[at-l] NOT trail related - computer geeks only read

[DaRedhead@aol.com (DaRedhead@aol.com)]

My system at home crashed last night. KaBOOM - KaBLOWEY - down for the count.  Now, I have a handy dandy Quick Restore disk, but it says it is going to wipe my hard drive clean.  Needless to say, there are a few things I would like to save - like some websites I was working on!! amongst other things (you have any idea how long it takes to train your darn pokemon???? <g>.)  So when I say no, it kicks me to DOS.  Having always been a computer geek myself, I know my way around DOS. I was very excited, like "Hey, I can copy some things to disk before I wipe it all clean" . . . short lived, because while all my files are THERE, and I can SEE them - I can't copy them anywhere because it's not recognizing my a: drive.  SO . . . 

a few questions -
a) If I just try reinstalling windows, will that also wipe my hard drive?
and b) if I had had a brain, and partitioned my hard drive, would I be in this situation, and therefore, should I do so when I get my brand newly slicked drive up and running? and
c) Anyone know anything else I can try before I go the drastic QuickRestore route?  

Hating life - 
wwwaaaahhhhhhhhhh

The Redhead