safe to delete old windows xp install directory?

[millervt]

This is a followup to an earlier thread...for various reasons involving a new MB installation, I ended up with my new, current version of windows installed to c:\windows1. My original install is to C;\windows. After I pull anything useful from that directory, is it safe to delete it? I'm short on space, and don't need confusion, so I'd like to just delete it all if I can do so safely. I know i'll have access problems and have to assume ownership, but I can deal with that, as long as some small file isn't required to boot or something silly like that from my original install.

Otherwise I'll just live with it somehow - get a larger harddrive, etc.

 

[Binky]

I'd probably just delete the folder then edit the boot.ini file to kill off any dual boot settings.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289022
and
http://vlaurie.com/computers2/Articles/bootini.htm

 

[millervt]

thanks..i do know I have to edit boot.ini, so I can avoid the annoying "which version of windows do you want to boot" (for now, the default is the right one, so it wasn't an issue). But just to be clear - are you saying that there are 0% required system files in the old windows directory, now that I have a successfully loaded and running new windows load? Both are on the same hard drive (C), so that is my worry. I'd feel more confident if one was on a different drive, but they aren't... ( I realize I could have user/application files there, but I'm not worried about them...i'm working on finding and saving any of them that I want)