C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386

[graysky]

Just noticed around 502 megs of files in: C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386

Anyone know the purpose of this directory? Can it be removed safely?

[boooggy]

yes u can remove it safely. there are files created by a service pack after u install it.

in order to save more space just slipstream service pack into your windows cd.

[graysky]

I have since slipstreamed, just been a while since I had to reinstall. Thanks for the info! BTW, I thought there was a util that'll display the date you installed the os? msnfo32 maybe? I can't seem to find it.

[boooggy]

right click windows folder and hit properties. and look at creation time.

[graysky]

True... I thought I saw that in a util somewhere, but that works too

[George27]

This was in my notes, they are cut and pastes from two sources so the language isn't so smooth but these are pretty much everthing that can or need s o be removed.

Hope it helps:

remove all the folders that start with $NtUninstallQ and $NtUninstallKB, and remove the servicepackuninstall folder from c:\windows and remove the same Q's and KB's from the registry under

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows XP\SP2

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\HotFix

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Management\ARPCache

and also under

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

A very big restore point will have been made. Once a new regular size one has been made in the ordinary way, clean up by going to Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Disk Cleanup and in 'More Options' click the bottom button to remove all but the most recent restore point

Delete the hidden folder of files that would be restored by an Uninstall:

C:\Windows\$NTServicePackUninstall Once done, if you try to use the 'Remove' for Service pack 2 in Add/remove programs, that will fail and offer to remove itself

There may also be a large folder C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download depending on how you did the installation. That can also be deleted

Check that the installations temporary folder did get properly removed - it will be on the drive where you downloaded the setup files, so probably C: and have a long name of random letters. If it is still around, delete it. And burn the downloaded file to a CD so as to have it if you ever need to reinstall.

There will also be a large folder C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles. Do not delete this - it will be used in future by Windows File Protection - but on an NTFS disk you can compress it to save about 200MB of disk space. R-click on it, Properties, click the Advanced button, and select 'Compress'.

[dinneen]

>> Can it be removed safely?

Yes, but I would recommend a software tool designed for this purpose. Try 'Update Cleanup' which will hand the task much better than you could. It also takes care of the orphaned Registry entries that will result if you simply use MY COMPUTER to delete the folder. For more details see http://www.pcshareware.com/update.htm

Hope this helps you.

Dina

[Esquire]

Microsoft has this to say (based on Windows XP SP1)