Under the %WINDIR% there is a long list of folders that include uninstall
information for the many patches that have been installed on my computers.

I'm obviously NOT going to uninstall any of these security patches, so can
these folders be deleted without harming the operation of the computer?

TIA

RW

well, considering that a recent update has broken many systems, I wouldn't


"Robert Williams" <RobertW@danjonengineering.com> wrote in message
news:%23GRNvJVEGHA.516@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Under the %WINDIR% there is a long list of folders that include uninstall
> information for the many patches that have been installed on my computers.
>
> I'm obviously NOT going to uninstall any of these security patches, so can
> these folders be deleted without harming the operation of the computer?
>
> TIA
>
> RW
>
>

Ok, well maybe not delete then immediately after I install the update, but
once the update is on my system and has been running for a while, say a
month or so, would it be ok to delete them?

Thanks

RW


"Tom" <wtf@wtf.com> wrote in message
news:OhEIXMVEGHA.1012@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
: well, considering that a recent update has broken many systems, I wouldn't
:
:
: "Robert Williams" <RobertW@danjonengineering.com> wrote in message
: news:%23GRNvJVEGHA.516@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
: > Under the %WINDIR% there is a long list of folders that include
uninstall
: > information for the many patches that have been installed on my
computers.
: >
: > I'm obviously NOT going to uninstall any of these security patches, so
can
: > these folders be deleted without harming the operation of the computer?
: >
: > TIA
: >
: > RW
: >
: >
:
:

MS had me remove SP2, but since I had post SP2 updates, I couldn't even boot
into windows.
That is until I uninstalled the post updates.

This was six months after sp2.

Why remove something that you may need to uninstall later?

Just keep it, storage is dirt cheap.

I paid $56 for 2350GB hard drive at Fry's.

"Robert Williams" <RobertW@danjonengineering.com> wrote in message
news:OXbnoQVEGHA.3064@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Ok, well maybe not delete then immediately after I install the update, but
> once the update is on my system and has been running for a while, say a
> month or so, would it be ok to delete them?
>
> Thanks
>
> RW
>
>
> "Tom" <wtf@wtf.com> wrote in message
> news:OhEIXMVEGHA.1012@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> : well, considering that a recent update has broken many systems, I
> wouldn't
> :
> :
> : "Robert Williams" <RobertW@danjonengineering.com> wrote in message
> : news:%23GRNvJVEGHA.516@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> : > Under the %WINDIR% there is a long list of folders that include
> uninstall
> : > information for the many patches that have been installed on my
> computers.
> : >
> : > I'm obviously NOT going to uninstall any of these security patches, so
> can
> : > these folders be deleted without harming the operation of the
> computer?
> : >
> : > TIA
> : >
> : > RW
> : >
> : >
> :
> :
>
>

That was the answer I was looking. I see why it would be important to keep
them. They just seem to be more of a nuisance than anything. I do alot of
work in the WINDIR and I'm always having to scroll past those folders.

Thanks for the input. It helped.

RW


"Tom" <wtf@wtf.com> wrote in message
news:e$m5GVVEGHA.3856@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
: MS had me remove SP2, but since I had post SP2 updates, I couldn't even
boot
: into windows.
: That is until I uninstalled the post updates.
:
: This was six months after sp2.
:
: Why remove something that you may need to uninstall later?
:
: Just keep it, storage is dirt cheap.
:
: I paid $56 for 2350GB hard drive at Fry's.
:
: "Robert Williams" <RobertW@danjonengineering.com> wrote in message
: news:OXbnoQVEGHA.3064@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
: > Ok, well maybe not delete then immediately after I install the update,
but
: > once the update is on my system and has been running for a while, say a
: > month or so, would it be ok to delete them?
: >
: > Thanks
: >
: > RW
: >
: >
: > "Tom" <wtf@wtf.com> wrote in message
: > news:OhEIXMVEGHA.1012@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
: > : well, considering that a recent update has broken many systems, I
: > wouldn't
: > :
: > :
: > : "Robert Williams" <RobertW@danjonengineering.com> wrote in message
: > : news:%23GRNvJVEGHA.516@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
: > : > Under the %WINDIR% there is a long list of folders that include
: > uninstall
: > : > information for the many patches that have been installed on my
: > computers.
: > : >
: > : > I'm obviously NOT going to uninstall any of these security patches,
so
: > can
: > : > these folders be deleted without harming the operation of the
: > computer?
: > : >
: > : > TIA
: > : >
: > : > RW
: > : >
: > : >
: > :
: > :
: >
: >
:
:

