• MSE old defintions delete

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    #496387

    Hi
    If I no longer use MSE and have no intention of going back to it, can I delete old defintions updates dating back to 3 years ago up to the present? And if I can, how is it done?
    I dont know if they take up a large amount of space on my “C” drive.
    Thanks for any help I can get in answering this. Also would like to know if possible, is Bitdender Free a good AV program?

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    • #1467019

      Answer

      It differs depending on the OS. On my Windows 7 x64 machine, they are here:
      C:ProgramDataMicrosoftMicrosoft AntimalwareDefinition Updates
      In XP, I believe that they will be found in the Documents and Settings branch under Application Data, but I dont have access to an XP machine at the moment.
      The branch is protected.
      On my machine that folder is about 260 megs in size.
      ^_^
      MVP Consumer Security, Moderator Microsoft Community
      -steve

      Do not delete that folder. MSE manages it on its own. Note that I mentioned that this location is protected — removing it or emptying it might damage MSEs ability to protect the PC and/or update.
      If you are that tight on space, you need to uninstall or remove something else or get a bigger drive. 🙂
      Mie may be bigger due to the fact that I’m running the beta and had been using v2 on this machine. I suspect that your folder size is more typical.
      ^_^
      MVP Consumer Security, Moderator Microsoft Community
      -steve

      Leave it alone and find something else to remove to make more space.
      MSE shares dependencies with Windows Update & or other aspects of the OS.

    • #1467032

      Also would like to know if possible, is Bitdender Free a good AV program?

      I installed it on a friends computer after MSE showed disappointing test results.
      It seems to be very effective and is unobtrusive with little effect on system resources and a minimalist interface.
      Definitely worth a try.

    • #1467034

      Are you using XP? If so, are you referring to the left over uninstallers shown in Add/Remove Programs? These refer to all hotfixes, not just updates for MSE. They can be removed safely with CCleaner without affecting the hotfixes themselves. It may need two or three passes to get them all. If you have Vista or later, they are handled differently by the OS and the option doesn’t appear.

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