delete SoftwareDistribution?

What will happen if I delete everything in my
%systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution folder? I desparately want to re-do all
(or at least my earliest) my Windows updates. All but the last 4 Office
ones, and the 10 Windows Update ones that were dated February 8th (i.e.
everything from 1st November to 3rd January, or maybe even 13th January) is
of uncertain status. I've had file corruptions, missing files, probably a
little registry damage. All I want to do is to begin again, or to be
positive that my supposed updates are really there - not just mentioned in a
log, or appearing in some folder somewhere, or whatever. I want to know
whether I can begin again without having to reinstall XP. I could not stand
that.

I've been told to just download them manually, but I just don't have the
time to plough through it all. I presume some updates depend upon others,
some must be downloaded before, or after, others; there's no consistency
between WU, MBSA, and the Technet Security Bulletin Search; the KB numbers
are not unique. And if I do go through my WU history, starting from the
first update mentioned on it, find the appropriate update and download it,
what happens if it, or remnants of it, are already prsent on my system?

I have to be honest. I'm getting close to the end of my tether with all
this. Please help. I have emailed Microsoft on this, but WU support seems
to be lacking any native English speakers, or maybe it's just a badly written
expert system.

--
Jess
(XP Home SP/2 OEM. HDD1:Windows NTFS 60GB; Linux 20GB. HDD2:Windows NTFS
40GB. P4 HT.)
[Please note: Display name may be changed in near future - too many people
called Jess on this site.]

Deleting the contents of Software distribution only deletes the uninstalled
updates and does nothing for currently installed updates..
When you say "there's no consistency between WU, MBSA..."where exactly do
you get the WU information?
The history will not show updates manually installed and Add/Remove Programs
only shows updates with an uninstall option.
The MBSA is pretty reliable.

If you are still unsure if an update is installed, your best option may be
to manually download and install even that is not what you want to do.

To check for Damaged/Missing system files:
Start/Run
Type "sfc /scannow" ENTER
Follow prompts and have the Windows XP CD available.

Also see:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/slowcom.htm

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/


"Jess" <> wrote in message
news:2FCF4E07-2332-4F68-A8F5-...
> What will happen if I delete everything in my
> %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution folder? I desparately want to re-do all
> (or at least my earliest) my Windows updates. All but the last 4 Office
> ones, and the 10 Windows Update ones that were dated February 8th (i.e.
> everything from 1st November to 3rd January, or maybe even 13th January)
> is
> of uncertain status. I've had file corruptions, missing files, probably a
> little registry damage. All I want to do is to begin again, or to be
> positive that my supposed updates are really there - not just mentioned in
> a
> log, or appearing in some folder somewhere, or whatever. I want to know
> whether I can begin again without having to reinstall XP. I could not
> stand
> that.
>
> I've been told to just download them manually, but I just don't have the
> time to plough through it all. I presume some updates depend upon others,
> some must be downloaded before, or after, others; there's no consistency
> between WU, MBSA, and the Technet Security Bulletin Search; the KB numbers
> are not unique. And if I do go through my WU history, starting from the
> first update mentioned on it, find the appropriate update and download it,
> what happens if it, or remnants of it, are already prsent on my system?
>
> I have to be honest. I'm getting close to the end of my tether with all
> this. Please help. I have emailed Microsoft on this, but WU support
> seems
> to be lacking any native English speakers, or maybe it's just a badly
> written
> expert system.
>
> --
> Jess
> (XP Home SP/2 OEM. HDD1:Windows NTFS 60GB; Linux 20GB. HDD2:Windows NTFS
> 40GB. P4 HT.)
> [Please note: Display name may be changed in near future - too many people
> called Jess on this site.]

Thank you for the info on what the Software Distribution directory contains.
And thanks for clearing up a few other things for me. I'll now answer your
questions.

My WU information is from my printout of the WU update history. Each item
on there did indeed download and install on the dates it says. Those dates
are from 1st November 2004 to 8th February 2005 inclusive. However, my file
corruption problem happened sometime around 9th January. If there are any
corrupt/deleted updates, I presume it is possible that remnants of them might
exist anywhere, regardless of whether or not they were supposed to be
uninstallable ones.

