Do I need OS on external drive?

My home-office computer died in a flood. I pulled the HD and installed it in a Rocketfish HD encloser and now have access to the information via USB on a different computer listed as "Local Disk E". It has everything from photos to business contracts and proposals, to Quickbooks and other office programs.

I want to use "E" to back up any new work but know if I can or should remove the OS (Windows 98) to increase storage space.

Thanks

 

What, an actual flood or is that an analogy?

If it has been in an actual flood and has ben in water I would just get everything i want off it backed up onto something else and retire it.


In regards to your actual question im not sure if you could delete all of windows off a drive without deleting the data you want that shares the drive with it, someone might corect me on that though.


Q

 

The water main broke out in front of my house and flooded the basement, when I got to the tower it was half submerged. Luckily, the HD didn't get wet. I have either transfered or backed up the important stuff and now wondering if I use the old HD as an external storage do I need the keep the OS on it.

Now I have a second question. How do I properly delete programs on the old HD that's no longer needed. Some of them are duplicates of what's on the new machine.

 

If you have got all the data that you want off it, and you are confident it has not been compromised by water then, you can just format it and use it as storage, without any OS installed at all yes.

One way to dothis is to use Gparted, it can partiton and or format for you.
http://majorgeeks.com/GParted_Live_d5757.html


BUT i always wipe HDD's before using them like this.
I recommend you to use something like UBCD http://majorgeeks.com/Ultimate_Boot_CD_d4981.html it has many many tools on it and is a very handy disc to have, it will wipe and format it for you [i'd go with NTFS]

[their site has lots of info on how to use it http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ ]

 

I ran into an IT buddy at a picnic yesterday afternoon and he said the same thing, just didn't provide the helpful links as you did.

Thanks for your help.