Cleaning up drives: the hard way

[JimmieD]

I'm sure the majority of you are far more computer literate than I am, and probably have newer equipment but I post this for any and all.

Doing some housecleaning and trashbin detail on my partitioned Win 98SE drive. Wanted more room on C drive so sent some stuff to virtual D partition drive, like, oh that old Fonts folder. Hey, I hardly ever change fonts anymore, so stick it over on D where I can find in the unlikely event I ever need it.

CRASHED THE WHOLE BLOOMIN' SYSTEM!! Fonts happens to have another name, as in gdi.exe, a critical file for boot process into Windows. It's gotta stay on Primary Master drive and NOT be moved, or else you get about 4 or 5 days of pure unmitigated **** figuring out what the heck the problem is. I'll spare you the details and just pass on the hard eaned wisdom folk. Fonts: no touchie!
Hope that helps someone....

[MoparNorm]

Ha!Ha!
That IS the hard way! The only files it is safe to move are files that you yourself add. Original Operating system files are a no-no unless you are smarter than I and change the file name. = )
......I wonder if a file called "start-up" is important??? ha!ha!
There are some preloaded files such as AOL, game software, and Real Player Radio that are preloaded on some brands of computers, that I never use, those are fair game for removal.
Thanks for the tip!
MN
PS , when cleaning do you use 409 or Ajax?? = )

[JimmieD]

Oohhh, yes Norm, danger lurks there. I also broke another rule of of cumputership: make only one change at a time, then check results before next change.

I am not positive that it was the 'Fonts' file that caused the problem because I also moved another file. I had downloaded or copied some NVidia drivers long ago for a graphics card installation that never happened. Saw them [I thought] on my main drive and again figured it was just leftover garbage. Moved them to second partition on main, at the same time I moved Fonts. When I fixed [restored] the computer I moved them BOTH back to primary drive primary partition, so it could be a combination of the two that did the trick. As gdi.exe is graphics related it coud be either one. Either way, I have to find something else to do when I'm bored....