NT Uninstall Folders

[Bernard Watkins]

In my Windows directory there are numerous folders labeled: $hf_mig$,
$NtServicePackUnistall$, $NtUninstall<xxxxxxxx>$ where x is some
alphanumeric number. What are they? Should these folders be deleted? They
take up a lot of disk space. Thanks.

Bernard Watkins,
San Diego

 

[Terry]

On 11-16-2004 11:10 AM On a whim, Bernard Watkins pounded out on the
keyboard

In my Windows directory there are numerous folders labeled: $hf_mig$,
$NtServicePackUnistall$, $NtUninstall<xxxxxxxx>$ where x is some
alphanumeric number. What are they? Should these folders be deleted? They
take up a lot of disk space. Thanks.

Bernard Watkins,
San Diego

They are Windows updates. If you don't feel you will ever uninstall
them, you could delete them. But unless you're out of disk space, it
isn't advisable.

--
Terry

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[Dave Patrick]

These are the uninstall routines for various service pack and or hotfixes.
If you don't expect to ever require to back down from them then yes you can
delete them.

No idea on $hf_mig$ you might have to check the contents for clues.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| In my Windows directory there are numerous folders labeled: $hf_mig$,
| $NtServicePackUnistall$, $NtUninstall<xxxxxxxx>$ where x is some
| alphanumeric number. What are they? Should these folders be deleted? They
| take up a lot of disk space. Thanks.
|
| Bernard Watkins,
| San Diego
|
|

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

As others have pointed out, these are backups of files that were replaced by various "hotfixes". If you don't need to uninstall the hotfix, you can safely remove these. See www.dougknox.com, Win XP Utilities, Remove Hotfix Backups for a small utility that will do this for you, and remove the associated Add/Remove entries in Control Panel.

 

[Rock]

In my Windows directory there are numerous folders labeled: $hf_mig$,
$NtServicePackUnistall$, $NtUninstall<xxxxxxxx>$ where x is some
alphanumeric number. What are they? Should these folders be deleted? They
take up a lot of disk space. Thanks.

Bernard Watkins,
San Diego

Don't delete the $hf_mig$ folders. Those are needed. The uninstall
folders were created when windows updates were applied. They are needed
if you want to remove the update. The numbers refer to the particular
knowledge base article for that udpate. These can be deleted but then
you won't be able to remove those updates. If things are fine, give it
3 or 4 weeks after the update is installed, then you can delete them but
again, leave the $hf-mig$ folders.

 

[Alex Nichol]

In my Windows directory there are numerous folders labeled: $hf_mig$,
$NtServicePackUnistall$, $NtUninstall<xxxxxxxx>$ where x is some
alphanumeric number. What are they? Should these folders be deleted?

Each relates to a 'Hotfix' from Windows update. They are there so you
could *uninstall* the patches. Each corresponds to a folder of files
needed for the purpose - Windows\$NTUninstallQnnnnnn$ for the fix
described at http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;nnnnnn And
referred to in Add/Remove Programs as Hotfix Q [or KB] nnnnnn

If you decide you will not want to uninstall a fix (and if all is
running smoothly you probably won't) then delete the folder. If you
then try in Add/remove, to Remove that one, it will fail, and you will
be offered the option of removing the entry there