uninstall-folders under c:\windows\softwaredistribution\download

[andreasm]

On my computer, I detected many uninstall-folders for windows patches under

c:\windows\softwaredistribution\download

 

But I was too fast and deleted them manually....

 

So my question: Does ccleaner find and delete such uninstall-folders ?

[Andavari]

CCleaner doesn't clean that folder.

 

And if it or any other cleaning utility did I wouldn't be using it/them.

[andreasm]

That download-folder contained over 70 Mbytes... why not deleting it?

[CeeCee]

i'm also deleted content of that folder. before i did that,i check info with Google and read from many sites that those are safe to delete.

[Andavari]

Because there's obviously some activity going on in it, for instance the logfile named ReportingEvents.log is locked and in-use, also in some of the files and folders they are either created or updated when you are online which may have to do with Automatic Updates - I don't know for sure since I haven't searched for it.

 

However a locked and in-use file and files and folders that are automatically changing and updating on a daily basis would suggest that folder shouldn't be messed with by a cleaning program or an end-user.

[andreasm]

Ok ... what about that ccleaner *only* deletes files in that download folder which are older than a month ?

 

I think that makes no trouble.

[Grzegorz]

On my box C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download has only 109 kb. As far as I remember the subject has been already on the forum. OS cleans C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download folder so you don't need to do it manually.

 

The main rule is: don't touch and don't remove thing you don't understand. I've tried to be in compliance with this rule.

[krit86lr]

The main rule it: don't touch and don't remove thing you don't understand. I've tried to be in compliance with this rule.

 

That is great advice.

[Grzegorz]

That is great advice.

 

 

Thank you, sir.

[krit86lr]

Thank you, sir.

 

haha...Miss

[Andavari]

Ok ... what about that ccleaner *only* deletes files in that download folder which are older than a month ?

 

I think that makes no trouble.

 

Do whatever you want to that folder, just don't cry if you break something.

 

On my box C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download has only 109 kb. As far as I remember the subject has been already on the forum. OS cleans C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download folder so you don't need to do it manually.

 

The main rule is: don't touch and don't remove thing you don't understand. I've tried to be in compliance with this rule.

 

Mine has 14.2 MB, 1051 Files, 15 Folders and the only thing I did to that folder was to right click it in C:\WINDOWS and apply the attribute Compress to all the files and sub-folders. I also don't let any registry cleaners remove any references that point to that folder.

[Grzegorz]

Mine has 14.2 MB, 1051 Files, 15 Folders ...[snip]

 

 

andreasm and I are taking about C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download subfolder and not about C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution folder. On my XP subfolder Download has 109 kB and has no subfolders.

[Andavari]

Well that folder on my system has 1.89 MB, 5 files, and 2 folders. One of the files it has stored in there is KB913446 which is an update to tcpip.sys.

[Grzegorz]

Well that folder on my system has 1.89 MB, 5 files, and 2 folders. One of the files it has stored in there is KB913446 which is an update to tcpip.sys.

 

 

Interesting. Mine has only 5 files like:

 

d9fe86bae1b2548e26d703a767b0f76b8a17bc88

deef0631e0403578bef261bb6b8b867204cfe5ae

 

etc.

 

The subfolder contains usually last Windows Update and it shrinks automatically on my box.

 

KB913446 was installed on 15.02.2006 here so it was the last Windows Update. Please look what will happen when next Windows Update occures. IMO Download subfolder will be cleaned.

[NewScience]

Interesting. Mine has only 5 files like:

 

d9fe86bae1b2548e26d703a767b0f76b8a17bc88

deef0631e0403578bef261bb6b8b867204cfe5ae

 

etc.

 

The subfolder contains usually last Windows Update and it shrinks automatically on my box.

 

KB913446 was installed on 15.02.2006 here so it was the last Windows Update. Please look what will happen when next Windows Update occures. IMO Download subfolder will be cleaned.

 

OK ... let's get some bearing on the Download directory. The Download directory (under SoftwareDistribution folder), is only used during Automatic Updates (or duriing Manual updates).

 

Yes, Microsoft TRIES to clean this up after installs ... but sometimes does not do it. Perfect example ... my Windows XP is totally up-to-date, but my Downloads folder currently contains 170MB uncompressed, 119MB compressed. I can ... knowing that my system is totally up-to-date ... remove everything in this folder without causing any problems.

