[B girl]

This is my 1st post so please be patient with me. I made the mistake of clicking on update popups. Between that and the MSN updates I have a ton of things I'm sure I don't need. Most of them are i386. I deleted what I was positive was safe to delete. My question is..how safe is it to delete all of the update.exe files? And, there are at least 100+ spuninst.exe...are all of them neccessary? Also a lot of HP files. All of these are taking up space that I don't have. I have Windows XP. Thanks for any help on this!

[bbearren]

In the Windows folder, folders that match this naming convention

$NtUninstallKB923561$

are folders that allow you to uninstall a Windows Update if it causes problems on your system. If these are more than a couple of weeks old according to the Date Modified in Details view and your PC is operating normally, they are safe to delete.

As for the i386 folder, here is a link for more information. Here is another, related to the ServicePackFiles\i386 folder that is created if you upgraded to Service Pack 2.

[B girl]

Thanks for you help. I don't have any folders matching $NtUninstallKB923561$. I don't want to delete something I need. I just want to be absolutely sure....I can delete any spuninst that is older than a couple of weeks?

[johnbooth]

I have XP Home SP3. I have a folder c:\windows\$hf_mig$ and I keep it empty. I delete ALL spuninst files. I delete all KBxxxx.log files. I keep c:\windows\ie8updates empty.

Yes, some of these if not all are intended for UNinstalling updates .. which I NEVER intend to do. I have been doing this for years with no problems.
I also turned OFF Prefetch (Google to find out how). Do this at your own risk.

[flavallee]

johnbooth:

Deleting the $NtUninstallKB######$ folders and the matching KB######.log files is fine, but the $hf_mig$ folder should be left alone and its contacts kept intact.

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B girl:

If you're not seeing those folders and files in C:\WINDOWS, it's because your computer is set not to show hidden files and folders. Windows keeps it that way by default to prevent novice and inexperienced users from gaining access to them and then deleting crucial folders and files.

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[johnbooth]

I certainly respect your advice regarding C:\WINDOWS\$hf_mig$ and its contents. In that I have been deleting its contents, .. and it is therefore empty, could you comment on what the liability is? Apparently, I have not (yet) suffered the risk you suggest.

Here is an MS MVP's contrary opinion:

http://www.microsoft.com/communities...6f986425ab&p=1


thank you.

[johnbooth]

I just read my 'link' more closely. Actually, it AGREES with you entirely. I misread it and apologize.

[flavallee]

No problem.

[B girl]

Thank you flavallee and John for your help. I'm not 100% dumb as a rock, just 99% I just want to be careful of what I delete. Thanks again!

[flavallee]

B girl:

It's better to ask if you're not sure.

And you're welcome.

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[B girl]

Two more follow up questions. I am deleting under the uninstall section of v-com system suite. Will that do the trick or do I need to go elsewhere? And what about the files that have *software distribution*? I've noticed that many of those are the preloaded crap that came with my pc. Are those safe to delete?

[flavallee]

B girl:

I don't buy or use any suites that have to do with cleaning, optimizing, boosting, etc.. I'm not familiar with V-Com System Suite at all.

Just browse through the Add Or Remove Programs(XP) or Programs And Features(Vista) list and then uninstall whatever pre-loaded stuff that you don't want.

Several users swear by PC De-Crapifier for getting rid of new computer bloatware.

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[johnbooth]

REVO uninstaller is free and can be downloaded from the Internet. It uses XP/Vista's remove program routine then scans for leftover 'junk' that does not get deleted (left over registry entries, empty folders, etc). It lists everything and give you to option to clean this junk up or not.

Google Revo uninstaller if interested. I have had no problems since I started using it and it finds a LOT of junk left from a traditional uninstall.