The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    SWSetup folder is 4gb?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Jay07, Dec 6, 2007.

  1. Jay07

    Jay07 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    13
    Messages:
    267
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    In my C drive there is a folder called SWSetup which is about 4gb. Can I delete this folder, or do I need it?
     
    Jay07, Dec 6, 2007
    #1
  2. John B

    John B Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    1,767
    Messages:
    4,195
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105
    I think it's part of HP system recovery
     
    John B, Dec 6, 2007
    #2
  3. Bog

    Bog Losing it...

    Reputations:
    4,018
    Messages:
    6,046
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Don't even think about it. That folder is for your drivers. Mine is 3.32GB.
     
    Bog, Dec 6, 2007
    #3
  4. flipfire

    flipfire Moderately Boss

    Reputations:
    6,156
    Messages:
    11,214
    Likes Received:
    68
    Trophy Points:
    466
    burn it into a dvd.. then you may delete it.

    that folder contains drivers and software if you ever need to reformat. Its best you keep a backup for it
     
    flipfire, Dec 6, 2007
    #4
  5. NotebookYoozer

    NotebookYoozer Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    83
    Messages:
    536
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    go ahead and get rid of it. why keep around an archived copy of drivers that are only as good as the date you bought your computer?

    the website has the most updated drivers for your system.
     
    NotebookYoozer, Dec 6, 2007
    #5
  6. Jay07

    Jay07 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    13
    Messages:
    267
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Do these drivers constantly update, as in, if i move or delete them, will they show up again?
    What if I move it to an External HD or burn it on a DVD?

    I made the HP Recovery OS disc, are the drivers on that?

    And if they are not doing anything right now, why can't I delete them.
    When I reformat, I will go get all the updates, and drivers should be installed with that right?
     
    Jay07, Dec 6, 2007
    #6
  7. McGrady

    McGrady Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,400
    Messages:
    3,376
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105
    yahmun. So if i back this up on a external HD, I can delete this?
     
    McGrady, Mar 21, 2008
    #7
  8. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    7,857
    Messages:
    16,212
    Likes Received:
    58
    Trophy Points:
    466
    If you back up onto an external HDD, and burn your recovery discs first, then there is no danger to deleting the SWSetup folder.
     
    Greg, Mar 21, 2008
    #8
  9. flipfire

    flipfire Moderately Boss

    Reputations:
    6,156
    Messages:
    11,214
    Likes Received:
    68
    Trophy Points:
    466
    I suggest burning it on a DVD and stash it away along with your recovery/install discs

    You dont necessarily have to keep a backup of it but its well recommended.There are other ways of getting your drivers:
    1)HP website
    2)Recovery install from recovery disks (not quite easy)
     
    flipfire, Mar 21, 2008
    #9
  10. orev

    orev Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    809
    Messages:
    2,829
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    That folder contains drivers, but it also contains software you cannot download, like roxio, quickplay, fingerprint reader, etc... You can always download newer drivers, but you cannot download that software from HP.

    As has already been said, burn it to a DVD, then you can delete it. The recovery discs are useless for accessing this information, because they are encrypted and you cannot get to any of the files unless you do a complete restore of your system.
     
    orev, Mar 21, 2008
    #10
  11. McGrady

    McGrady Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,400
    Messages:
    3,376
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105
    What's the difference of backing the folder up on a external hard drive and burning it to a dvd?
     
    McGrady, Mar 22, 2008
    #11
  12. flipfire

    flipfire Moderately Boss

    Reputations:
    6,156
    Messages:
    11,214
    Likes Received:
    68
    Trophy Points:
    466
    nothing... data is just safer on a dvd for long term storage
     
    flipfire, Mar 22, 2008
    #12
  13. NumLock

    NumLock Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    38
    Messages:
    367
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Its best to have two copies on two different storage mediums. HDs can fail and DVDs can well... be scratched or fail to read. I've experienced both and now I make two copies of everything I back up.
     
    NumLock, Mar 22, 2008
    #13
  14. orev

    orev Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    809
    Messages:
    2,829
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Burnable DVDs will also degrade chemically over time, around 5 years or so. They are not "permanent" as was once thought.
     
    orev, Mar 23, 2008
    #14
  15. McGrady

    McGrady Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,400
    Messages:
    3,376
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105
    McGrady, Mar 26, 2008
    #15
  16. flipfire

    flipfire Moderately Boss

    Reputations:
    6,156
    Messages:
    11,214
    Likes Received:
    68
    Trophy Points:
    466
    lol waste of time installing driver magician. You just need to burn it into a DVD, and thats it. You can also download the drivers from the website. I didnt even use the driver DVD i made when i switched to 64bit. I just downloaded it from the hp website which is more updated

    Ive used drivermagician on my desktop before, quite good.
     
    flipfire, Mar 26, 2008
    #16
  17. orev

    orev Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    809
    Messages:
    2,829
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    IT DOESN'T MATTER!!! Just make sure you have a copy of it somewhere. External drive, DVD, WHATEVER. Once you are comfortable that you have a copy of it somewhere, then you can delete it.
     
    orev, Mar 26, 2008
    #17