yong321 wrote:
> My "Add or Remove Programs" shows dozens of "Security Update for
> Windows XP (KBxxxxxx)" and many "Windows XP Hotfix xxx". I assume
> they correspond to the hidden folders $NtUninstallKBxxxxxx$ under c:
> \windows. Can I assume older windows updates are already included in
> newer ones and I can safely deinstall them from "Add or Remove
> Programs" to reclaim disk space?
Jupiter Jones [MVP] wrote:
> No, dangerous assumption, never assume.
>
> Older updates are still needed,
> If you uninstall them, you remove whatever benefit they provide.
>
> However, you can safely delete the uninstall files:
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spack.htm
Engel wrote:
> What are the $NTUninstall folders? Can they be deleted?
> http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Hotfix_backup.htm
> - -- ---
>
> If you believe your system is stable and in good shape--you can
> purge all old restore points and that will get rid of these files.
>
> . To delete all but the latest restore point on your machine by
> using the disk cleanup utility: Go to 'Start > All Programs >
> Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup'. Click on Disk Cleanup
> and click the more options tab and then click 'Clean up' in the
> System Restore box.
yong321 wrote:
> Thank you and Jupiter. I tried the Disk Cleanup and specified that
> option. I also manually deleted all those $NTUninstall files. But
> the disk free space for C: only changed from 955MB to 958MB.
> (I forgot to check the total size of those $NTUninstall files before
> they were deleted; I can't believe they were only 3MB). Then I
> went to Add Remove programs and tried to uninstall some of
> them. But I didn't get the warning "An error occurred while
> trying to remove Security Update for Windows XP..." so I only
> did a few in here in case I'm really uninstalling the updates.
> I didn't try the hacking registry trick. Will look later.
If you are in Add or Remove programs and are choosing to REMOVE the Security
updates listed there - that is bad. You are literally making your system
less secure and stable with every removal. If you have automatic updates on
or you check - you will see them re-offered.
If all this is about space - here is what you need to do:
If you are comfortable with the stability of your system, you can delete the
uninstall files for the patches that Windows XP has installed...
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spack.htm
Used Disk Cleanup?
Is hibernate turned on and do you use that feature?
Uninstalled unnecessary applications lately?
You can run Disk Cleanup - built into Windows XP - to erase all but your
latest restore point and cleanup even more "loose files"..
How to use Disk Cleanup
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310312
You can turn off hibernation if it is on and you don't use it..
When you hibernate your computer, Windows saves the contents of the system's
memory to the hiberfil.sys file. As a result, the size of the hiberfil.sys
file will always equal the amount of physical memory in your system. If you
don't use the hibernate feature and want to recapture the space that Windows
uses for the hiberfil.sys file, perform the following steps:
- Start the Control Panel Power Options applet (go to Start, Settings,
Control Panel, and click Power Options).
- Select the Hibernate tab, clear the "Enable hibernation" check box, then
click OK; although you might think otherwise, selecting Never under the
"System hibernates" option on the Power Schemes tab doesn't delete the
hiberfil.sys file.
- Windows will remove the "System hibernates" option from the Power Schemes
tab and delete the hiberfil.sys file.
You can control how much space your System Restore can use...
1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
2. Click the System Restore tab.
3. Highlight one of your drives (or C: if you only have one) and click on
the "Settings" button.
4. Change the percentage of disk space you wish to allow.. I suggest 5% or
higher.
5. Click OK.. Then Click OK again.
You can control how much space your Temporary Internet Files can utilize...
Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to a
size between 128MB and 256MB..
- Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
- Select TOOLS -> Internet Options.
- Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section, do the
following:
- Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
- Click on "Settings" and change the "Amount of disk space to use:" to
something between 64MB and 256MB. (It may be MUCH larger right
now.)
- Click OK.
- Click on "Delete Files" and select to "Delete all offline contents"
(the checkbox) and click OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take 2-10
minutes or more.)
- Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer, re-open Internet
Explorer.
You can use an application that scans your system for log files and
temporary files and use that to get rid of those:
Ccleaner (Free!)
http://www.ccleaner.com/
Other ways to free up space..
SequoiaView
http://www.win.tue.nl/sequoiaview/
DX Hog Hunt
http://www.dvxp.com/en/Downloads.aspx
JDiskReport
http://www.jgoodies.com/freeware/jdiskreport/index.html
Those can help you visually discover where all the space is being used.
If you are concerned over less than 5GB of space total at any given time
being freed up on your hard disk drive - then something is wrong and
you would be better off spending $100 and putting in a drive that is likely
3-8 times as large as what you have not and not concerning yourself over
such a small amount of space OR you seriously need to consider what you
really need on the system and what should be archived.
Basic housekeeping 101... - in an actual home, if your storage area gets
full - you either have to decide what you really should have in the storage
area and what could go or you have to find a new place to store stuff
that will accommodate everything you need. You don't walk into a
warehouse of cars, look at the filing cabinet in the corner where
you keep all the records for the cars and decide that if you move it out of
the warehouse - you will have more room for cars. ;-)
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
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