Duplicate Windows Installer files (.msp)

The Windows/Installer folder on my system is more than 4 GB large. It
includes 440 objects. Most of them are Office update patches created on
identical dates and times.
Norton antivirus' file count of that folder alone is almost 2 million files.

Is it safe to delete those duplicate files? Some of them are read-only, some
not.
I don't think it's healthy for my computer to have more than 2 million files
on it.

Thanks!

mir,

Dollars to donuts that Norton is causing this issue. It may have
corrupted the Windows Installer.
Please read the information on this page before using the Windows
Installer Cleanup Utility : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301
Keep us updated on your progress.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2006]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============


mir wrote:

> The Windows/Installer folder on my system is more than 4 GB large. It
> includes 440 objects. Most of them are Office update patches created on
> identical dates and times.
> Norton antivirus' file count of that folder alone is almost 2 million files.
>
> Is it safe to delete those duplicate files? Some of them are read-only, some
> not.
> I don't think it's healthy for my computer to have more than 2 million files
> on it.
>
> Thanks!

Thanks for your input!
Since these files were the mess left behind by unsuccessful installations, I
thought the installer cleanup won't help (it cleans up only those patches
that did lead to installations).
I removed the duplicates to another folder, leaving one of each in the
original location (C:\Windows\Installer), not touching those that were
read-only.
The Windows\Installer folder is now back to a healthy 350MB or so.

I then went to Windows update, successfully installed windows and office
updates (all of them were new, I was not offered to install any update that I
had already installed before).
I contacted MS email support. They told me to move the files to another
location. After a week, when all seemed well, I was told I can delete the
files.

"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:

> mir,
>
> Dollars to donuts that Norton is causing this issue. It may have
> corrupted the Windows Installer.
> Please read the information on this page before using the Windows
> Installer Cleanup Utility : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301
> Keep us updated on your progress.
>
> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2006]
> ===============
> *-343-* FDNY
> Never Forgotten
> ===============
>
>
> mir wrote:
>
> > The Windows/Installer folder on my system is more than 4 GB large. It
> > includes 440 objects. Most of them are Office update patches created on
> > identical dates and times.
> > Norton antivirus' file count of that folder alone is almost 2 million files.
> >
> > Is it safe to delete those duplicate files? Some of them are read-only, some
> > not.
> > I don't think it's healthy for my computer to have more than 2 million files
> > on it.
> >
> > Thanks!
>