Can I delete these files?

[Jimmy Hsu]

I noticed that in my C:\Windows\System32 folder there are many sub-folders
files that look something like this:
$NtUninstallK8847429$. There is one like this: $MS131UninstallK894222$.

Is it safe to delete them?

In general, is it OK to delete folders/files that begin with the dollar sign
($) Thanks for advice.

 

[Guest]

In short: not really.

They're not required, per se, they are backups of your Windows Update files.
I personally not recommend you delete them under any circumstance, but I
don't know the ins and outs of Windows Update.

I would advise you to not delete *anything* from the entire Windows
directory. All it takes is one wrong click and you could be facing a long,
undesirable recovery operation.

If you need more hard drive space, try visiting Add/Remove Programs.


Hope this helps,

Tom C.

 

[Phil Weldon]

'Jimmy Hsu' wrote, in part:
|I noticed that in my C:\Windows\System32 folder there are many sub-folders
| files that look something like this:
| $NtUninstallK8847429$. There is one like this: $MS131UninstallK894222$.
|
| Is it safe to delete them?
_____

Those files are backups to allow UNINSTALLING updates to Windows XP. If you
delete them, you will not be able to uninstall an update if the update has
unintended side effects on your system and/or the programs you use. It is
likely that the entire list takes up less than 150 MBytes. The name of the
update is in the folder name (your example should be $NtUninstallKB followed
by six digits. You can search the Microsoft website by update name and get
an explanation ( KB867282 is a 'Cumulative security update for Internet
Explorer', for example.

Phil Weldon

|I noticed that in my C:\Windows\System32 folder there are many sub-folders
| files that look something like this:
| $NtUninstallK8847429$. There is one like this: $MS131UninstallK894222$.
|
| Is it safe to delete them?
|
| In general, is it OK to delete folders/files that begin with the dollar
sign
| ($) Thanks for advice.
|
|

 

[WTC]

I noticed that in my C:\Windows\System32 folder there are many sub-folders
files that look something like this:
$NtUninstallK8847429$. There is one like this: $MS131UninstallK894222$.

Is it safe to delete them?

I usually delete these folder if they are older than 2 months and XP is
working without problems.

When you have deleted the $NtUninstallK8847429$ folder for example, then
open Add/Remove Programs applet and click the Remove button for the Hotfix
that relates to the folder you have deleted. An error should occur and
remove the invalid entry for you.

In general, is it OK to delete folders/files that begin with the dollar
sign ($) Thanks for advice.

Do not delete the $hf_mig$ folder located in the Windows folder.

 

[Microsoft]

Is it safe to delete them?

There's a shareware tool called "Update Cleanup" that makes the task of
deleting these $ backup folders and files and Registry entries much easier
than using RegEdit and My Computer.

You can find the software at http://www.pcshareware.com/update.htm

It's not free, but you can use it for 60 days at no cost...long enough to
cleanup these folders/files.

I've been using it for about 4 months now and I haven't had any problems.

April