The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #136254 Message #3110618
Posted By: JohnInKansas
09-Mar-11 - 03:34 PM
Thread Name: Tech: What to safely delete from HD?
Subject: RE: Tech: What to safely delete from HD?
WinXP Pro includes a backup utility, although you may need your original installation disk to install it on your computer since many default installs don't put it there.
With the number of files you appear to have, a "decently complete" backup could require a big box of CDs or DVDs, so using an external drive (preferably a portable USB IMO) would be a good idea.
If you can make a good backup you'll be free to delete at your pleasure, since an ETTS1 event can be recovered by restoring your previous files.
1 ETTS = everything turns to sh*t
A fairly "friendly" description of the WinXP Pro backup process is given at Microsoft: Windows XP Backup made easy
As it appears that you've been using this machine for quite a while, it's quite likely that your hard drive is "quaintly tiny" relative to the common sizes now in use, so a better option might be just to install a larger HD. Most replacement drives will come with a "transfer utility," or will tell you where to download theirs, to allow you to "move the whole system" from an old drive to a new one fairly easily; but it might be worthwhile for you to let a pro do it for you since you do need to have both old and new drives connected.
It might be possible to install an additional HD in your computer to just copy data files to, but especially in older machines you may not have the existing wiring/connectors to do that.
You can also easily attach an external USB HD (again I recommend a "portable" due to better tolerance for bumps and bruises) that you can copy all the "data" files off to, to make room on the original HD for the "system and programs" stuff. Portable USB externals are available for $40 US (small) to about $140 for 1TB.
You do NOT want to mess with anything in your Add/Remove Programs lists unless you're sure it's something you'll never want to use again - or unless you're sure you have the original install disks in case you want to put them back later.
Data files (.doc, .xls, .pdf, .jpg, etc) can mostly be moved or removed once you have a place to put them off the original HD. Usually moving the accumulated data will leave enough space for the original system and origianl and normal additions of program files.
(Some .jpg may be icons used by programs, so be be cautious about ones in C:\Program Files.)
My current HD is "only" a 500GB, upgraded from the original 250GB when it was still WinXP; and it would be "stuffed" by now without a permanently connected external USB where I put all my "web notes" (mostly my mudcat stuff?).
John