Can I delete laptop files after backing up?

I am an art student and my computer only has 70 gb of space left and is running pretty slow. Is it possible to delete all my files on my laptop because everything is backed up on my external hard drive? Bad idea?
I'd appreciate any feedback - thanks!

You clearly have limited if any experience with any qualified backup tool. And your posts from last night indciate your actual age, so the lack of experience is not surprising.
A backup in a system like TimeMachine or CarbonCopyClone will eventually be rolled off of the disk to make room for more recent backups. Then you have no copies.
Please spend more time reading and less time responding. You will learn more that way. Then eventually you will have something to actually contribute.
You can start learning by reading posts from me, Network23, stedman1, Camelot.
None of them suggest deleting from internal drive after it is on the backup.
But you shold follow your own advice. Then live the consequences. You will be less likely to give that advic again.

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Okay...I have some more information and perhaps we are getting closer. On the 250GB, first I went into that disk and used Disk Utilty to re-format it once using Mac OS Extended (Journaled) then a second time, zeroing it out. I did a screen shot to review if needed, and both times it looked perfect...249GB available. Then I went into the Time Machine preferences to get ready to backup again, and it had not excluded the other external 120GB with iTunes so I excluded it. I may has previously, never noticed in that screen that it takes a bit of time for it to calculate the information to save. I may have just clicked on it quickly without reviewing it first. Today I did, and gave it time to calculate. At one point the actual 250GB itself, showed up and I excluded it too like the 120GB. After it finished, the calculations are still it wrong - claiming it has a 200GB backup when the iMac either contains 150GB (based on when I do Get Info) on it or from OmniDisk which calculated about 100GB. I have not allowed Time Machine to do a backup yet, until this discrepancy can be clear.
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Hi!
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your advice worked for me and saved me what ever evil lurked behind my thought to just delete the backup and get back my very lmited space on my 250GB Mackbook Pro using daisydisk pro https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/daisydisk/id411643860?mt=12
Why DaisyDisk?
DaisyDisk remains the tool of choice for film makers (including companies like Pixar), digital artists, IT professionals and hundreds of thousands of Mac users worldwide when it comes to disk space management. Constantly improving since its initial introduction, the app easily blows away competition in terms of speed, efficiency and user experience.
@wjostenMar 27, 2012 4:03 AM Re: Can I delete the files/folders in 'Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup'?
Re: Can I delete the files/folders in 'Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup'?in response to nickcrowney
Delete iOS backups this way: iTunes>Preferences>Devices...select the backup/backups...hit delete. Do not mess with your backup folder.

Can I delete laptop files after backing up?

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