So the WU history may not reflect it if I deliberately remove, re-install,
install, or overwrite an update - I see. But, if I stick to the (history)
list of the updates WU gave me to date (not bothering with any additional
ones I come across on the websites), and go through that list trying to find,
download and install each one of them up to, and excluding, February 8th's
and my 4 Office ones (because I know that those are all ok), then maybe that
will sort me out?

Does MBSA actually examine the updates themselves, or does it just check
their codes in a log, or their names in a directory or something?

I gather that there is no simple fix then? No way to just delete a
directory somewhere and start all over from the beginning, letting WU sort it
out for me?

I have used sfc /scannow. Actually, if I may pick your brains a little
more, I would like to know whether sfc should also have checked my SP2. My
XP Home CD included SP2, so I presumed sfc did include it in its file
checking. Indeed it was one of the few things I was not worried about until
Microsoft said I should uninstall SP2! I think/hope that this must have been
just another instance of their inability to comprehend me.

Thanks in advance for any further advice you can give me. Nice web site, by
the way!


"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" wrote:

> Deleting the contents of Software distribution only deletes the uninstalled
> updates and does nothing for currently installed updates..
> When you say "there's no consistency between WU, MBSA..."where exactly do
> you get the WU information?
> The history will not show updates manually installed and Add/Remove Programs
> only shows updates with an uninstall option.
> The MBSA is pretty reliable.
>
> If you are still unsure if an update is installed, your best option may be
> to manually download and install even that is not what you want to do.
>
> To check for Damaged/Missing system files:
> Start/Run
> Type "sfc /scannow" ENTER
> Follow prompts and have the Windows XP CD available.
>
> Also see:
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/slowcom.htm
>
> --
> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/
>
>
> "Jess" <> wrote in message
> news:2FCF4E07-2332-4F68-A8F5-...
> > What will happen if I delete everything in my
> > %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution folder? I desparately want to re-do all
> > (or at least my earliest) my Windows updates. All but the last 4 Office
> > ones, and the 10 Windows Update ones that were dated February 8th (i.e.
> > everything from 1st November to 3rd January, or maybe even 13th January)
> > is
> > of uncertain status. I've had file corruptions, missing files, probably a
> > little registry damage. All I want to do is to begin again, or to be
> > positive that my supposed updates are really there - not just mentioned in
> > a
> > log, or appearing in some folder somewhere, or whatever. I want to know
> > whether I can begin again without having to reinstall XP. I could not
> > stand
> > that.
> >
> > I've been told to just download them manually, but I just don't have the
> > time to plough through it all. I presume some updates depend upon others,
> > some must be downloaded before, or after, others; there's no consistency
> > between WU, MBSA, and the Technet Security Bulletin Search; the KB numbers
> > are not unique. And if I do go through my WU history, starting from the
> > first update mentioned on it, find the appropriate update and download it,
> > what happens if it, or remnants of it, are already prsent on my system?
> >
> > I have to be honest. I'm getting close to the end of my tether with all
> > this. Please help. I have emailed Microsoft on this, but WU support
> > seems
> > to be lacking any native English speakers, or maybe it's just a badly
> > written
> > expert system.
> >
> > --
> > Jess
> > (XP Home SP/2 OEM. HDD1:Windows NTFS 60GB; Linux 20GB. HDD2:Windows NTFS
> > 40GB. P4 HT.)
> > [Please note: Display name may be changed in near future - too many people
> > called Jess on this site.]
>
>
>

Jess;
For details on exactly how MBSA works:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec...ls/mbsaqa.mspx
And:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec...home.mspx#EBAA
And of course the MBSA newsgroup:
Microsoft.public.security.baseline_analyzer

If you want to start over with updates, A Repair Installation would leave
all data and settings intact but all updates beyond those on the Windows CD
would be gone:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/repaxp.htm

sfc /scannow will also look in C:\windows\ServicePackFiles which is where
the Service Pack files are located.
So it will check for current files installed Service Pack.
This is one reason this file should not be deleted as some do to save space.

