old %win% security update files ...

[Jerry]

hi folks,

in my continuing efforts to clean up unneccessary files, I've discovered a
bunch of file described as security updates in the windows folder, most
dating from 2004 & 2005.

typically, they look like this: windowsxp-kb905749-x86-enu.exe

is is ok to delete these files?

thanks

Jerry

 

[Nepatsfan]

hi folks,

in my continuing efforts to clean up unneccessary files, I've discovered a
bunch of file described as security updates in the windows folder, most
dating from 2004 & 2005.

typically, they look like this: windowsxp-kb905749-x86-enu.exe

is is ok to delete these files?

thanks

Jerry

If you're confident that you won't need to uninstall SP3, or any subsequent
updates, you can delete the folders with names that start with
$NtUninstallKB.
You can also delete the folder named $NtServicePackUninstall$. Do not delete
the
folder named $hf_mig$.

Here's a web site which provides an automated way of deleting
these folders.

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

Here's another web site with more information.

What are the $NTUninstall folders? Can they be deleted?
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Hotfix_backup.htm

Good luck

Nepatsfan

 

[Jerry]

If you're confident that you won't need to uninstall SP3, or any
subsequent
updates, you can delete the folders with names that start with
$NtUninstallKB.
You can also delete the folder named $NtServicePackUninstall$. Do not
delete the
folder named $hf_mig$.

Here's a web site which provides an automated way of deleting
these folders.

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

Here's another web site with more information.

What are the $NTUninstall folders? Can they be deleted?
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Hotfix_backup.htm

Good luck

Nepatsfan

hi N

got all the $Nt*.* stuff figured out. This thread was asking about the
"windowsxp-kb*-x86-enu.exe" files, of which there are 38 files totalling 50
MB of disk space. They seem to be security updates, all of them from
2004-2005. If they are indeed security "patches", I would not be
uninstalling them; therefore, what I can surmise, they are wasted space.

thanks,

Jerry

 

[Nepatsfan]

hi N

got all the $Nt*.* stuff figured out. This thread was asking about the
"windowsxp-kb*-x86-enu.exe" files, of which there are 38 files totalling
50 MB of disk space. They seem to be security updates, all of them from
2004-2005. If they are indeed security "patches", I would not be
uninstalling them; therefore, what I can surmise, they are wasted space.

thanks,

Jerry

Looks like I really missed on the substance of your question. Sorry about
that.

As for the real issue, I can think of no good reason why you'd need to hang
on to the old update files. If you're computer is running Service Pack 3
there's no reason to retain the installation files for updates that predate
its release.

Nepatsfan

 

[Velson Horie]

Thank you for the advice, it got rid of ca 2gb of files.

There is another 1.9gb batch of files in \windows\installer dating 2005-2009

Can I remove any of these?

Your suggested cleanup programme did not remove the $unistall files etc.

Is there a cleanup package you can sugest which does this fairly
automatically? I have 5 years of clutter, broken links etc, but I cannot
find them, or easily decide which is still being used.

Velson