C:/I386 and C:/Windows/1386

[Ryann]

Hello all.

My father (who must know the origin of every kb of data on his HD)
called me today asking what was contained in the C:/I386 and
C:/Windows/I386 folders.

"These folders have a bunch of subfolders and files in them and I
don't know what they are for, maybe a report to microsoft or
something? Any they are taking up alot of room, almost 400 MB each!!!
Can I delete them?"

Reading newsgroups I got that the I386 folder is basically stores the
CAB files for XP for systems that (usually) are not shipped with an
install cd. (In my fathers case Compaq Clone with Recovery CD).

One person stated that it would be safe to delete the c:/I386 folder
or at least zip it and delete the unzipped one. Opinions?

Is the C:/Windows/I386 folder exactly the same?
Does windows access either folder by default on it own (system
operation)?
If we were to delete "one" of them which one?

Thanks in advance!

 

[trmptr64]

This entire folder should be contained on your Windows
CD. It is normally copied off onto your hard drive for
convenience when Windows needs to load something and asks
you to insert your Windows CD in the CDROM drive. You
can browse to the I386 folder instead. I would think
that both location that you refer to on your hard drive
should be identical and could probably both be deleted if
you are really desparate for space. Otherwise I would
leave one. It really wouldn't matter which one you
delete, so long as you remember where the one you keep is
located.