Can I delete these files?

[sn0zb0z]

Hi. On my desktop I have an Adobe CS3 folder which is 6.75GB. It appears to be documentation (lot of PDFs) and font files in various languages.

Am I safe to delete all the folders in other languages? Is there anything I need to make sure I don't delete within the folder?

Thanks.

[Test Screen Name]

Definitely archive it, don’t just delete it. hard to say what this is, CS3 didn’t actually install to the desktop. Best not to mess with it, the ancient CS3 is now impossible to reinstall.

[sn0zb0z]

Thanks for replying. I've just gone through having to reinstall with a new key and installer due to it being de-activated and had some issues, which is why I didn't want to risk just deleting the files now I've got it all working.

[D Fosse]

I seem to remember that CS3 came with two disks - one "application(s)" and one "content". The latter was just sundry stuff you might or might not need, it was not strictly required.

[sn0zb0z]

I think it is the content stuff. PDFs like "Bridge and Version Cue CS3 Help", "Creative Suite 3 Production Premium At A Glance" and "Device Central CS3 Help".

There's a folder that says Setup and has an installer file in it so I wouldn't delete that just in case, but most seems to be web/PDF files and the font files in each language.

[Test Screen Name]

I wonder if this is just the installer that you downloaded?

[sn0zb0z]

No, the installer is 3 files and they're under downloads. It's the documentation and font files in the desktop folder I want to delete. Just don't want to delete them and find the program messes up because it has help/font files missing. If they're separate files it should be fine, but I don't know if they are or whether it cares if font files aren't all there under other languages.

[sn0zb0z]

So is it safe for me to delete PDFs and webpage files from the folder?

I looked at archiving it, but I'd have to compress the files to reduce the file size and wasn't sure if that's a good idea or not?

[Test Screen Name]

You won't reduce the size by compression. What is keeping you from just archiving it - would you like more specific advice? A DVD (1 or 2) or memory stick or external hard drive will do.

[sn0zb0z]

Why would it not reduce the size?

I was thinking archiving as in a zip folder because if you look at properties for the folder it gives an archive option and puts it in a zip folder. That doesn't change the size unless you compress a file though. It would also mean it's still in the same place and accessible so I wouldn't be messing with it too much and could just unzip it if needed.

Moving it to a DVD, memory stick or external hard drive I'd call a backup. I don't think I've heard anyone refer to that as archiving before.

I know how to do both, I just didn't realise that was what was meant by archiving. I suppose I could use an external hard drive.

[Test Screen Name]

Compression works well with uncompressed files. But JPEG files, PDF files were made very compressed to start with. In fact PDF files have bits in them that use ZIP, and JPEG is much more effective than ZIP. So try and ZIP up a folder full of these files and you get no useful savings. 

It's NOT a backup if you move it to a memory stick etc. Because the essence of a backup is that it is a SECOND (or third etc.) copy of something. We've heard from people who made a "backup" to an external drive then dropped it and everything was gone. That's not a backup in that case. 

So when you archive to a hard drive it's just the same thing as backing up to a hard drive, except you don't keep the original. So you're living just as dangerously.

[sn0zb0z]

Good point. Not all are PDFs though so it should reduce a bit. Not massively, but any amount would be helpful.

I still have the installer to get it all back, haven't deleted that. If it is just disk 2 files then it would be a simple reinstall. If it's not it would be a hassle and more of a risk (should reinstall fine, but there's a possibility it wouldn't). So while I wouldn't have an exact (instant) copy it wouldn't be gone either if I lost the external hard drive files of it.

Is there another term? Can't think of one right now, but if not then a third term is clearly needed lol. Archive is mostly defined as a zip folder, it's not officially a backup and "move the files to an external hard drive, memory stick or DVD" is far too long to keep typing.