-> Deleting the Start Menu shortcut does not delete the program itself, which you should still be able to find in C:\Program Files. Usually, the executable will be located in a folder named Gateway, Recovery Center, or something along those lines.

-> You do not need to purchase those preinstalled applications. If you can access the recovery partition, you may be able to restore them, though it may prompt you to delete everything and start with a 'like-new' computer, something you likely want to avoid.

-> You'll want to consult your user's quick-start guide for instructions on burning a recovery system DVD using that recovery partition. That is required should your hard drive ever fail, you encounter massive corruption, etc. You can also purchase such a DVD from Gateway for a nominal fee.

-> Software such as Macrium reflect Free let you clone your entire hard drive to CD/DVD/another hard drive and restore a fully-working copy of everything later. If you have a lot of installed programs, it's worth the small investment in external media, easing the process of recovering from disaster down the road.

Hope this helps,
John