Duplicate files in Windows subdir after installation of SP2

[SK]

Noticing that space on the HD has shrunk after the installation of SP2 I
made a search and found that a number of files appears in duplicate as for
example below where shell32.dll takes up a total of some 25Mb in three
different directories:

C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386\shell32.dll
8,384,000 Application Extension 04/8/04 09:56 6.00.2900.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) 6.00.2900.2180

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download\6ca7b3a8efd5a9b6f87fff395a2eb989\shell32.dll
8,384,000 Application Extension 04/8/04 09:56 6.00.2900.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) 6.00.2900.2180

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\shell32.dll
8,384,000 Application Extension 04/8/04 09:56 6.00.2900.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) 6.00.2900.2180


Reasonably two out of the three should be deleted? Can someone please tell
me which ones?

Steve

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

Noticing that space on the HD has shrunk after the installation
of SP2 I made a search and found that a number of files appears
in duplicate as forexample below where shell32.dll takes up a
total of some 25Mb in three different directories:

C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386\shell32.dll

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download\6ca7b3a8efd5a9b6f87fff395a2eb989\shell32.dll

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\shell32.dll

Reasonably two out of the three should be deleted? Can someone
please tell me which ones?

Hi

In this case, only the one in the folder SoftwareDistribution\Download
can safely be deleted.

You should not delete the %windir%\ServicePackFiles\ folder or files
in it, it is used by the system if it needs to repair files or if you
install additional OS components.


Folders you can consider deleting and other disk cleanup tips
after a SP2 installation:

1)
If you are sure you don't need to uninstall SP2, you can delete
the %windir%\$NtServicePackUninstall$\ folder.

(%windir% is typically C:\Windows)

Note that the folder is marked as hidden, so to see it, you need
to have Explorer configured to show hidden files/folders.

Alternatively (for the $NtServicePackUninstall$ folder):

If you make a backup of the folder to e.g. a CD, you can put it
back if you need to uninstall SP2. After restoring the backup,
run %windir%\$NtServicePackUninstall$\spuninst\spuninst.exe
to start the process.


2)
If you see %windir%\$NTUninstall* folders which dates back to your
SP1 installation, you can delete those. They are not removed by the
SP2 installation in case you want/need to go back to SP1 (and then
be able to uninstall the hotfixes in case you need to).

The following folders should be safe to delete:

%windir%\$xpsp1hfm$\
%windir%\$NtUninstallQ<some#>$\
%windir%\$NtUninstallKB<some#>$\

Note that the folders are marked as hidden, so to see them, you
need to have Explorer configured to show hidden files/folders.


3)
You should clean out this folder now and then (WU5's
temporary download folder):

%windir%\SoftwareDistribution\Download\


4)
Stop and start System Restore to possibly regain some space (but
you will lose your current Restore points). You also may want to reduce
the amount of disk space System Restore is allowed to occupy.

How to turn on and turn off System Restore in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310405

More about System Restore here:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/newsgroups/faqsrwxp.mspx

 

[Rock]

Noticing that space on the HD has shrunk after the installation of SP2 I
made a search and found that a number of files appears in duplicate as for
example below where shell32.dll takes up a total of some 25Mb in three
different directories:

C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386\shell32.dll
8,384,000 Application Extension 04/8/04 09:56 6.00.2900.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) 6.00.2900.2180

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download\6ca7b3a8efd5a9b6f87fff395a2eb989\shell32.dll
8,384,000 Application Extension 04/8/04 09:56 6.00.2900.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) 6.00.2900.2180

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\shell32.dll
8,384,000 Application Extension 04/8/04 09:56 6.00.2900.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) 6.00.2900.2180


Reasonably two out of the three should be deleted? Can someone please tell
me which ones?

Steve

It should be in two of the places, this is common. You can delete the
contents of the C:\windows\softwaredistribution\Download.

 

[Alex Nichol]

C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386\shell32.dll
8,384,000 Application Extension 04/8/04 09:56 6.00.2900.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) 6.00.2900.2180

That is the archive of protected files to be brought back if needed by
File Protection/SFC/New Hardware etc rather than original ones from the
original CD. On an NTFS drive a useful amount of space can be saved by
compressing it. What you can do if you have a CD burner is burn the
complete folder to a CD, then run regedit.exe and at

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup

Change the values of ServicePackSourcePath and of ServicePackCachePath
in the right pane to reflect the drive. Best if you have 2 drives, and
can have the SourcePath, to the original CD, on one and this on the
other

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download\6ca7b3a8efd5a9b6f87fff395a2eb989\shell32.dll
8,384,000 Application Extension 04/8/04 09:56 6.00.2900.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) 6.00.2900.2180

The contents of that folder are no longer needed delete the 6ca7b etc
folder

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\shell32.dll
8,384,000 Application Extension 04/8/04 09:56 6.00.2900.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) 6.00.2900.2180

That is the one in use

There will also be a big hidden folder of files that would be needed if
you were to uninstall SP2; once you have decided you will not want to,
delete that - $NTServicePackUninstall

 

[SK]

Thanks all of you for your time and assistance. /Steve