Wasted space problems in C: Drive

[Guest]

I've seen some references to this elsewhere but I'd like an up-to-date
opinion on this before I delete anything.

I'm running Windows XP Pro on a rather old machine and my C drive is getting
full. My usual tools (Disk Cleanup and Optimize) have done all they can but
that's not enough. In addition I had an automatic update fail a day ago (The
285 Meg one for SQL Server Express 2005) and I am sure that I am missing at
least 600 meg that was there a few days ago.

In my Windows directory I have a massive number of $NtUninstallKB#####
files, some dating back to 2004. I also have a rather large
SoftwareDistribution\Download directory.

What's the worst that could happen if I deleted part or all of this? Would
this interfer with the System Restore utility?

(Also, just out of curiosity, there is a directory in
SoftwareDistribution\Download unlike the others. It's called S-1-5-18.
Anyone recognize this?)

 

[Mike Hall - MS MVP]

You can safely remove files of the type $NtUninstallKB#####..

I've seen some references to this elsewhere but I'd like an up-to-date
opinion on this before I delete anything.

I'm running Windows XP Pro on a rather old machine and my C drive is
getting
full. My usual tools (Disk Cleanup and Optimize) have done all they can
but
that's not enough. In addition I had an automatic update fail a day ago
(The
285 Meg one for SQL Server Express 2005) and I am sure that I am missing
at
least 600 meg that was there a few days ago.

In my Windows directory I have a massive number of $NtUninstallKB#####
files, some dating back to 2004. I also have a rather large
SoftwareDistribution\Download directory.

What's the worst that could happen if I deleted part or all of this?
Would
this interfer with the System Restore utility?

(Also, just out of curiosity, there is a directory in
SoftwareDistribution\Download unlike the others. It's called S-1-5-18.
Anyone recognize this?)

--


Mike Hall
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

 

[Rock]

Answers inline:

I've seen some references to this elsewhere but I'd like an up-to-date
opinion on this before I delete anything.

I'm running Windows XP Pro on a rather old machine and my C drive is
getting
full. My usual tools (Disk Cleanup and Optimize) have done all they can
but
that's not enough. In addition I had an automatic update fail a day ago
(The
285 Meg one for SQL Server Express 2005) and I am sure that I am missing
at
least 600 meg that was there a few days ago.

In my Windows directory I have a massive number of $NtUninstallKB#####
files, some dating back to 2004.

Those are the uninstall files for the respective updates specified by the
KB#. If you don't think you will need to remove that update you can delete
them, and then delete the reference to them in add/remove programs. To be
save you could copy them to CD.

Doug Knox has a utility to automate the removal of these uninstall files and
their entires in Add/Remove programs.

http://www.dougknox.com/
Win XP Utilities
Remove Hotfix Backup Files v2.1.6 - Updated 5/29/2004

I also have a rather large
SoftwareDistribution\Download directory.

What's the worst that could happen if I deleted part or all of this?
Would
this interfer with the System Restore utility?

(Also, just out of curiosity, there is a directory in
SoftwareDistribution\Download unlike the others. It's called S-1-5-18.
Anyone recognize this?)

Hopefully someone else will address the other questions.

 

[Guest]

I've seen some references to this elsewhere but I'd like an up-to-date
opinion on this before I delete anything.

I'm running Windows XP Pro on a rather old machine and my C drive is getting
full. My usual tools (Disk Cleanup and Optimize) have done all they can but
that's not enough. In addition I had an automatic update fail a day ago (The
285 Meg one for SQL Server Express 2005) and I am sure that I am missing at
least 600 meg that was there a few days ago.

In my Windows directory I have a massive number of $NtUninstallKB#####
files, some dating back to 2004. I also have a rather large
SoftwareDistribution\Download directory.

What's the worst that could happen if I deleted part or all of this? Would
this interfer with the System Restore utility?

(Also, just out of curiosity, there is a directory in
SoftwareDistribution\Download unlike the others. It's called S-1-5-18.
Anyone recognize this?)

 

[Guest]

Ok, clearly I've gone mad. I moved those directories from my C to D drive
(about 370 Meg) and now the free space on my C drive has decreased (from
about 680 meg to 550 meg)!