how do I clean up recovery D drive?

I've been reading threads about getting the 'low on space' on D drive to find
out how to clean up my drive after using it for back-up, unfortunately. I see
a list of files that should be there are Dell, Program Files, Sources, Tools,
Users and Windows. However, there are folders within folders within folders
in these files in my D drive, so I'm wondering if I can safely delete any of
them. A suggestion was to look at dates created and delete those after
back-up. I really would appreciate some simple directions on what I should
do.

Donna <Donna@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I've been reading threads about getting the 'low on space' on D drive to find
>out how to clean up my drive after using it for back-up, unfortunately. I see
>a list of files that should be there are Dell, Program Files, Sources, Tools,
>Users and Windows. However, there are folders within folders within folders
>in these files in my D drive, so I'm wondering if I can safely delete any of
>them. A suggestion was to look at dates created and delete those after
>back-up. I really would appreciate some simple directions on what I should
>do.

You should NOT be doing ANYTHING to that partition or to the files on
it... UNLESS you have created a set of recovery DVDs from it.

Do not save files to that area. Nothing. Leave it alone.

Donna wrote:

> I've been reading threads about getting the 'low on space' on D drive to
> find out how to clean up my drive after using it for back-up,
> unfortunately. I see a list of files that should be there are Dell,
> Program Files, Sources, Tools, Users and Windows. However, there are
> folders within folders within folders in these files in my D drive, so I'm
> wondering if I can safely delete any of them. A suggestion was to look at
> dates created and delete those after back-up. I really would appreciate
> some simple directions on what I should do.

Contact the computer mftr.'s tech support and ask them which are their
files. Delete the rest.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Bill Daggett;1097046 Wrote:
> Donna <Donna@xxxxxx> wrote:
> > > >
> > >I've been reading threads about getting the 'low on space' on D drive
> > to find
> > >out how to clean up my drive after using it for back-up,
> > unfortunately. I see
> > >a list of files that should be there are Dell, Program Files, Sources,
> > Tools,
> > >Users and Windows. However, there are folders within folders within
> > folders
> > >in these files in my D drive, so I'm wondering if I can safely delete
> > any of
> > >them. A suggestion was to look at dates created and delete those after
> > >back-up. I really would appreciate some simple directions on what I
> > should
> > >do. > >
>
> You should NOT be doing ANYTHING to that partition or to the files on
> it... UNLESS you have created a set of recovery DVDs from it.
>
> Do not save files to that area. Nothing. Leave it alone.

Unfortunately this is a classic. The Vista file backup program assumes
D: as the default partition (because in a Vista installation with a
genuine Microsoft installation disk, D: is empty and not clogged up with
the recovery DVD image). The way to proceed is:

1. Do as Bill Daggett says and burn your recovery DVDs (you need 2
DVD-R's) from D:. The little booklet that came with your computer should
tell you how (unfortunately the procedure is slightly different
depending on manufacturer).

2. Delete those files that come from the backup. Since those are your
own, you should be able to identify them. If you are not certain, take a
screenshot of your open D: partition, post that here and we'll have a
look.

3. Keep the D: partition solely as recovery partition. Even after
burning the DVDs, that is a good practice because you never know whether
the DVDs you burnt will work and then you can reinstall Vista from the
recovery partition in case that becomes neccessary.


--
whs

Thanks for all the responses. I will try to create recovery DVDs, then see
what I can delete from d drive. After that one back-up, I disabled automatic
back-ups to D, and haven't gone aywhere near it since, so I don't know why
it's suddenly running short of space.


"whs" wrote:

>
> Bill Daggett;1097046 Wrote:
> > Donna <Donna@xxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > >I've been reading threads about getting the 'low on space' on D drive
> > > to find
> > > >out how to clean up my drive after using it for back-up,
> > > unfortunately. I see
> > > >a list of files that should be there are Dell, Program Files, Sources,
> > > Tools,
> > > >Users and Windows. However, there are folders within folders within
> > > folders
> > > >in these files in my D drive, so I'm wondering if I can safely delete
> > > any of
> > > >them. A suggestion was to look at dates created and delete those after
> > > >back-up. I really would appreciate some simple directions on what I
> > > should
> > > >do. > >
> >
> > You should NOT be doing ANYTHING to that partition or to the files on
> > it... UNLESS you have created a set of recovery DVDs from it.
> >
> > Do not save files to that area. Nothing. Leave it alone.
>
> Unfortunately this is a classic. The Vista file backup program assumes
> D: as the default partition (because in a Vista installation with a
> genuine Microsoft installation disk, D: is empty and not clogged up with
> the recovery DVD image). The way to proceed is:
>
> 1. Do as Bill Daggett says and burn your recovery DVDs (you need 2
> DVD-R's) from D:. The little booklet that came with your computer should
> tell you how (unfortunately the procedure is slightly different
> depending on manufacturer).
>
> 2. Delete those files that come from the backup. Since those are your
> own, you should be able to identify them. If you are not certain, take a
> screenshot of your open D: partition, post that here and we'll have a
> look.
>
> 3. Keep the D: partition solely as recovery partition. Even after
> burning the DVDs, that is a good practice because you never know whether
> the DVDs you burnt will work and then you can reinstall Vista from the
> recovery partition in case that becomes neccessary.
>
>
> --
> whs
>

"Donna" <Donna@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A255511C-FE87-4DEE-B7B3-5B51CA5B8F95@microsoft.com...
> I've been reading threads about getting the 'low on space' on D drive to
> find
> out how to clean up my drive after using it for back-up, unfortunately. I
> see
> a list of files that should be there are Dell, Program Files, Sources,
> Tools,
> Users and Windows. However, there are folders within folders within
> folders
> in these files in my D drive, so I'm wondering if I can safely delete any
> of
> them. A suggestion was to look at dates created and delete those after
> back-up. I really would appreciate some simple directions on what I should
> do.


Donna

Presumably you know what you called your backups? Just remove them from your
recovery partition..

--

Mike Hall - MVP Windows Experience
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

I didn't have to name anything, as I recall. It all seemed to be done
automatically.

"Mike Hall - MVP" wrote:

> "Donna" <Donna@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:A255511C-FE87-4DEE-B7B3-5B51CA5B8F95@microsoft.com...
> > I've been reading threads about getting the 'low on space' on D drive to
> > find
> > out how to clean up my drive after using it for back-up, unfortunately. I
> > see
> > a list of files that should be there are Dell, Program Files, Sources,
> > Tools,
> > Users and Windows. However, there are folders within folders within
> > folders
> > in these files in my D drive, so I'm wondering if I can safely delete any
> > of
> > them. A suggestion was to look at dates created and delete those after
> > back-up. I really would appreciate some simple directions on what I should
> > do.
>
>
> Donna
>
> Presumably you know what you called your backups? Just remove them from your
> recovery partition..
>
> --
>
> Mike Hall - MVP Windows Experience
> http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/
>
>

> Thanks for all the responses. I will try to create recovery DVDs, then see
> what I can delete from d drive. After that one back-up, I disabled
> automatic
> back-ups to D, and haven't gone aywhere near it since, so I don't know why
> it's suddenly running short of space.
>
There are a couple free programs that make it easier to see how space is
allocated on a disk. SequoiaView and WinDirStat can both be downloaded from
Snapfiles.com and they will give you a graphic representation of your files.
You can also try running Disk Cleanup and deleting restore points and shadow
copies (assuming you don't need them).

Regarding the recovery DVD's if you have difficulty burning your own you may
be able to get them from the manufacturer. It's definitely a good idea to
have them since the recovery partition will be history if the hard drive
fails.