Safe to delete Win update uninstall files?

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In my Windows/System folder I have a large number of folders with the contents in blue in the form $uninstall***. These include SP3 and in agregate comprise up to a thousand individual files, which must slow down my computer, apart from taking up about 1Gb of drive space. I have never uninstalled an update – is it safe to delete the lot.

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If you are sure you will not need to uninstall an update, then the uninstall info may be deleted. These will not be of assistance if you have to reinstall your OS, so once you have determined the update works properly and you will not uninstall it, get rid of the uninstall info.

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is it safe to delete the lot.

Mike,
Hello… Check out this article XP Uninstall read through the links provided… I would also “Burn Em” to DVD just to be on the safe side …Or Image the files …:cheers: Regards Fred

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Thanks for the info, which has been very useful – I have decided to copy all the files to an external drive and delete the lot from the computer

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The “updates” you’re talking about is NOT the update itself…..it’s the Update UN-Install file.
It’s safe to delete as long as the associated update is running OK.
You would generally know that within a couple of days of getting the update.
So update UN-Install files that are already several years old are serving absolutely NO useful purpose,
and are just taking up valuable space on your hard drive.

And you can delete them easily from Windows Explorer…. no special program is required.

Then further down in that folder is a KB?????.log file for every one of those Update Un-install folders.
Those too can be safely deleted.
I do that on every new PC that I work on. Remember this……”Minus Crud is Cool!”

NO! Deleting those folders will not necessarily speed up your computer, but it sure as heck will speed
up virus scanners, and programs like Defrag that have to deal with those files and folders, time after time.
It will also free up valuable real-estate on your hard drive.

There are other things that will actually SPEED UP your PC. We’ve discussed those things in other threads,
so I won’t go into that here.

Cheers Mates………..

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Mike,
Hello… Check out this article XP Uninstall read through the links provided… I would also “Burn Em” to DVD just to be on the safe side …Or Image the files …:cheers: Regards Fred

this link is already gone and not working….

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this link is already gone and not working….

calikoala,
Hello…..Just checked and it seems to be OK …:cheers: Regards Fred

PS: just scroll down the page..

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This link will get you a program to uninstall both the backup files and the registry links:
http://www.tech-pro.net/windows-update-remover.html

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This link will get you a program to uninstall both the backup files and the registry links:
http://www.tech-pro.net/windows-update-remover.html

dpoellot,
Hello…. Nice find …Thanks:cheers: Regards Fred

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fred…

i would like to backup selective folders and files to DVD..how would you do that?..i’m on XP SP3 and getting ready to clone my drive..

but would like to back up my Documents and Settings mostly..i have been using ntbackup to my E: drive but that will be cloned shortly..

i have an XP SP3 bootable DVD created and tested..

i guess i’m looking for software that will let you select certain folders..not the whole drive..and burn them to DVD..

don

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fred…

i would like to backup selective folders and files to DVD..how would you do that?..i’m on XP SP3 and getting ready to clone my drive..

but would like to back up my Documents and Settings mostly..i have been using ntbackup to my E: drive but that will be cloned shortly..

i have an XP SP3 bootable DVD created and tested..

i guess i’m looking for software that will let you select certain folders..not the whole drive..and burn them to DVD..

don

Don,
Hello… As i use a 3rd party backup software Macrium Reflect and Acronis 2010 to do my backup chores, I’m not aware of any Free Backup programs that will do file and folder backups … the pay for versions will . If i were you i would use Macrium Reflect free to create an Image of your whole OS ( to Flash drive, DVD’s or some kind of external)… after it’s created you can then use Windows Explorer to open (mount) the files that your interested and copy them to wherever you wish if you want ( if for some reason the originals were compromised ) :cheers: Regards Fred

PS: Macrium Reflect Free

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Fred..many thanks for the reply..i have 2 80Gb drives with only about 25-30Gb used on C:

i’ve been using ntbackup but that does not cover the OS..i’m going to use a 32Gb flash drive and Macrium as you suggested

philosophical question..??

which would be preferable..a) simply clone C: drive to E: or
b) use Macrium to create image files(.ISO) of C: onto drive E: periodically..??

if C: crashes i’d like a fairly quick recovery from flash or E:
i’m going to do the backup to flash of the c: drive regardless..of the above clone seems easier..just switch the cables in the MB..
but static..in time..

don

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i have 2 80Gb drives with only about 25-30Gb used on C:

i’ve been using ntbackup but that does not cover the OS..i’m going to use a 32Gb flash drive and Macrium as you suggested

philosophical question..??

which would be preferable..a) simply clone C: drive to E: or
b) use Macrium to create image files(.ISO) of C: onto drive E: periodically..??

Don,
Hello….Using an Imaging program is a better way to protect your PC (OS) ..With Cloning you end up with an exact copy of the original HD ..Using up the entire HD … It’s OK if you have a spare drive to clone once in a while …Keep it safe and away from your PC…. With Imaging because of “Compression” you end up with a reduction of around 40 to 60 % smaller in size than the original OS ( you can set level you want) …Answer

1. I Clone my OS’s and Image both…. Restoring an image takes about 10 minutes with Acronis and about 25 minutes with Macrium …Not a big deal …I’ve done more than a hundred or so recoveries…

2. Cloning takes me around an Hour for any of my HD’s …but still worth the time

3. An Image is a Compressed copy of your HD ….Everything , but smaller in size ….so you can do this weekly or before you do something that your not sure of the outcome…I have hundreds going back years:cheers: Regards Fred

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Be aware, that further down in that same directory, there will be a KB*****.log file for every one of those uninstall folders (they ARE folders, not files). If you’re taking out the folders, take out those log files too.
That can greatly speed up all your virus scans and defrags. And, can also make backups go a lot faster and take up less space.

