Windows Update Backups

[IuK 0]

Hi,

 

TuneUp 2008 detects about 450 Mb Windows Update Backups, even CCleaner has cleaned all Windows Hotfixes. These should also be deleted with CCleaner.

 

Kind regards,

 

IuK

[TwistedMetal 0]

TuneUp 2008 will delete them, but it is risky. MrG has talked to Microsoft personally and they agreed to not delete certain hotfixes.

[CTskifreak 0]

O.o...who..how high up we talking about TwistedMetal...not the man himself Bill Gates, I presume . LOL JK

 

AJ

[TwistedMetal 0]

It's the same people you call on them 1-800 numbers for support. They barely speak English and are from India or something.

[JDPower 0]

TuneUp 2008 detects about 450 Mb Windows Update Backups, even CCleaner has cleaned all Windows Hotfixes.

A large chunk of that will probably be the $hf_mig$ folder (mine is currently around 270Mb) and I have had major issues caused by deleting that a couple of times in the past, so trust CCleaner to know what it's doing in that regard (or learn the hard way from your own mistakes)

[CarstenSchuette 0]

A large chunk of that will probably be the $hf_mig$ folder (mine is currently around 270Mb) and I have had major issues caused by deleting that a couple of times in the past, so trust CCleaner to know what it's doing in that regard (or learn the hard way from your own mistakes)

 

Normally, all $-Directories in Windows folder are temporary and can be deleted without problems. Of course, you cannot uninstall hotfixes.

 

But what about cleaning up the "<windows>\SoftwareDistribution\Download" directory?

 

Carsten

[YoKenny 0]

 

But what about cleaning up the "<windows>\SoftwareDistribution\Download" directory?

I agree with that.

[JDPower 0]

Normally, all $-Directories in Windows folder are temporary and can be deleted without problems.

Well I had an issue after deleting the $hf_mig$ folder where an update reappeared in Windows Update and couldn't be installed. No matter what I did, and I tried everything, I couldn't install it (or maybe get Windows to recognise it was installed). Ended up reinstalling Windows to fix it.

[fredvries 0]

But what about cleaning up the "<windows>\SoftwareDistribution\Download" directory?

 

Like this?

 

[*Windows Update Logs]

LangSecRef=3025

DetectFile=%windir%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\Logs

Default=False

FileKey1=%windir%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\Logs|*.*

FileKey2=%windir%\SoftwareDistribution\Download|*.*

[Andavari 0]

Dial-a-fix will also clean out the Software Distribution folder as well simply by clicking the Flush SoftwareDistribution button.

 

Screenshot:

[fredvries 0]

Which means that CCleaner could safely remove the entire content of SoftwareDistribution... Right?

[Andavari 0]

I did it a couple of times myself last year using Dial-a-fix and surprise it didn't break anything. The only thing though I don't remember if Dial-a-fix is stopping and starting a service in order to do it, and I'm not sure if Dial-a-fix is wiping the whole folder contents.

[JDPower 0]

I did it a couple of times myself last year using Dial-a-fix and surprise it didn't break anything. The only thing though I don't remember if Dial-a-fix is stopping and starting a service in order to do it, and I'm not sure if Dial-a-fix is wiping the whole folder contents.

I have manually deleted the contents of that folder and the logs folder a few times with no ill effect, though I seem to remember reading a restart may be necessary before next visiting Windows Update.

[pwillener 0]

Well I had an issue after deleting the $hf_mig$ folder where an update reappeared in Windows Update and couldn't be installed. No matter what I did, and I tried everything, I couldn't install it (or maybe get Windows to recognise it was installed). Ended up reinstalling Windows to fix it.

The $hf_mig$ folder is needed by MicrosoftUpdate to know what fixes and module versions are installed. If this information is unavailable, MicrosoftUpdate may accidentally overwrite newer modules with older ones.

 

This folder must not be deleted, otherwise MU cannot function correctly any more.

[truthseeker 0]

Well I had an issue after deleting the $hf_mig$ folder where an update reappeared in Windows Update and couldn't be installed. No matter what I did, and I tried everything, I couldn't install it (or maybe get Windows to recognise it was installed). Ended up reinstalling Windows to fix it.

 

If you buy Acronis Trueimage, you never have to reinstall Windows again. In 10 minutes you are up and running again.