 

Keep the following in mind:

 

1. If you fail during Automatic/Manual updates ... any downloads that have been downloaded during the session are kept here. So the next time you go back to Microsoft Update (or Windows Update depending on your system choice), it will determine what downloads need to be downloaded. Then as it starts eaach download AGAIN, it will say Already Downloaded - Done. So if you remove these, you must start all over.

 

2. Like I said, Microsoft does not always clean this up cleanly after Download/Install. AND if you have anything other that Automatic Update Scheduler set, Microsoft will not automatically INSTALL. Each option only provides possible Automatic Download, but always prompt for INSTALL. So if you delete these files after a Download, you may destroy the possible installation later. Even if you run CCleaner is Safe Mode, you may destroy the Install, the next time you reboot in Normal mode.

 

3. If you have Automatic Updates for a specific time set up in Control Panel | Automatic Updates, you may have downloaded updates, but Windows will not install until that time. You may have performed a MANUAL download, but UPDATE will still not install until that date. (possible ... I've only seen this in the WindowsUpdate.log in the WINDOWS folder. It will state just that ... whether or not if follows this on a manual update ... I haven't proved it yet.

 

Now for the SoftwareDistribution folder. This Folder Branch contains ALL support for Updates from Microsoft. Sometime Microsoft Update (or Windows Update), gets totally screwed up and no matter what you do, you cannot perform Updates. According to Microsoft, these are the steps to perform:

 

1. Open Services and STOP Automatic Updates AND Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS). If you don't, you won't be able to remove the SoftwareDistribution branch.

2. Once they are STOPPED, go at delete the SoftwareDistribution branch.

3. Open Services and START Automatic Updates AND Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS).

4. Perform an Automatic Update (or wait for the system to perform it itself).

 

By removing the SoftwareDistribution folder, you cause Microsoft Update (or Windows Update) to rebuild the local database (located in the SoftwareDistribution\DataStore file DataStore.edb). This will cause Microsoft Update (or Windows Update) to resync with you system. It will reread you Updates on the system and store the info in the DataStore.edb file.

 

One thing I have noticed. If you have Automatic updates turned on and you just happen to request and update AT THE SAME TIME as the Automatic is going on, Microsoft Update (or Windows Update) may get confused. You may have two Updates going on the same time.

 

In this case, the best remedy is to go into Control Panel | Automatic Updates and turn them off. Perform you manual Update, then turn the Control Panel | Automatic Updates back to previous selection.

 

SOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

The cleanup of the Download Folder should probably only be done by the Administrator AND only if they know what that will cause. It should never be done UNLESS downloads are not being performed or installs are awaiting installation.

 

If CCleaner is performed in SAFE MODE, this option could handle resyncing the SoftwareDistribution Folder, since the Services Automatic Updates AND Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) have not been started, so nothing is locked. A message warning the Administrator what this would cause could be displayed with an OK/Cancel.

[andreasm]

ok, so why not adding a feature in ccleaner under Tools -> Repair , e.g. "repair automatic updates".

this would be a nice feature if people have trouble with automatic updates!

 

This feature could delete the SoftwareDistribution folder or anything like that.

 

What do you think of that?

[fredvries]

Dial-a-fix (http://wiki.djlizard.net/Dial-a-fix) has a feature to flush SoftwareDistribution.

[DjLizard]

The current version of DAF blindly deletes the entire folder (SoftwareDistribution), including your update history log. Dial-a-fix 0.58 (coming soon) asks you if you wish to preserve that log.

[HartAttack]

Because there's obviously some activity going on in it, for instance the logfile named ReportingEvents.log is locked and in-use, also in some of the files and folders they are either created or updated when you are online which may have to do with Automatic Updates - I don't know for sure since I haven't searched for it.

 

However a locked and in-use file and files and folders that are automatically changing and updating on a daily basis would suggest that folder shouldn't be messed with by a cleaning program or an end-user.

 

 

Dear Moderator;

 

The \Windows\SoftwareDistribution\download folder is used by Internet Explorer to do automatic updates. Sometimes, this folder becomes corrupt --just like the ..\TEMP folder becomes corrupt, and needs to be cleaned out. However in order to do this, you need to stop two Windows services, rename or delete the folder, then restart both services. The steps required to rename the softwaredistribution folder are as follows:

 

At the command prompt, type the following commands:

net stop wuauserv

net stop bits

ren [or del] %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old

net start wuauserv

net start bits

 

After the Windows services are restarted, a new softwaredistribution folder will automatically be created.

 

Please refer to Microsoft TechNet article 934562, or go to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/934562.

 

Hope that helps...