HotFix files

[Ron]

I have Win XP. When I looked into deleting some programs
in the add/delete section of My Computer, I noticed quite
a few Win XP HotFix (SP2)####### files or programs. I know
these oare downloaded safety "fixes". Do I need to keep
these files after they have been downloaded? Seems to be a
lot of them. Any help would be apprecicated.

Ron in San Diego

 

[Chris Lanier]

"Hotfixes" are the updates you installed from the Windows Update
website. Do not be tempted to remove them or you will uninstall
the actual updates.

If you wish to safely remove the "uninstall files" for the
Hotfixes (i.e. $NtUninstallQxxxxxx$ files shown in Windows Explorer)
and cleanup your Add/Remove Programs list, visit MS-MVP Doug Knox's
excellent website for instructions.

Remove Hotfix Backup files and the Add/Remove Programs Registry entries
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_hotfix_backup.htm

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

No, you should not "uninstall" any security patches listed in the
Add or Remove Programs section. They are listed there in case
your computer does not function properly after they are installed.
Uninstalling them will uninstall the actual patch.

If you wish to safely remove the "uninstall files" for the
Hotfixes (i.e. $NtUninstallQxxxxxx$ files shown in Windows Explorer)
and cleanup your Add/Remove Programs list, visit MS-MVP Doug Knox's
excellent website for instructions.

Remove Hotfix Backup files and the Add/Remove Programs Registry entries
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_hotfix_backup.htm

Note: Doug's program only removes the uninstall files and Hotfix entries
in the Add/Remove Programs listing. It does not remove the
actual updates.


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


| I have Win XP. When I looked into deleting some programs
| in the add/delete section of My Computer, I noticed quite
| a few Win XP HotFix (SP2)####### files or programs. I know
| these oare downloaded safety "fixes". Do I need to keep
| these files after they have been downloaded? Seems to be a
| lot of them. Any help would be apprecicated.
|
| Ron in San Diego

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have Win XP. When I looked into deleting some programs
in the add/delete section of My Computer, I noticed quite
a few Win XP HotFix (SP2)####### files or programs. I know
these oare downloaded safety "fixes".

No - they are the means for *uninstalling* the fixes should that be
necessary. If you decide you will not want to, delete the stored folder
of files that would get used - at
Windows\$NTUninstall######$

Check what any fix is about at
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;######

Once the folder has been deleted, an attempt to use the corresponding
Add/Remove will fail, and offer to remove that entry instead