PSE 2018 backup advise before removing older PSE versions

I am overdue for cleaning up my computer and I want to remove some now unused earlier versions of PSE going back to 2014. I use PSE 2018 currently and would like to keep it for now as it functions good for me right now. After glitches, disasters and issues with previous versions while backing up catalog, tags, uninstall, reinstall, converting, restoring, reimporting tagged photo files, etc. I am half scared to do anything with PSE at all now as I am afraid of screwing up and losing my filing & tagging of 50k+ photos. I have long absences of using PSE so I am not the most knowledgeable or proficient at using it! My file tree OS (C:) > ProgramData Thru numerous > > > > > > to MyCatalog > Photos looks to me like total chaos. All my PSE versions are stacked and mixed together it seems. My question is will a full PSE 2018 Catalog backup to an external hard drive before I remove any of the previous PSE versions have the potential to be corrupted by any of the previous versions of PSE…? In the event that my PSE 2018 has any issues after I have removed the older PSE versions (as I’ve heard happens!) and I need to remove and reinstall PSE 2018 I’d really like to know with high confidence that my full backup catalog will painlessly get me up and going again with no issues should I have to use it…!


Any tips at all on the best sequence to take would be greatly appreciated. Any additional file backups I should or can do, tag tree etc..? Loosing 50k of tags & categorized photos scares me to death. I don’t use the People, Events and Places categories introduced in PSE11 only my own categories in their place. Any issues with doing a Disk clean-up after removing the older PSE versions..? Thanks in advance