Windows Components in C:\My Backup

[Guest]

The whole story:
I own a Gateway MX3416 running Windows XP and I did a full system recovery
using the disk that came with the computer. When it was preparing to restore
the system, it asked me to choose between one of two options: 1. to do the
recovery without a backup (to be used only as a last resort when all else
fails) or 2. to do the recovery with a backup. I chose option 2 - with
backup. Now I have a C:\My Backup -- 7-11-14 1050AM folder which contains
everything that used to be My Documents - e.g., Program Files, WINDOWS,
Startup, etc.; and my D drive (the partition of the C drive, NOT the CD/DVD
drive), which used to be just D:\, is now D:\RECOVERY.

The first thing I did after the recovery was update all my pre-installed
software, and reinstall IE 7. The second thing I did was move my non-app
files and folders (e.g., doc files, pictures, music, etc.) from C:\My Backup
to the working directory's equivalent locations. And then the last thing I
did was reinstall my purchased apps (e.g. Microsoft Office, Photoshop, etc.)
and update them. Now my working directory is almost the way it used to be,
although I haven't quite finished yet.

My questions:
The problem now is I only have about 5 gigs left on my hard drive and I was
wondering:

1. Could there be any reason I shouldn't delete all of the Windows
components that are in C:\My Backup? In other words, are those components in
My Backup now completely detached to my system's functionability and are safe
to delete?

2. Am I suppose to do anything with D:\RECOVERY? When I click on the
drive, it just says that it contains the data used in the recovery and
shouldn't be deleted.

 

[Guest]

You are correct in assuming they are no longer connected to your current
install.
however if you ever plan on restoring that backup, you will need the data
and the Recovery portion.
if you have no plans on restoring then delete away.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the answer. When you say, ".. plan on restoring that backup," do
you mean whether I plan on using a restore backup tool instead of doing it
the way I'm doing it now? If so, then no, I have no plans for doing it that
way.

When it comes to recoveries that are this significant, I would prefer to
decide what I want restored and what I don't - it gives me a chance to review
all the junk I've got and do some house cleaning without having to uninstall
stuff.

By the way, what do I do with the D:\RECOVERY drive? It doesn't let me look
in it (I get stopped with a message that says, "do not delete data."

Thanks again!

 

[Guest]

Since you stated (to windows) that you wanted the ability to restore it
created a backup partition for you, accessable via the recovery portion of
ntbackup, I've never used this function, but I imagine you could explore it
using the recovery wizard within ntbackup, if you have no intention of using
it, then use a third party partition manager like Partition Magic, and first
delete the data, then merge the partition into your current one. windows
doesn't natively, have the ability to merge partitions.

thats that PM is for.