What are folders called $NtUninstallKB917734_WMP10$ and similar ?

[Guest]

I have just noticed I have 143 folders in Windows all called something
similar to:

$NtUninstallKB893086$
$NtUninstallKB911280$
$NtUninstallKB917734_WMP10$
$NtUninstallMSCompPackV1$

What are they and do I just leave them well alone ?

Running Windows XP Home SP2

 

[R. McCarty]

They are Rollback or Uninstaller for Microsoft Hotfixes applied to the
machine either manually or by Microsoft Update or Windows Update.

Unless you feel you'll never need to remove a Hotfix, you should leave
them in place. One warning, the folder $hf_mig$ is a "Master" folder
for these uninstallers - DO NOT remove this folder.

 

[Detlev Dreyer]

I have just noticed I have 143 folders in Windows all called something
similar to:

$NtUninstallKB893086$
$NtUninstallKB911280$
$NtUninstallKB917734_WMP10$
$NtUninstallMSCompPackV1$

What are they and do I just leave them well alone ?

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_hotfix_backup.htm (excerpt)

| When you install updates from Windows Update, backup folders are
| created for the files that were replaced during the update. These are
| created so that you can easily uninstall a particular Hotfix, if it
| causes problems with your system. If your system is running stable and
| you don't need to uninstall the hotfixes, then you can safely remove
| the backup files to free up disk space.

Note that this tool does not remove all of these folders.

 

[Guest]

Thanks very much both of you.

I'll leave be just now as I'm not short of disc space but now I know if I
have to, some of them can go.

Thanks again

 

[Detlev Dreyer]

Thanks very much both of you.

I'll leave be just now as I'm not short of disc space but now I know if I
have to, some of them can go.

Thanks again

You're certainly welcome, Richard.