recent changes I've made is to some settings in Word 2002, which I can't imagine would have any effect on this problem.

Does anybody know what might be causing this problem, and how I might be able to fix it? My only prayer is that I don't have to wipe-out out my hard drive and start over to fix this, as that thought is mind-boggling to me (in fact, I don't even know how to do a "clean uninstall/reinstall of XP, et. al.).

In about four hours, I am switching-over from dial-up to broadband, and I know that whatever the solution is should be faster to accomplish (if it has to be done over the Internet).

I am a relative computer novice, so would appreciate that any kind answers be relatively simple for me to understand. Thanks!

If u still need help.
The easiest solution might be system restore (btw, Are u running Xp?)

Megadeath (what a name!),

I did a number of "system restores" but they did nothing to solve this problem (if it is a problem).

As far as I can tell, since I'm only using 12% of my hard disk anyway, the missing "reserved space" doesn't affect anything, and its mysterious disappearance just another "mind-f**k" that computers seem to like to do with their owners.

Thanks for responding. You're the ONLY person in D-A-L who responded at all to my question--asked in two of your Forums--which certainly lowered my opinion of the courteousness of most D-A-L members.

I'll probably ask most of my questions in other Forums from now on.

Thanks again.

MARSHALLO