How to Delete the Windows Backup Set in Vista

Delete old Windows Vista backups.

The Windows Vista operating system has an automated process that backs up your important files and settings. The backups take up several megabytes of space on your hard drive, so deleting old backups frees up some hard drive space. The Disk Cleanup tool is also a native application available in Windows Vista. This application cleans up old backups and frees up hard drive space. The advantage of this application is that it deletes the oldest backups and saves the most recent restore point.

Instructions

1. Click the Windows Vista "Start" button and select "All Programs." Click the "Accessories" icon and then click "System Tools." In this menu, click "Disk Cleanup" to open the utility.

2. Click the "Disk Cleanup" tab to open a list of optional files to delete. You can delete backups of files, system backups and registry stores. Click the "Disk Cleanup" button to delete these files.

3. Click the "More Options" tab. In the section labeled "System Restore and Shadow Copies," click the "Disk Cleanup" button. This deletes files from automated backups saved each time you install a Windows service pack.

References

• Microsoft: Delete Files Using Disk Cleanup