Abandoned Backups? Can't reclaim drive space and keep original files

I have 6TB in 1TB Hard drives. On my D an E drives is a Documents and Settings folder that has a shortcut icon. Whenever I try to delete them, the corresponding files are deleted on drive C! It appears that the files actually exist on D and E drives. So these folders are not actually shortcuts. I think these are left-overs from now dissociated backups. This means they do not appear in Backup and Restore. In adding drives, there was a lot of shifting of associated drive letters along with a lot of manual file moving. The Backup schedule is turned off and even where the Documents and Setting folders appear there are no longer any additional backup folders, just the Documents and Settings folder. How can I recover this space? I may need step by step instructions!

Thanks for any HELP!

Right click on the icon.
If it shows "open folder location" then it's a shortcut to a folder
Click properties >shortcut tab under "target" will show the location of the folder.

File duplication on C: D: E:

Thanks for the response.

File duplication utility shows the Documents and Settings folder on C, E, and D contain the same files on each drive (they are duplicates). If I delete the Document and Settings folder on D or E it removes the folder/files on C. I can watch my desktop icons disappear to the recycle bin, as well as other user specific files. Right clicking shows that the folders on D and E are not shortcuts, but I cannot explain the shortcut arrow on the folder icon. They are somehow linked and the deletion of the folder on D or E removes the folder/files on C. Also, deleting individual files on D or E removes them on C. The only utility I have used in the past is Windows Backup. I have not used a RAID configuration. The drives are all independent containing mostly recorded HD streams. Adding addition and deleting files on C appear or go away on D and E. Deleting the Documents and Settings folder on E had an impact on my user account (C) that I had to repair. The files were recovered once to C, but all reappeared on D and E.

Read this thread and the linked tutorials - it may help.
http://www.sevenforums.com/music-pictures-video/136699-moving-my-folders-different-partition.html

The "Documents and Settings" folder is a Junction...Now you see why Microsoft made all of the Junctions in Windows that are used for compatibility give "Access Denied" when you attempt to access it. Changing this and gaining access to these junctions cause the problems you are now seeing.

See the links in my signature.