Those uninstall folders and log files are just the tip of the iceberg as to the stuff that Windows likes to hang onto.

Before I back up my C: drive, I delete over 4 gigabytes of just plain old JUNK, that windows would never get rid of by itself.

Good Luck,

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As mentioned in the XP Uninstall link above, you can’t just delete the files/folders, because there are also associated registry entries. These are KBxxxxxx entries in HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionUninstall. The uninstaller, also mentioned in that link, will remove both the folder and the corresponding registry item, and also gives the option of uninstalling the update if you wish. I keep the uninstall folders for three months, assuming that if no problem has emerged after three months, the update is OK and will not need to be uninstalled. So I run the tool once a month and delete anything three months (or more) old. I think that always having the most recent three months worth in my Windows folder is not too much of an overhead.

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For an OS that is soon to be Dumped by MS, the updates coming out of MS are causing more problems than they are fixing.
I usually keep Updates turned off on my XP machine. But recently I turned on Updates and got 11 new updates. Since then, I’ve had to do repair installs on several of my programs and I had to Uninstall one add-on called, “Office File Validation” because it was messing up Office 2003 Excel. So now, updates is turned OFF once again and I think I’ll just leave it like that.

I don’t need any more updates from MS that are going to cause problems with my PC.

I find the update UNinstall files on customer’s PC’s going back YEARS and doing nothing but taking up a lot of space. They are really easy to uninstall, so no problem there. It only takes a few seconds to clean out that mess.

Happy Holidays Everyone!
The Doctor

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Thanks ! I have cleaned up Win Update files on XP for years. It’s comforting to know I’ve done the right thing before I joined Windows Secrets. I did not see mention of deleting entries in Add/Remove Programs for the updates, after deleting their install folders. Or maybe I missed that ?

Now somewhat off-topic, I recently installed Windows 7. I do not see 7 managing Win Update install files as easily as XP did. I am surfing around to find out how to cleanup Win Updates on 7. But I am getting lazy. Have I missed an article on Win Update install cleanup for 7 ? AtDhVaAnNkCsE !

Larry a/k/a Zep Head

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Make sure you have elected to “show hidden files”.
Many things go a lot easier if you do. I use a registry script for that purpose.

You might also want to install either “Take Ownership” or “Grant Full Admin Control” to give you permission to deal with files and folders, as you please.

If you change Disk Cleanup to the Advanced Disk Cleanup, it can remove those old files for you.

Cheers!

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The other nice thing about Imaging over Cloning is that you can store more than one Image file on the same Ext HD. With a clone, as Fred states, you get one clone that is identical in size to the original. If you have a spare drive you simply put it in in place of the original. This works great for changing to a new HD.

If however you wish to save the original fully customized state of the OS, and the most recent version of the OS, then you would need 2 spare HD’s, where as with Imaging, since these are compressed files, you can save as many copies as will fit on the space! Say you have reinstalled your OS and customized it to your liking. You create an Image of this “Gold Standard”. You can then create a new Image when you make changes to the OS, say after patch Tuesday, or you add an app, etc. With Imaging you save both Images and just name them so you know which is which.

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I run my weekly C drive backups to a 1TB external drive. By doing just “Image File to Partition” with Ghost,
I can save a dozen or more backup copies. Then if one becomes corrupt, I have several more to choose from.
I also save to multiple locations, so if one backup drive shoots craps, I still have backups in other locations.

Old saying: “The only bad backup is the one you decided NOT to make”.
Backup your C drive often. Sometimes weekly is still not often enough.

To prevent loosing even one data file, I back up my data, daily, to an external USB 3, 1TB hard drive and a 32 gig USB 3 Flash Drive.
Since my backup batch file backs up only files that are new or that have been changed, my daily backup takes only a few seconds.
Using only USB 3 devices, also speeds up the backups.

Happy Computing!

The Doctor

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Hello, all. I have over 200 Win XP Update files dating back to 2009 and my computer is sllooowwwwwww. I downloaded the Update Remover tool from the Tech-Pro.net site but every time I choose to delete a file, a popup warns me that a long list of programs will be affected if I delete these (2009) files.

What gives?

Techtwerp

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That’s the default:

Windows XP Update Remover can uninstall Windows updates as well. This is not something you will often need to do, unless you suspect that an update has caused problems with your computer, so the program displays a warning before allowing you to proceed with removal of an update.

I normally delete these via CCleaner – or manually – then carefully remove their pointers/Registry entries with CCleaners Registry cleaner.

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Thank you, satrow. I have CC Cleaner and will look into using that.

techtwerp

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Hello, all. I have over 200 Win XP Update files dating back to 2009 and my computer is sllooowwwwwww.

“TW”,
Hello… I also have an XP OS ( Pro SP-3) with all updates to present…. It runs like a “Scalded cat”. If the “Windows Updates” your speaking of are both security and OS types should not be removed…if were both on the same page …The reason for your PC’s slow performance most likely some other problem. You should investigate other possibilities first , and would not remove them … just yet … CCleaner will not remove any of MS’s “Updates” security or otherwise… That would have to be done by another method(s)… Post back with more “info” :cheers: Regards Fred

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I’m assuming that one can get rid of the Service Pack Uninstalls as well? I don’t see any reason not to, I could start with SP2 which takes up 305 megabytes on my old laptop.

Being 20 something in the 70's was so much better than being 70 something in the insane 20's

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I’m assuming that one can get rid of the Service Pack Uninstalls as well? I don’t see any reason not to, I could start with SP2 which takes up 305 megabytes on my old laptop.

Yes you can.

Joe

--Joe

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