Do I Need These Files?

[Guest K Stonefield]

In C:\WINDOWS, I can see almost 150 hidden folders that all start with

 

$NtUninstall...

 

When I check the folder sizes, most of them are in the MB range. Are these

files necessary to have? Is it taking up unnecessary space?

 

--

Thanks!

In the field of stones...

[Guest Rey Santos]

RE: Do I Need These Files?

 

These folders contain the uninstall information for each Microsoft update you

install. That means that you will be unable to uninstall the updates if you

delete these folders. You may leave them there unless you need hard drive

space.

 

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Hotfix_backup.htm

 

--

Rey

 

 

"K Stonefield" wrote:

> In C:\WINDOWS, I can see almost 150 hidden folders that all start with

>

> $NtUninstall...

>

> When I check the folder sizes, most of them are in the MB range. Are these

> files necessary to have? Is it taking up unnecessary space?

>

> --

> Thanks!

> In the field of stones...

[Guest Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM]

Re: Do I Need These Files?

 

"K Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:A921964B-2B51-492E-8AB0-42DE604D659D@microsoft.com...

> In C:\WINDOWS, I can see almost 150 hidden folders that all start with

>

> $NtUninstall...

>

> When I check the folder sizes, most of them are in the MB range. Are

> these

> files necessary to have? Is it taking up unnecessary space?

>

> --

> Thanks!

> In the field of stones...

 

If you do decide to remove them each has an associated *.log.

 

--

Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM

Do not reply with email

[Guest Gerry]

Re: Do I Need These Files?

 

If your drive is formatted as NTFS another potential gain arises with

your operating system on your C drive. In the Windows Directory of

your C partition you will have some Uninstall folders in your Windows

folder typically: $NtServicePackUninstall$ and $NtUninstallKB282010$

etc. These files may be compressed or not compressed. If compressed

the text of the folder name appears in blue characters. If not

compressed you can compress them. Right click on each folder and

select Properties, General, Advanced and check the box before Compress

contents to save Disk Space. On the General Tab you can see the amount

gained by deducting the size on disk from the size. Folder

compression is only an option on a NTFS formatted drive / partition.

 

Other ways to free disk space. You should have at least 20% free.

 

The default allocation to System Restore is 12% on your C partition

which is over generous. I would reduce it to 700 mb. Right click your My

Computer icon on the Desktop and select System Restore. Place the cursor

on your C drive select Settings but this time find the slider and drag

it to the left until it reads 700 mb and exit. When you get to the

Settings screen click on Apply and OK and exit.

 

Another default setting which could be wasteful is that for temporary

internet files, especially if you do not store offline copies on disk.

The default allocation is 3% of drive. Depending on your attitude to

offline copies you could reduce this to 1% or 2%. In Internet Explorer

select Tools, Internet Options, General, Temporary Internet Files,

Settings to make the change. At the same time look at the number of days

history is held.

 

The default allocation for the Recycle Bin is 10 % of drive. Change to

5%, which should be sufficient. In Windows Explorer place the cursor

on your Recycle Bin, right click and select Properties, Global and

move the slider from 10% to 5%. However, try to avoid letting it get

too full as if it is full and you delete a file by mistake it will

bypass the Recycle Bin and be gone for ever.

 

Select Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk CleanUp to

Empty your Recycle Bin and Remove Temporary Internet Files. Also

select Start, All Programs, accessories, System Tools, Disk CleanUp,

More Options, System Restore and remove all but the latest System

Restore point. Run Disk Defragmenter.

 

Select Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System

Information, Tools, Dr Watson and verify that the box before "Append to

existing log" is NOT checked. This means the next time the log is

written it will overwrite rather than add to the existing file.

 

The default maximum size setting for Event Viewer logs is too large.

Reset the maximum for each log from 512 kb to 128 kb and set it to

overwrite.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427/en-us

 

 

 

 

--

 

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Gerry

~~~~

FCA

Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

 

K Stonefield wrote:

> In C:\WINDOWS, I can see almost 150 hidden folders that all start with

>

> $NtUninstall...

>

> When I check the folder sizes, most of them are in the MB range. Are

> these files necessary to have? Is it taking up unnecessary space?

[Guest ju.c]

Re: Do I Need These Files?

 

They are Microsoft Updates (Hotfix) uninstallers. You may

delete them with no problem, however you really should

copy them to a backup, just in case. Keep the same folder

structure so you can easily remember where to put one if

you need to:

 

C:\WINDOWS\

 

 

You can also empty this folder:

 

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download

 

and you don't need to back that one up:

 

 

IMPORTANT!!!

 

Do not delete this one!

 

C:\WINDOWS\$hf_mig$

 

 

ju.c

 

 

"K Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:A921964B-2B51-492E-8AB0-42DE604D659D@microsoft.com...

> In C:\WINDOWS, I can see almost 150 hidden folders that all start with

>

> $NtUninstall...

>

> When I check the folder sizes, most of them are in the MB range. Are these

> files necessary to have? Is it taking up unnecessary space?

>

> --

> Thanks!

> In the field of stones...

[Guest Ken Blake]

Re: Do I Need These Files?

 

"K Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:A921964B-2B51-492E-8AB0-42DE604D659D@microsoft.com...

> In C:\WINDOWS, I can see almost 150 hidden folders that all start with

>

> $NtUninstall...

>

> When I check the folder sizes, most of them are in the MB range. Are

> these

> files necessary to have? Is it taking up unnecessary space?

 

 

 

These files are the uninstall files for Windows updates you have installed.

Yes, you can delete them, but if you do, you will never be able to uninstall

the associated updates.

 

If you are sure you will never want to uninstall the updates, feel free to

delete them, but bear the following in mind:

 

1. Deleting them will save only a small amount of space.

 

2. If that small amount of space is significant to you, deleting them will

be only a stopgap measure. You need to bite the bullet and buy a larger (or

a second) drive.

 

My personal practice, since they take up so little space, is to leave them

there, just in case.

[Guest Gorka Miranda]

Re: Do I Need These Files?

 

Hi

 

Those folders store information to uninstall applications and windows

updates. You can delete them but you are not going to uninstall the windows

updated and some applications automatically, so you will have to do it

manually, which could be tricky.

 

regards

 

Gorka Miranda

 

 

"K Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:A921964B-2B51-492E-8AB0-42DE604D659D@microsoft.com...

> In C:\WINDOWS, I can see almost 150 hidden folders that all start with

>

> $NtUninstall...

>

> When I check the folder sizes, most of them are in the MB range. Are

> these

> files necessary to have? Is it taking up unnecessary space?

>

> --

> Thanks!

> In the field of stones...

[Guest ju.c]

Re: Do I Need These Files?

 

Those folders are for uninstalling Windows updates and Hotfixes.

It is perfectly fine to delete them, but you must not delete this folder:

 

C:\WINDOWS\$hf_mig$

 

That folder is used by Automatic Updates. But before you delete them for good, copy them

to a CD or DVD, it's always good practice to make backups, you really just never know.

 

 

Also, here is a good tutorial:

 

Making Your Windows Folder Smaller

http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?s=1de168d77b4b50d7d6252b7a51011aa6&showtopic=80511

 

 

ju.c

 

 

"K Stonefield" <KStonefield@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:A921964B-2B51-492E-8AB0-42DE604D659D@microsoft.com...

> In C:\WINDOWS, I can see almost 150 hidden folders that all start with

>

> $NtUninstall...

>

> When I check the folder sizes, most of them are in the MB range. Are

> these

> files necessary to have? Is it taking up unnecessary space?

>

> --

> Thanks!

> In the field of stones...