Yes, the uninstall files may be safely deleted:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spack.htm

It is a good idea to wait a while, few weeks or a month at least, before
deleting to be sure they are functioning OK.
The longer updates are installed the more likely something else will break
upon their uninstall so as time passes their usability and purpose drop.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"Robert Williams" <RobertW@danjonengineering.com> wrote in message
news:%23GRNvJVEGHA.516@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Under the %WINDIR% there is a long list of folders that include uninstall
> information for the many patches that have been installed on my computers.
>
> I'm obviously NOT going to uninstall any of these security patches, so can
> these folders be deleted without harming the operation of the computer?
>
> TIA
>
> RW
>
>

Well, at least I know I can if I absolutely must, but as Tom stated in his
previous post, it's generally a good idea not to because of rollbacks.

Thanks for the info though, I will keep it in mind.

RW

"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" <jones_jupiter@hotnomail.com> wrote in message
news:%23Ek9nLXEGHA.3148@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
: Yes, the uninstall files may be safely deleted:
: http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spack.htm
:
: It is a good idea to wait a while, few weeks or a month at least, before
: deleting to be sure they are functioning OK.
: The longer updates are installed the more likely something else will break
: upon their uninstall so as time passes their usability and purpose drop.
:
: --
: Jupiter Jones [MVP]
: http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
: http://www.dts-l.org
:
:
: "Robert Williams" <RobertW@danjonengineering.com> wrote in message
: news:%23GRNvJVEGHA.516@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
: > Under the %WINDIR% there is a long list of folders that include
uninstall
: > information for the many patches that have been installed on my
computers.
: >
: > I'm obviously NOT going to uninstall any of these security patches, so
can
: > these folders be deleted without harming the operation of the computer?
: >
: > TIA
: >
: > RW
: >
: >
:
:

I would disagree.
There is no point to keep the uninstall files after a time.
There were other problems contributing and they went beyond the update since
uninstalling the update did not resolve his issues.
As I said before the uninstall options lose their practicality as time goes
by.
For me space is not an issue, I do not want them cluttering the drive and I
do not want the entries in Add/Remove programs even with the box checked.
If removing an old update resolves a problem, something else is wrong that
needs to also be identified,
Hopefully Tom resolved his issues and installed SP-2 and other Critical
Updates.

But we all do what we feel we need on our own computers.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"Robert Williams" <RobertW@danjonengineering.com> wrote in message
news:eSX38YXEGHA.2436@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Well, at least I know I can if I absolutely must, but as Tom stated in his
> previous post, it's generally a good idea not to because of rollbacks.
>
> Thanks for the info though, I will keep it in mind.
>
> RW

I'm aware of all that, but I have a couple dozen computers that I have to
take care of. I'm not going to manage uninstall packages for every one of
them if I don't have to.

If it were just an "If you see it, delete it" type of situation I would have
gone for it, but to have to check each uninstall package to see whether or
not it is old enough to be deleted, and to have to go into the Add/Remove
Programs to pull the now unassociated links out. Nah, too much to worry
about when I don't have to, especially when I have to worry about so much
other stuff around here.

Right now I'm in the middle of setting up WSUS for deployment because I
already have to go to each individual computer to install updates. And it's
even giving me problems.

Thanks for the input though.

RW



"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" <jones_jupiter@hotnomail.com> wrote in message
news:OWOwxpXEGHA.312@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
: I would disagree.
: There is no point to keep the uninstall files after a time.
: There were other problems contributing and they went beyond the update
since
: uninstalling the update did not resolve his issues.
: As I said before the uninstall options lose their practicality as time
goes
: by.
: For me space is not an issue, I do not want them cluttering the drive and
I
: do not want the entries in Add/Remove programs even with the box checked.
: If removing an old update resolves a problem, something else is wrong that
: needs to also be identified,
: Hopefully Tom resolved his issues and installed SP-2 and other Critical
: Updates.
:
: But we all do what we feel we need on our own computers.
:
: --
: Jupiter Jones [MVP]
: http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
: http://www.dts-l.org
:
:
: "Robert Williams" <RobertW@danjonengineering.com> wrote in message
: news:eSX38YXEGHA.2436@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
: > Well, at least I know I can if I absolutely must, but as Tom stated in
his
: > previous post, it's generally a good idea not to because of rollbacks.
: >
: > Thanks for the info though, I will keep it in mind.
: >
: > RW
:
: