Windows XP Control Panel

[hobbytech]

Is it safe to delete windows updates from the Add/Remove program folder in the control panel? Should the updates already be incorporated into the main windows xp files making the updates in the add/delete program a waste of disk space?

 

[rclarke250]

Those are there so that if the update causes an issue, you can uninstall that hotfix, and go back to a more stable system. Do NOT delete them. Just clear the box in add/remove that says show updates in sp2 and above.

 

[edfair]

Never have traced the full interactions but the files you might want to delete are in the windows directory with names starting with $NTUninstall unless you have redirected the archival location to something else.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[BadBigBen]

if you are worried about disk space, then get CCleaner, and run it...

not only will it clear unneeded files (log, tmp, etc.) but also has an option to clear out those HOTFIX backed up files that Edfair mentioned...

those files are actually the OLDER files that got replaced by the HOTFIX, if you uninstall a HOTFIX these files get restored to the OS...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[goombawaho]

BadBigBen - I don't see what you are seeing.

I see "hotfix uninstallers", but that doesn't sound like what you are describing. Am I missing the option you speak of??

Because I would have run that if I had noticed it.

 

[BadBigBen]

Goom,

a picture is worth a thousand words:

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[micker377]

Piriform must have removed that action! I just upgraded to the newest CCleaner (3.12.1572), and there is NO LINE between "IIS Log Files", and "Custom Files and Folders". This is 64 bit if that makes any difference.

 

[BadBigBen]

Micker377,

nope they did not take it out, but it is unavailable under 64 bit, due to the fact that they are different update mechanisms in place...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[goombawaho]

No - you miss my point. The words "hotfix uninstallers" does not sound what you said it does.

This is what you said:
"clear out those HOTFIX backed up files that Edfair mentioned...

those files are actually the OLDER files that got replaced by the HOTFIX, if you uninstall a HOTFIX these files get restored to the OS... "


To me, hotfix uninstallers means that you remove the ability to uninstall the hotfix NOT that you remove the original files that were backed up when the hotfix was applied.

See what I mean?

 

[BadBigBen]

Goom,

I see what you mean... though I would not imagine why someone would want to keep those, if you can't use them easily again...

but those can be REMOVED under TOOLS (UNINSTALL), mark all the ones that you want removed, then click on the right side the button marked: DELETE ENTRY (removes them from the uninstall list but does not uninstall them)... ;-)



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"