Johnny-Marshal is indeed correct that removing Internet Explorer is possible, but that doing so has its own negative repercussions.
Regarding the safety of deleting these updates:
A Microsoft MVP says, regarding WINDOWS\$hf-mig$: "Do NOT touch anything in $hf_mig$ . This folder contains files that are needed to determine which version of a file has been updated previously." (
http://www.vistaheads.com/forums/microsoft-public-windowsupdate/182080-uninstalling-updates-hfmig-folder.html)
Another source that says not to delete the contents of WINDOWS\$hf-mig$
http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/can-delete-hf_mig-ntservicepackuninstall-ntuninstallkb8287-t444182.htmlRegarding Windows\IE8Updates, multiple sources also said that this was a bad idea. (
http://www.vistaheads.com/forums/microsoft-public-internetexplorer-general/472306-c-windows-ie7-ie8update-folders.html being one, though I didn't think it as much of an authoritative source).
Interestingly, while Gooling around, I ran into this very topic here on ComputerHope.
I suggest this as a way to clear up disk space:
You might consider using a tool like CCleaner to help you clear out excess files and recover some disk space.
Visit CCleaner's website:
http://www.piriform.com/ccleanerDownload CCleaner:
http://filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/CCleaner is free.
You might browse this document:
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,20157.0.htmlTo get an idea of the options available in CCleaner.
When you open CCleaner, on the main screen you will see a list of programs and files which you can clear out.
Go ahead and select everything under Internet Explorer, unless you want to keep Autocomplete Form History and Saved Passwords (in that case, just don't check those boxes).
Select everything under Windows Explorer (Network Passwords might be good to keep if you save passwords under Explorer's FTP client).
Select everything under System except for Windows Error Reporting, which is useful to look back on occasionally.
You can go through and select things under Advanced as well, I'd recomend just leaving "Custom Files and Folders" and "Wipe Free Space" off.
You can switch to the applications tab and choose what you want in there as well.
If you don't want to do such a thorough clean or if that seems too complicated, you might just use the Disk Cleanup tool in Windows XP.
Just click Start> Programs> Accessories> System Tools> Disk Cleanup
(Occasionally some system tools are displayed under Accessories, and not the sub-menu System Tools).
I think either of these will help clear space, even though you have a split hard drive (OS on one partition, programs on another, right?). Unless of course you already run programs like this.