Temp Files

[Guest]

I have recently went through several xp computers doing all of my updates. Is
there a folder or temp folder where all of the downloaded files are stored
when they are installled that is no longer needed after they have been
downloaded and installed. If they are not needed and will not affect any of
my updates where are they located so i can delete them to clear up space.

Also I have noticed in windows explorer, my computer, local drive c:,
windows directories for the first 109 folders they all have the simaler
folder name "$NtUninstallKB873339_0$" with a sub folder "spuninst", they are
all in blue unlike any other folder that is black. Also the very first one is
named "$hf_mig$" with no sub folder. All of these folders have several files
in them. Are these needed for anything are can they be deleted as well with
no harm to the computer and operation of any software. Thanks

 

[Factor 13]

I have recently went through several xp computers doing all of my updates.
Is
there a folder or temp folder where all of the downloaded files are stored
when they are installled that is no longer needed after they have been
downloaded and installed. If they are not needed and will not affect any
of
my updates where are they located so i can delete them to clear up space.

I use Update Cleanup to remove these files:
http://www.pc-shareware.com/update.htm

Also I have noticed in windows explorer, my computer, local drive c:,
windows directories for the first 109 folders they all have the simaler
folder name "$NtUninstallKB873339_0$" with a sub folder "spuninst", they
are
all in blue unlike any other folder that is black. Also the very first one
is
named "$hf_mig$" with no sub folder. All of these folders have several
files
in them. Are these needed for anything are can they be deleted as well
with
no harm to the computer and operation of any software. Thanks

Generally anything starting with $ can be deleted, but play safe and keep
then in the Recycle Bin for a while.

 

[Rock]

I use Update Cleanup to remove these files:
http://www.pc-shareware.com/update.htm


Generally anything starting with $ can be deleted, but play safe and keep
then in the Recycle Bin for a while.

Your advice is partially correct and somewhat dangerous. The $hf_mig$
folder should not be removed. It's needed for future updates.

 

[Rock]

"Troy"wrote

I have recently went through several xp computers doing all of my updates.
Is
there a folder or temp folder where all of the downloaded files are stored
when they are installled that is no longer needed after they have been
downloaded and installed. If they are not needed and will not affect any
of
my updates where are they located so i can delete them to clear up space.

Also I have noticed in windows explorer, my computer, local drive c:,
windows directories for the first 109 folders they all have the simaler
folder name "$NtUninstallKB873339_0$" with a sub folder "spuninst", they
are
all in blue unlike any other folder that is black. Also the very first one
is
named "$hf_mig$" with no sub folder. All of these folders have several
files
in them. Are these needed for anything are can they be deleted as well
with
no harm to the computer and operation of any software. Thanks

Any temp files created during an update should have been deleted when it was
completed, but to be sure after a fresh reboot delete the contents of the
temp directory, normally C:\Windows\Temp. That should be done regularly
anyway. Anything in there is safe to delete after a fresh reboot. If it's
being used it won't let you delete it.

The folders in C:\Windows labeled $NtUninstallKBxxxxxx are uninstall folders
for each update - the KB number corresponds to the Knowledge Base article
for that update. They are in blue because the folder is compressed. There
are other blue (compressed) folders on the drive. These uninstall folders
can be deleted, however if you do that then their respective update, shown
in Add/Remove programs, cannot be uninstalled. I wait a month to the next
round of updates. If the system is running fine through the period then I
delete these folders. You could also burn them to CD so you have them to
copy back in case you later decide to uninstall an update.

After the folders are deleted you can remove the entries to each update in
Add/Remove programs. Click on the change/remove button for the update. It
will give an error message saying it can't remove the update and asks if you
want to remove the entry. Click Ok. Doug Knox has a utility to automate
the removal of these uninstall folders and their respective entries in
Add/Remove. Get it from here:

http://www.dougknox.com/
Win XP Utilities
Remove Hotfix Backup Files

Do not remove the folder $hf_mig$. It's needed for future updates.

 

[Ayush]

The $NTUninstall....$ folders are only used for uninstalling the updates. If
you are sure that after updating, there is no problem, then you can safely
delete them but after that you cannot uninstall that updates.

|I have recently went through several xp computers doing all of my updates.
Is
| there a folder or temp folder where all of the downloaded files are stored
| when they are installled that is no longer needed after they have been
| downloaded and installed. If they are not needed and will not affect any
of
| my updates where are they located so i can delete them to clear up space.
|
| Also I have noticed in windows explorer, my computer, local drive c:,
| windows directories for the first 109 folders they all have the simaler
| folder name "$NtUninstallKB873339_0$" with a sub folder "spuninst", they
are
| all in blue unlike any other folder that is black. Also the very first one
is
| named "$hf_mig$" with no sub folder. All of these folders have several
files
| in them. Are these needed for anything are can they be deleted as well
with
| no harm to the computer and operation of any software. Thanks
|