Deleting old .CAB files - safe?

[bigred]

How safe is this or is it a "it depends" kinda answer......I know these are basically .ZIP files and as such backups, but how do I know if (realistically) I'll need/want them later?

FYI I'm not interested in saving any restore-type files (ie to go back to Win ME, in fact I can't even type that w/o laughing). Googling has produced mostly very out-dated info ie not addressing XP much or giving a broader answer. Course better safe than sorry, so I'm not deleting any as yet, but these are taking up a ton of space on a small HD that's running low. Any clues appreciated.

Edit:
Examples include stuff in directories like C:\WINDOWS\SYSBACKUP or C:\WINDOWS\DRIVERCACHE (worst of all is one under C:\WINDOWS\DRIVER CACHE\i386 that's over 74MB in size!).

Thx for any info

[MortFurd]

How safe is this or is it a "it depends" kinda answer......I know these are basically .ZIP files and as such backups, but how do I know if (realistically) I'll need/want them later?

FYI I'm not interested in saving any restore-type files (ie to go back to Win ME, in fact I can't even type that w/o laughing). Googling has produced mostly very out-dated info ie not addressing XP much or giving a broader answer. Course better safe than sorry, so I'm not deleting any as yet, but these are taking up a ton of space on a small HD that's running low. Any clues appreciated.

Edit:
Examples include stuff in directories like C:\WINDOWS\SYSBACKUP or C:\WINDOWS\DRIVERCACHE (worst of all is one under C:\WINDOWS\DRIVER CACHE\i386 that's over 74MB in size!).

Thx for any info

This is more of an "it depends" kind of thing. Backups of stuff you'll never need again (system restore points from 2 years ago, backups made when updating from Me to XP, etc.) can probably go. These C:\WINDOWS\DRIVERCACHE (worst of all is one under C:\WINDOWS\DRIVER CACHE\i386 should stay. These are copies of hte installed drivers. If you delete them, and then later have trouble with an installed device, then you will have to have the originail install CD. If you leave these files as they are, then most likely Windows will just reinstall without a blink.

When in doubt, don't delete.



BTW:
If you have to worry about 74 MB, then you need to see about getting a larger drive.

[Rat]

I would concur that the answer is to get a bigger drive. Unless you're very poor, your time isn't worth that little that you can scrabble around the hard disk trying to find bits to delete. I don't know what size drive you have at the moment, but a basic 200GB drive is peanuts these days.

You can minimize the amount of space allocated to System Restore to prevent it using too much space in the first place. You'll find the slider for it by right-clicking My Computer and going to properties. It should never really need more than a gig of space or so.

Cheers,
Rat.

[bigred]

I would concur that the answer is to get a bigger drive. Unless you're very poor, your time isn't worth that little that you can scrabble around the hard disk trying to find bits to delete. I don't know what size drive you have at the moment, but a basic 200GB drive is peanuts these days.

You can minimize the amount of space allocated to System Restore to prevent it using too much space in the first place. You'll find the slider for it by right-clicking My Computer and going to properties. It should never really need more than a gig of space or so.

Cheers,
Rat.
Well, isn't my PC and you're preaching to the choir re. a new HD but anyway....

Didn't see the System Restore "slider" you mentioned. Where in Properties is it supposed to be?

[Rat]

Well this:
http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/111445215b8c25689.png
is how it looks on mine. If you're on XP (as I believe you are) it should look about the same on yours. Clicking "Settings" when one of the drives (presumably the only one in your case) will allow you to adjust the percentage of the drive used.

Cheers,
Rat.

[asthmatic camel]

Blimey! You must have an enormous porn collection, Rat. ;)

[Rat]

Pah! That's only the internal drives, the three external ones were switched off when I took the screenshot. The problem now is remembering which drive contains which stuff.

[rockoon]

Pah! That's only the internal drives, the three external ones were switched off when I took the screenshot. The problem now is remembering which drive contains which stuff.

Thats why I would recommend a JBOD raid configuration for that set of drives.

[bigred]

Well this:
http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/111445215b8c25689.png
is how it looks on mine. If you're on XP (as I believe you are) it should look about the same on yours. Clicking "Settings" when one of the drives (presumably the only one in your case) will allow you to adjust the percentage of the drive used.

Nope, no such tab. Maybe it's a diff. between XP Home and XP Pro-?

[Rat]

Hmm, could be, but I'd be surprised if Home didn't have System Restore. I don't have a copy to hand at the moment, I'm afraid.

Cheers,
Rat.

[asthmatic camel]

From memory, XP Home does include the system restore feature. On older versions (I think it installs by default now, but don't quote me) you need to install it manually as an option from the CD.

Details here (http://www.theeldergeek.com/backup_for_xp_home_edition.htm)

[bigred]

Hmm, could be, but I'd be surprised if Home didn't have System Restore. I don't have a copy to hand at the moment, I'm afraid.

It does, my point was at the time I was looking on my XP Pro system at work :)

Anyway I checked it and that friggin puppy was set to MAX....no idea why. Set it to min (tempted to turn it off altogether) and VOILA, about an extra freakin GB of space. D'oh! Wish I'd known sooner could have left all my music files I saved off on there.....