[PeytonR]

In WinXP Pro, which Windows directories are stuffed with Update and Service Pack files, and can be emptied out?

Added points for linking to an MS Knowledge Base article that backs up your advice. I haven't been able to find that, yet.

Thanks!

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Don't---if you remove the update files, you cannot remove them later in add/remove control panel.

MS went back and forth on this for some time before deciding that it would leave them alone. If you have every single sp/update, you have about 400mb of files (windows compresses these files over time), hidden in the system directory in hidden folders that begin with a $ sign)

[gerryf]

Don't---if you remove the update files, you cannot remove them later in add/remove control panel.

MS went back and forth on this for some time before deciding that it would leave them alone. If you have every single sp/update, you have about 400mb of files (windows compresses these files over time), hidden in the system directory in hidden folders that begin with a $ sign)

[PeytonR]

Thanks for the prompt reply, GerryF,

Good advice, but I have a couple of questions:

1. Why would I want to be able to remove any Windows updates in Add/Remove Programs? I prefer Windows to be updated.

2. If I deleted the Update downloads, would future manual and automatic updates know that I'd installed them? For example, would the update software still realize that I had the latest security update, or would it try to download and install it, again?

Thanks very much,
Peyton

[mpy]

1.  Why would I want to be able to remove any Windows updates in Add/Remove Programs?  I prefer Windows to be updated.

2.  If I deleted the Update downloads, would future manual and automatic updates know that I'd installed them?  For example, would the update software still realize that I had the latest security update, or would it try to download and install it, again?

1. You might want to remove some Windows updates if they are not needed and are taking up valuable disk space.

2. If you delete the downloads then windows will not identify that you have the files and will try to download them again if you have set it to automatically download.. If you don't want to install the update then you can hide it by going to the update site.

[Johanna]

Actually, you can delete the install files after awhile. MS will know what updates are installed already, too. You can find out, too with qfecheck.
http://support.micro...kb;en-us;282784

Johanna

[PeytonR]

That helped a lot! I deleted all the $ directories in C:\Windows that had "uninstall" in their name. I use a Norton protected recycle bin, so I figured I could put them back, if necessary. Windows Update does not offer to reinstall them, and I've noticed no odd behavior for a few days. Recovered some hard drive space, which I needed.

Thanks, everyone!

Peyton