removing the previous state

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jochen+nntp-20090708
  • Start date Start date
J

Jochen+nntp-20090708

Hi, there!

If you install Windows updates, it keeps the files belonging to the
previous state somewhere below c:\windows .

If you install an entire Service Pack, that can be quite a lot.

If you don't really need the state before,
that's really quite a waste of space.

I upgraded an EeePC (no hard disc, just flash mem.) from SP2 to SP3,
now it's running out of disc space.

I would really like to get rid of all those files, that my EeePC doesn't really need for running.

Can anybody give me a hint?

Kind regards,
J.
 
You want a hint? Okay:

pssst...Open a search engine, like Google, and use this as your search
term: remove windows update uninstallers
 
MVP Doug Knox has written a small application just for that:

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_hotfix_backup.htm
Remove Hotfix Backup Files

John
Click to expand...

Isn't it a little creepy to just download some executable file and
then just run it and not really understand if it does what you want/
need/think it should?

How does a program that was last updated 5 years ago work on a system
in 2009, and just what is this going to do to my system and what if I
don't like it?

Not to knock Doug Knox - he does fine and valuable work. It just has
a large eeeewwww factor to me.

CCleaner (at least when I run it) does not seem to know anything about
XP updates that might have left their tracks - they could be there and
I am missing it. But, I have never really used it beyond launch and
analyze.

Googling is a good idea and turns up several hits from reputable
sources that actually explain things so you know what you are doing,
offer various options and always leave you in complete control:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13880_3-9862223-68.html
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Hotfix_backup.htm

Removing these folders involves certain documented risks that need to
be understood and accepted or things should just be left as Bill Gates
intended.
 
Jose said:
Isn't it a little creepy to just download some executable file and
then just run it and not really understand if it does what you want/
need/think it should?
Click to expand...

The mechanism that governs the installation and removal of hotfixes has
not changed since Windows XP was released, as a matter of fact it hasn't
changed much if at all since Windows 2000. What makes you think that
Doug's utility isn't any good? Doug still maintains his site and if
there were reports of problems with the utility I'm sure he would have
pulled it, his utility is well proven. Also, what makes you think that
your search hits are any better?

John
 
Back
Top