But if SFC /scannow and MBSA are OK, most likely your computer is OK.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/


"Jess" <> wrote in message
newsCB6115A-8148-448C-A7B3-...
> Thank you for the info on what the Software Distribution directory
> contains.
> And thanks for clearing up a few other things for me. I'll now answer
> your
> questions.
>
> My WU information is from my printout of the WU update history. Each item
> on there did indeed download and install on the dates it says. Those
> dates
> are from 1st November 2004 to 8th February 2005 inclusive. However, my
> file
> corruption problem happened sometime around 9th January. If there are any
> corrupt/deleted updates, I presume it is possible that remnants of them
> might
> exist anywhere, regardless of whether or not they were supposed to be
> uninstallable ones.
>
> So the WU history may not reflect it if I deliberately remove, re-install,
> install, or overwrite an update - I see. But, if I stick to the (history)
> list of the updates WU gave me to date (not bothering with any additional
> ones I come across on the websites), and go through that list trying to
> find,
> download and install each one of them up to, and excluding, February 8th's
> and my 4 Office ones (because I know that those are all ok), then maybe
> that
> will sort me out?
>
> Does MBSA actually examine the updates themselves, or does it just check
> their codes in a log, or their names in a directory or something?
>
> I gather that there is no simple fix then? No way to just delete a
> directory somewhere and start all over from the beginning, letting WU sort
> it
> out for me?
>
> I have used sfc /scannow. Actually, if I may pick your brains a little
> more, I would like to know whether sfc should also have checked my SP2.
> My
> XP Home CD included SP2, so I presumed sfc did include it in its file
> checking. Indeed it was one of the few things I was not worried about
> until
> Microsoft said I should uninstall SP2! I think/hope that this must have
> been
> just another instance of their inability to comprehend me.
>
> Thanks in advance for any further advice you can give me. Nice web site,
> by
> the way!
>
>
> "Jupiter Jones [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Deleting the contents of Software distribution only deletes the
>> uninstalled
>> updates and does nothing for currently installed updates..
>> When you say "there's no consistency between WU, MBSA..."where exactly do
>> you get the WU information?
>> The history will not show updates manually installed and Add/Remove
>> Programs
>> only shows updates with an uninstall option.
>> The MBSA is pretty reliable.
>>
>> If you are still unsure if an update is installed, your best option may
>> be
>> to manually download and install even that is not what you want to do.
>>
>> To check for Damaged/Missing system files:
>> Start/Run
>> Type "sfc /scannow" ENTER
>> Follow prompts and have the Windows XP CD available.
>>
>> Also see:
>> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/slowcom.htm
>>
>> --
>> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
>> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/
>>
>>
>> "Jess" <> wrote in message
>> news:2FCF4E07-2332-4F68-A8F5-...
>> > What will happen if I delete everything in my
>> > %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution folder? I desparately want to re-do
>> > all
>> > (or at least my earliest) my Windows updates. All but the last 4
>> > Office
>> > ones, and the 10 Windows Update ones that were dated February 8th (i.e.
>> > everything from 1st November to 3rd January, or maybe even 13th
>> > January)
>> > is
>> > of uncertain status. I've had file corruptions, missing files,
>> > probably a
>> > little registry damage. All I want to do is to begin again, or to be
>> > positive that my supposed updates are really there - not just mentioned
>> > in
>> > a
>> > log, or appearing in some folder somewhere, or whatever. I want to
>> > know
>> > whether I can begin again without having to reinstall XP. I could not
>> > stand
>> > that.
>> >
>> > I've been told to just download them manually, but I just don't have
>> > the
>> > time to plough through it all. I presume some updates depend upon
>> > others,
>> > some must be downloaded before, or after, others; there's no
>> > consistency
>> > between WU, MBSA, and the Technet Security Bulletin Search; the KB
>> > numbers
>> > are not unique. And if I do go through my WU history, starting from
>> > the
>> > first update mentioned on it, find the appropriate update and download
>> > it,
>> > what happens if it, or remnants of it, are already prsent on my system?
>> >
>> > I have to be honest. I'm getting close to the end of my tether with
>> > all
>> > this. Please help. I have emailed Microsoft on this, but WU support
>> > seems
>> > to be lacking any native English speakers, or maybe it's just a badly
>> > written
>> > expert system.
>> >
>> > --
>> > Jess
>> > (XP Home SP/2 OEM. HDD1:Windows NTFS 60GB; Linux 20GB. HDD2:Windows
>> > NTFS
>> > 40GB. P4 HT.)
>> > [Please note: Display name may be changed in near future - too many
>> > people
>> > called Jess on this site.]
>>
>>
>>

Thank you very, very much. Just a couple of things...

If I did do a Repair Installation, wouldn't that undo all the registry
settings for all the (many) non-Microsoft applications/programs I have
installed? (I've heard that Repair Installations only leave the Microsoft
software (XP, IE, Office, etc.) settings intact.)

I don't have a "Windows\ServicePackFiles" directory! I presume that is
because SP2 was included on my XP CD, rather than added afterwards? Or have
I got something else to worry about?


"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" wrote:

> Jess;
> For details on exactly how MBSA works:
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec...ls/mbsaqa.mspx
> And:
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec...home.mspx#EBAA
> And of course the MBSA newsgroup:
> Microsoft.public.security.baseline_analyzer
>
> If you want to start over with updates, A Repair Installation would leave
> all data and settings intact but all updates beyond those on the Windows CD
> would be gone:
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/repaxp.htm
>
> sfc /scannow will also look in C:\windows\ServicePackFiles which is where
> the Service Pack files are located.
> So it will check for current files installed Service Pack.
> This is one reason this file should not be deleted as some do to save space.
>
> But if SFC /scannow and MBSA are OK, most likely your computer is OK.
>
> --
> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/
>
>
> "Jess" <> wrote in message
> newsCB6115A-8148-448C-A7B3-...
> > Thank you for the info on what the Software Distribution directory
> > contains.
> > And thanks for clearing up a few other things for me. I'll now answer
> > your
> > questions.
> >
> > My WU information is from my printout of the WU update history. Each item
> > on there did indeed download and install on the dates it says. Those
> > dates
> > are from 1st November 2004 to 8th February 2005 inclusive. However, my
> > file
> > corruption problem happened sometime around 9th January. If there are any
> > corrupt/deleted updates, I presume it is possible that remnants of them
> > might
> > exist anywhere, regardless of whether or not they were supposed to be
> > uninstallable ones.
> >
> > So the WU history may not reflect it if I deliberately remove, re-install,
> > install, or overwrite an update - I see. But, if I stick to the (history)
> > list of the updates WU gave me to date (not bothering with any additional
> > ones I come across on the websites), and go through that list trying to
> > find,
> > download and install each one of them up to, and excluding, February 8th's
> > and my 4 Office ones (because I know that those are all ok), then maybe
> > that
> > will sort me out?
> >
> > Does MBSA actually examine the updates themselves, or does it just check
> > their codes in a log, or their names in a directory or something?
> >
> > I gather that there is no simple fix then? No way to just delete a
> > directory somewhere and start all over from the beginning, letting WU sort
> > it
> > out for me?
> >
> > I have used sfc /scannow. Actually, if I may pick your brains a little
> > more, I would like to know whether sfc should also have checked my SP2.
> > My
> > XP Home CD included SP2, so I presumed sfc did include it in its file
> > checking. Indeed it was one of the few things I was not worried about
> > until
> > Microsoft said I should uninstall SP2! I think/hope that this must have
> > been
> > just another instance of their inability to comprehend me.
> >
> > Thanks in advance for any further advice you can give me. Nice web site,
> > by
> > the way!
> >
> >
> > "Jupiter Jones [MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >> Deleting the contents of Software distribution only deletes the
> >> uninstalled
> >> updates and does nothing for currently installed updates..
> >> When you say "there's no consistency between WU, MBSA..."where exactly do
> >> you get the WU information?
> >> The history will not show updates manually installed and Add/Remove
> >> Programs
> >> only shows updates with an uninstall option.
> >> The MBSA is pretty reliable.
> >>
> >> If you are still unsure if an update is installed, your best option may
> >> be
> >> to manually download and install even that is not what you want to do.
> >>
> >> To check for Damaged/Missing system files:
> >> Start/Run
> >> Type "sfc /scannow" ENTER
> >> Follow prompts and have the Windows XP CD available.
> >>
> >> Also see:
> >> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/slowcom.htm
> >>
> >> --
> >> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
> >> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/
> >>
> >>
> >> "Jess" <> wrote in message
> >> news:2FCF4E07-2332-4F68-A8F5-...
> >> > What will happen if I delete everything in my
> >> > %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution folder? I desparately want to re-do
> >> > all
> >> > (or at least my earliest) my Windows updates. All but the last 4
> >> > Office
> >> > ones, and the 10 Windows Update ones that were dated February 8th (i.e.
> >> > everything from 1st November to 3rd January, or maybe even 13th
> >> > January)
> >> > is
> >> > of uncertain status. I've had file corruptions, missing files,
> >> > probably a
> >> > little registry damage. All I want to do is to begin again, or to be
> >> > positive that my supposed updates are really there - not just mentioned
> >> > in
> >> > a
> >> > log, or appearing in some folder somewhere, or whatever. I want to
> >> > know
> >> > whether I can begin again without having to reinstall XP. I could not
> >> > stand
> >> > that.
> >> >
> >> > I've been told to just download them manually, but I just don't have
> >> > the
> >> > time to plough through it all. I presume some updates depend upon
> >> > others,
> >> > some must be downloaded before, or after, others; there's no
> >> > consistency
> >> > between WU, MBSA, and the Technet Security Bulletin Search; the KB
> >> > numbers
> >> > are not unique. And if I do go through my WU history, starting from
> >> > the
> >> > first update mentioned on it, find the appropriate update and download
> >> > it,
> >> > what happens if it, or remnants of it, are already prsent on my system?
> >> >
> >> > I have to be honest. I'm getting close to the end of my tether with
> >> > all
> >> > this. Please help. I have emailed Microsoft on this, but WU support
> >> > seems
> >> > to be lacking any native English speakers, or maybe it's just a badly
> >> > written
> >> > expert system.
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Jess
> >> > (XP Home SP/2 OEM. HDD1:Windows NTFS 60GB; Linux 20GB. HDD2:Windows
> >> > NTFS
> >> > 40GB. P4 HT.)
> >> > [Please note: Display name may be changed in near future - too many
> >> > people
> >> > called Jess on this site.]
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

