i purchased a new computer and it has 3 drives  
c being the boot  116 gb  free space 87.2
d being the backup 107 gb  free space 92
e  being the recovery 8.55 gb free space 404 mb
my problem is that now  amost everything i try to save ends up on all three drives
can anyone tell me how to restrict saved files to one drive only
would greatly appreciate this
im using win xp home up to date latest version
updated reg windows live one care in operation
i am using win rescue as have been for years

From your post, it looks like the computer is working as it should.
Drive C has around 30 Gb used, this would be the o.s. and your files and programs.
The backup drive [D] has 15 Gb used this would be the backups of your files and program data.
The recovery drive [E] has 8.1 Gb used, this should be the o.s. and whatever else was on the computer when you bought it.
I would think that anything you save would end up only on C and D. If it is ending up on E, then you don't have a recovery drive, because what was on there originally has been overwritten. Note the 15 Gb on D is nearly double the size of E.
If you restrict saved files to only one drive, you really need to have a backup on CD of anything that can't be replaced. If that one drive fails then everything is gone.
So is the backup on D, from Winrescue, or from Windows built in backup program or something the manufacturer put on the computer?
All you need to do is disable the backup program and delete all files on D you don't want, then you [and the o.s.] can use it for whatever you want.
Just remember, always have a backup copy somewhere of any files you don't want to lose.
I always backup to CD or DVD, it has saved me multiple times over the years.

cheers  i have backed up i got 10 cds  on my shelf
thought it would never stop asking for them
ill be ok now thank you
the recovery is full of the original  requirements
i also have a disc for resetting factory settings from manufacturer
thanks again