ServicePack Files in WINDOWS Folder

[Jack Gillis]

After installing SP2, I found a folder named ServicePack Files in the
WIDOWS folder. It contains another folder, i386. Like J. Buffett's
tattoo, where it came from I havent a clue.

Now that SP2 has run well for a while I wonder if that folder can be
removed?

Thank you

 

[Dick Kistler]

After installing SP2, I found a folder named ServicePack Files in the
WIDOWS folder. It contains another folder, i386. Like J. Buffett's
tattoo, where it came from I havent a clue.

Now that SP2 has run well for a while I wonder if that folder can be
removed?

Thank you

Not a good idea. You may have driver installs that require these files. If
you ever get a box looking for a disk that is titled something like:

E:\XP Pro(or Home) with SP2

The system is probably looking for files in the ServicePackFiles folder(and
you should point it there). By the way, if you installed SP1, it created
this folder.

Hope this helps.

Dick Kistler

P.S. There is a backup of your old files that SP2 replaced(and would put
back if SP2 were uninstalled) in the hidden folder
\windows\$NtServicePackUninstall$ that may be removed if you decide to never
uninstall SP2. I think that some registry settings need to be changed or
removed also if you do this, but I don't know what they are.

 

[Chad Harris]

Jack--

They take up room, granted, but I second Dick, keep them by all means.
Another point is, that if you hadn't slipstreamed XP with SP2, then there is
a regedit that can allow you *to point to those files on your hard drive*,
if you have to run SFC (System File Protection) to replace a file to try to
fix something in XP, IE, or OE, instead of a CD so that your files will be
replaced from the up to date service pack.

Introduction to using scannow sfc (system file checker)
http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

See "What about Windows Updates...."

I appreciate Carey Frisch's post that got me to read this carefully.

Chad Harris




After installing SP2, I found a folder named ServicePack Files in the
WIDOWS folder. It contains another folder, i386. Like J. Buffett's
tattoo, where it came from I havent a clue.

Now that SP2 has run well for a while I wonder if that folder can be
removed?

Thank you

 

[Rock]

After installing SP2, I found a folder named ServicePack Files in the
WIDOWS folder. It contains another folder, i386. Like J. Buffett's
tattoo, where it came from I havent a clue.

Now that SP2 has run well for a while I wonder if that folder can be
removed?

Thank you

The system may need access to those files at some point so don't just
toss them, however you can burn the complete directory to a CD. Then
edit the registry to point to the new location. This works best if you
have two CD drives. When you need these files it will also ask for the
original install CD so you put the install cd in one drive and the CD
with the service pack files in the other drive which you have pointed to
in the registry. The keys to modify in the registry are:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePackSourcePath
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePackCachePath

Normally they point to
C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles
C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles\ServicePackCache

Modify to change the C:\Windows to the drive letter of the CD drive, eg:

Z:\ServicePackFiles
Z:\ServicePackFiles\ServicePackCache

 

[Jack Gillis]

Thank you, Rock, Dick and Chad.

I remember reading about the System File Checker needing access to that
folder, not finding it and then asking to have the XP CD inserted so
that it could proceed.

I will just leave the folder there as you all suggested.

Thanks again.