Jess;
You are correct and it is no problem.
Since SP-2 is included, there will be no file ServicePackFiles.

A Repair Installation should leave your non Microsoft programs and settings
intact.
Some report having to reinstall some programs (Microsoft and otherwise)
after a Repair Installation.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/


"Jess" <> wrote in message
news:57BA190A-54E7-416A-A855-...
> Thank you very, very much. Just a couple of things...
>
> If I did do a Repair Installation, wouldn't that undo all the registry
> settings for all the (many) non-Microsoft applications/programs I have
> installed? (I've heard that Repair Installations only leave the Microsoft
> software (XP, IE, Office, etc.) settings intact.)
>
> I don't have a "Windows\ServicePackFiles" directory! I presume that is
> because SP2 was included on my XP CD, rather than added afterwards? Or
> have
> I got something else to worry about?

A very big thank you.


"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" wrote:

> Jess;
> You are correct and it is no problem.
> Since SP-2 is included, there will be no file ServicePackFiles.
>
> A Repair Installation should leave your non Microsoft programs and settings
> intact.
> Some report having to reinstall some programs (Microsoft and otherwise)
> after a Repair Installation.
>
> --
> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/
>
>
> "Jess" <> wrote in message
> news:57BA190A-54E7-416A-A855-...
> > Thank you very, very much. Just a couple of things...
> >
> > If I did do a Repair Installation, wouldn't that undo all the registry
> > settings for all the (many) non-Microsoft applications/programs I have
> > installed? (I've heard that Repair Installations only leave the Microsoft
> > software (XP, IE, Office, etc.) settings intact.)
> >
> > I don't have a "Windows\ServicePackFiles" directory! I presume that is
> > because SP2 was included on my XP CD, rather than added afterwards? Or
> > have
> > I got something else to worry about?
>
>
>