deleting update files

I was told by a visiting tech guy at work that I could delete the files in my
"C:\Windows\windows update...." folder to make room on my limited sized hard
drive. I looked in my windows folder but did not see an update forder but
did see a bunch of folders listed as $NtUnistall.... Are these the files
that should be in it? I am running Window's XP Media Center 2002.

I did find a windows update folder in my Program folder (on the C drive),
but it was empty.
Thanks

Bob wrote:
> I was told by a visiting tech guy at work that I could delete the
> files in my "C:\Windows\windows update...." folder to make room on
> my limited sized hard drive. I looked in my windows folder but did
> not see an update forder but did see a bunch of folders listed as
> $NtUnistall.... Are these the files that should be in it? I am
> running Window's XP Media Center 2002.
>
> I did find a windows update folder in my Program folder (on the C
> drive), but it was empty.

1) Purchase a larger drive. For between $40 and $150 you can get
120-320GB...

For Pricing/Opinions/Reviews on various products:
- http://www.pricewatch.com/
- http://www.dealsites.net/
- http://www.resellerratings.com/
- http://www.epinions.com/

2) Go through this and clean up as much of your current hard drive space.

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


Do you have hidden and system files visible?
How's your system restore settings?
Used Disk Cleanup?
Is hibernate turned on and do you use that feature?
Uninstalled unnecessary applications lately?
Moved things to external media?

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.

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/

You can run Disk Cleanup - built into Windows XP - to erase all but yuor
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 512MB..

- 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 128MB and 512MB. (Betting it is 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.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

I have one, it is just partitioned poorly. I've uninstalled some of my
original programs and put all new ones on the larger side of the partition,
which is over 200 Gig. My C drive is only 14 gig and I can not move the
partition. I have tired with a couple partitions programs to no avail. I
need to free up more space to make sure I can defrag it. I heard that the
update folder is for uninstalling the updates and I don't plan on doing that.

"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> Bob wrote:
> > I was told by a visiting tech guy at work that I could delete the
> > files in my "C:\Windows\windows update...." folder to make room on
> > my limited sized hard drive. I looked in my windows folder but did
> > not see an update forder but did see a bunch of folders listed as
> > $NtUnistall.... Are these the files that should be in it? I am
> > running Window's XP Media Center 2002.
> >
> > I did find a windows update folder in my Program folder (on the C
> > drive), but it was empty.
>
> 1) Purchase a larger drive. For between $40 and $150 you can get
> 120-320GB...
>
> For Pricing/Opinions/Reviews on various products:
> - http://www.pricewatch.com/
> - http://www.dealsites.net/
> - http://www.resellerratings.com/
> - http://www.epinions.com/
>
> 2) Go through this and clean up as much of your current hard drive space.
>
> 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
>
>
> Do you have hidden and system files visible?
> How's your system restore settings?
> Used Disk Cleanup?
> Is hibernate turned on and do you use that feature?
> Uninstalled unnecessary applications lately?
> Moved things to external media?
>
> 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.
>
> 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/
>
> You can run Disk Cleanup - built into Windows XP - to erase all but yuor
> 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 512MB..
>
> - 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 128MB and 512MB. (Betting it is 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.
>
> --
> Shenan Stanley
> MS-MVP
> --
> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
>
>

Soory, didn't see the rest of your post until I got back tonight.

I did use disk cleanup and had deleted the internet files through IE7. I
have uninstall original programs that I do not use and have stored all music
and photos on the D side of the partition.

I decided to move the update uninstall files and the software distribution
files to a folder on the D drive too. I also did stop the hibernation mode
and have made the restore size smaller but will check it again.

Thanks for the help.

"Bob" wrote:

> I have one, it is just partitioned poorly. I've uninstalled some of my
> original programs and put all new ones on the larger side of the partition,
> which is over 200 Gig. My C drive is only 14 gig and I can not move the
> partition. I have tired with a couple partitions programs to no avail. I
> need to free up more space to make sure I can defrag it. I heard that the
> update folder is for uninstalling the updates and I don't plan on doing that.
>
> "Shenan Stanley" wrote:
>
> > Bob wrote:
> > > I was told by a visiting tech guy at work that I could delete the
> > > files in my "C:\Windows\windows update...." folder to make room on
> > > my limited sized hard drive. I looked in my windows folder but did
> > > not see an update forder but did see a bunch of folders listed as
> > > $NtUnistall.... Are these the files that should be in it? I am
> > > running Window's XP Media Center 2002.
> > >
> > > I did find a windows update folder in my Program folder (on the C
> > > drive), but it was empty.
> >
> > 1) Purchase a larger drive. For between $40 and $150 you can get
> > 120-320GB...
> >
> > For Pricing/Opinions/Reviews on various products:
> > - http://www.pricewatch.com/
> > - http://www.dealsites.net/
> > - http://www.resellerratings.com/
> > - http://www.epinions.com/
> >
> > 2) Go through this and clean up as much of your current hard drive space.
> >
> > 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
> >
> >
> > Do you have hidden and system files visible?
> > How's your system restore settings?
> > Used Disk Cleanup?
> > Is hibernate turned on and do you use that feature?
> > Uninstalled unnecessary applications lately?
> > Moved things to external media?
> >
> > 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.
> >
> > 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/
> >
> > You can run Disk Cleanup - built into Windows XP - to erase all but yuor
> > 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 512MB..
> >
> > - 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 128MB and 512MB. (Betting it is 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.
> >
> > --
> > Shenan Stanley
> > MS-MVP
> > --
> > How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> > http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
> >
> >
> >