C:\winnt\ServicePackFiles

[Dewey]

Hi all,

I was wondering if it is safe to delete the folder
C:\winnt\ServicePackFiles. It appears to contain older versions of
files that were replaced in service pack upgrades. I have no plans on
removing my current service pack and the folder takes a few hundred
megs. Should be OK to delete?

Thanks,
Dewey

 

[George Hester]

No don't delete it. If you do you will have trouble with System File Protection.

 

[Dewey]

Reply to message from "George Hester" <[email protected]> (Wed, 29 Dec
2004 18:56:37) about "Re: C:\winnt\ServicePackFiles":


GH> No don't delete it. If you do you will have trouble with System File
GH> àrotection.

Thanks George. Is it OK to compress it? Using NTFS.

 

[lforbes]

No don't delete it. If you do you will have trouble with
System File =
Protection.

--=20
George Hester
_________________________________

Hi,

I have deleted mine on the machines that have little HD Space. I have
had no problems. File Protection is stored in the dllcache folder
inside SYSTEM. It is not stored in the ServicePackFiles folder. Maybe
backup to CD if you are worried.

Cheers,

Lara

 

[George Hester]

No it is not just stored there. You can remove a System Protected file from both dllcache and from System32 and if it is in ServicePackFiles SFC will find it there.

 

[George Hester]

No you don't compress it. But even if you did it wouldn't do much. The files there are mostly binary and thus there is no room in them to compress out. Normally the only files which compress substantially are ASCII files. I say "don't" because you are hoping SFC can find files there if needed and SFC does not "do" de-compression. The files have to be decompressed and ready for prime time.

 

[Dewey]

No it is not just stored there. You can remove a System Protected

file from both dllcache and from System32 and if it is in
ServicePackFiles SFC will find it there.
So I'm confused. Is it OK to delete the folder or not? Every file in
there that I've checked is an older version of one currently being
used. Granted I only checked about 10 files out of a couple thousand. I
saw in an old thread the suggestion to burn the folder on a CD and then
edit the registry key that points to it. That should be OK, no?
Thanks for the advice.

 

[George Hester]

Dewey there should be no confusion. Leave it alone. Of course everyone has alternate suggestions and
it is up to you which you decide to go with. Here is a small scenario to show you the issue.

Run SFC /purgecache.

Then becasue dllcache is cleaned out it is gonna want those files replaced that come from a Service
pack. What you are going to get is "Insert the Windows SP# CD-ROM." There are many complaints
here about this. Because most installed SP# from Windows Update not from a Windows Service Pack
# CD-ROM. So if you want to avoid issues such as this appearing in the future you will leave it alone.
You decide.

 

[Dewey]

Dewey there should be no confusion. Leave it alone.

Will do. Thanks!

 

[aD]

No you don't compress it. But even if you did it wouldn't do much. The
files there are mostly binary and thus there is no room in them to
compress out. Normally the only files which compress substantially are
ASCII files. I say "don't" because you are hoping SFC can find files
there if needed and SFC does not "do" de-compression. The files have to
be decompressed and ready for prime time.

Size: 211 MB (221,249,824 bytes)
Size on disk: 145 MB (152,161,187 bytes)

Where have you got the idea that SFC does not "do" decompression?

NTFS compression is at a low enough level for almost anything to use it
nicely. Obviously if it's something that's going to be used often it is not
desireable to use.

I would 100% agree with you not to delete it unless you know exactly what
you're doing though.


aD

 

[George Hester]

The reason I say that is because the files it uses are not decompressed in that area. On the CD-ROM now
that I think about it you may be correct. But the default in that area is not decompressed and therefore I
wouldn't fiddle with the unknown.