What is the Software Distribution Directory?

[Guest Jim in Cleveland]

We have a Windows 2003 Server DC and I was looking at the used space. While

looking at the Windows directory I noticed a subdirectory called Software

Distribution. A subdirectory of that was Download. There is a total of

about 800MB of files in this directory. Some of the files are a few years

old. What is this folder and can any of these files be deleted without any

negative affect on the system?

[Guest Phillip Windell]

Re: What is the Software Distribution Directory?

 

Hi Jim,

 

Off the top of my head it is probably a folder created by a previous Admin

that used it as the place to put the MSI Installation files for pushing out

software installations via Group Policy. That is my guess anyway.

 

But that is just a guess without me seeing it for myself.

 

--

Phillip Windell

http://www.wandtv.com

 

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,

or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.

-----------------------------------------------------

 

 

"Jim in Cleveland" <JiminCleveland@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

message news:3D3D6763-C70B-4C18-9985-C8E0EC24D7BF@microsoft.com...

> We have a Windows 2003 Server DC and I was looking at the used space.

> While

> looking at the Windows directory I noticed a subdirectory called Software

> Distribution. A subdirectory of that was Download. There is a total of

> about 800MB of files in this directory. Some of the files are a few years

> old. What is this folder and can any of these files be deleted without

> any

> negative affect on the system?

[Guest Newell White]

RE: What is the Software Distribution Directory?

 

 

"Jim in Cleveland" wrote:

> We have a Windows 2003 Server DC and I was looking at the used space. While

> looking at the Windows directory I noticed a subdirectory called Software

> Distribution. A subdirectory of that was Download. There is a total of

> about 800MB of files in this directory. Some of the files are a few years

> old. What is this folder and can any of these files be deleted without any

> negative affect on the system?

 

The folder is created by MS as part of the process of downloading updates

from the Windows/Microsoft Update site.

I suspect these are updates to the Windows Update Client and Browser add-ons

to support changes to the process of updating from the site, and maybe also

the changes to WSUS if your DC is hosting this service to the LAN.

 

You could try moving some of the older sub-folders to a different drive

before visiting Microsoft Update and see what happens. What a Sys Admin's

evenings and weekends are for!

 

--

Regards,

Newell White

[Guest Meinolf Weber]

Re: What is the Software Distribution Directory?

 

Hello Jim,

 

Softwaredistribution folder keeps all update information including the downloaded

patches until they are installed. It is used from windowsupdate.com and also

from WSUS. This will prevent the client machine to always download the same

patches if the connection droppes for examples.

 

Best regards

 

Meinolf Weber

Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers

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> We have a Windows 2003 Server DC and I was looking at the used space.

> While looking at the Windows directory I noticed a subdirectory called

> Software Distribution. A subdirectory of that was Download. There is

> a total of about 800MB of files in this directory. Some of the files

> are a few years old. What is this folder and can any of these files

> be deleted without any negative affect on the system?

>

[Guest Phillip Windell]

Re: What is the Software Distribution Directory?

 

Ok, I tripped and fell over that one :-)

 

I didn't think of that.

 

--

Phillip Windell

http://www.wandtv.com

 

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,

or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.

-----------------------------------------------------

[Guest Hank Arnold (MVP)]

Re: What is the Software Distribution Directory?

 

Jim in Cleveland wrote:

> We have a Windows 2003 Server DC and I was looking at the used space. While

> looking at the Windows directory I noticed a subdirectory called Software

> Distribution. A subdirectory of that was Download. There is a total of

> about 800MB of files in this directory. Some of the files are a few years

> old. What is this folder and can any of these files be deleted without any

> negative affect on the system?

 

It's created and used by Microsoft/Windows Update and WSUS. There no way

to delete it permanently.... unless you never update Windows again....

 

If all updates have been downloaded and installed, it can be deleted. It

will be recreated the next time you update.

 

Try the following:

 

1) stop the AU service

2) rename the folder

3) start the AU service

4) go to MS Update (or run WUAUCLT /DETECTNOW if you are using WSUS)

 

Wait a few minutes and you should see the folder recreated. Check the

size. If the update completed successfully, then you are free to delete

the old folder.

 

--

 

Regards,

Hank Arnold

Microsoft MVP

Windows Server - Directory Services