Deleting unused program files

  • Thread starter Thread starter Judi
  • Start date Start date
J

Judi

I am wanting to clean out some unused program files in
order to reduce the mess. As I go down the list I find
about 25 various entries that are titled "Windows XP
Hotfix" and each have a different number. I want to get
rid of these but hesitate because I don't know what they
are or what they do. Can someone help me?
 
I wondered on the same question. I see that it doesn't even show a size. I
don't know if it's really there or not. There are also other programs that
I see like ISScript and Ethernet adapter that also doesn't show any size.
Are they safe to delete?
Thanks.
 
Judi said:
I am wanting to clean out some unused program files in
order to reduce the mess. As I go down the list I find
about 25 various entries that are titled "Windows XP
Hotfix" and each have a different number. I want to get
rid of these but hesitate because I don't know what they
are or what they do. Can someone help me?
Click to expand...

STOP!! Dont just go uninstalling software or deleting files without knowing
what you're doing or you'll be back on here crying for help afterwards.
Especially the hotfixes and patches installed by microsoft when you visited
the Windows Update Site, u.

The only time you should delete files is when you've uninstalled a piece of
software, you know exactly where it was situated and it left a few files
behind eg configuration files. Usually in this case, the uninstallation
routine tells you it couldnt delete everything from the directory.

What sort of "mess" do you have?
Look up Disk Cleanup in Help. Run the application from there and it will
help you tidy up your machine.
 
These Hotfixes are microsoft Updates that have been installed
If you are talkig about the list in Add/Remove programmes you will uninstall
these updates and cause problems

If you are talking about the list of files in the windows directory you can
delete these files but you then wont be able to uninstall these updates if
they cause problems. If you want to get rid of them cut and paste them on to
some form of removable media, then you can reinstate them if required If
after a period of time you are sure you do not need them you can then remove
them from the add/remove list in control panel by editing the registry

To remove the entry in the Add or Remove Programs list, go to the following
registry key:
Back up the key first in case you need to reinstall it if things go wrong
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Expand this key and delete the value for that program

If anything goes wrong you can always reinstall these hotfixes from Windows
Update
 
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