  Deleting EXE_OLD Files after PCSI Upgrade? 
 The Question is:
 
I am preparing to upgrade to OpenVMS 7.3. I have just installed some remedial
 patches under 7.1-2 before in begin the final upgrade. To recover some disk
 space on my system disk, I would like to delete all the old images that have
 been renamed to image_na
me.exe_old. It appears that the older images are renamed during PCSI
 installation. Can the exe_old files be deleted?? I could recover over 100,000
 blocks.
 
I do have a current backup of my system disk.
Thank you for your time.
 
 The Answer is :
 
  These older files can be safely deleted, but before deleting files from
  a system disk you will want to ensure you have a good and full system
  disk BACKUP.
 
  That said, make CERTAIN you read the in the V7.3 cover letter information
  related to correctly  upgrading to OpenVMS Alpha V7.3, as some of the
  changes made within the V7.3 upgrade -- changes to remove these older
  and unnecessary files during the upgrade -- can unfortunately render
  the system disk unbootable after the upgrade.  (If you should find
  yourself in this state, one of the easiest recoveries involves appling
  the V7.3 upgrade onto itself.  The information in the cover letter will
  help prevent you from initially getting into the situation.)
 
  Seriously consider getting yourself a bigger system disk.
 
  The OpenVMS Wizard prefers to use a full system disk BACKUP, and not
  the PCSI "preserve" mechanism -- while the PCSI mechanism is functional,
  recovery using the disk BACKUP is arguably easier to describe and easier
  to perform.
 
 Answer written or last revised on  18-FEB-2002 
