I recently upgraded a friend's XP Pro to SP3, fully expecting that all
the c:\windows\$NtUninstallKB* folders would disappear. Man, was I ever
let down. I want to upgrade my XP Home to SP3, but not if it won't be
removing all that clutter.

Is there some trick I'm missing?

--
John Corliss

"John Corliss" <jcorliss@fake.invalid> wrote in message
news:ZOSdnclt6dxTSfbVnZ2dnUVZ_uWdnZ2d@posted.ccoun trynet...
>I recently upgraded a friend's XP Pro to SP3, fully expecting that all the
>c:\windows\$NtUninstallKB* folders would disappear. Man, was I ever let
>down. I want to upgrade my XP Home to SP3, but not if it won't be removing
>all that clutter.
>
> Is there some trick I'm missing?
>
> --
> John Corliss
I know nothing of SP3. But, what is keeping you from deleting these folders
(after you copy them to DVD anyway)?
The SP2 update did clean out the uninstall folders left over from SP1
updates.
Jim

It leaves them in case you roll out the Service Pack. Not only do you
need to purge the Uninstallers and leave $hf_mig$ folder but you also
need to purge the contents of $hf_mig$ which holds the KB____ data.
I would only do this IF you are never going to roll out the Service Pack
from your machine. The amount of space these hotfix folders consume
isn't that great.

"Jim" <jim-norris@sbcglobal.com> wrote in message
news:%23KGZP%23H3IHA.4536@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>
> "John Corliss" <jcorliss@fake.invalid> wrote in message
> news:ZOSdnclt6dxTSfbVnZ2dnUVZ_uWdnZ2d@posted.ccoun trynet...
>>I recently upgraded a friend's XP Pro to SP3, fully expecting that all the
>>c:\windows\$NtUninstallKB* folders would disappear. Man, was I ever let
>>down. I want to upgrade my XP Home to SP3, but not if it won't be removing
>>all that clutter.
>>
>> Is there some trick I'm missing?
>>
>> --
>> John Corliss
> I know nothing of SP3. But, what is keeping you from deleting these
> folders (after you copy them to DVD anyway)?
> The SP2 update did clean out the uninstall folders left over from SP1
> updates.
> Jim
>

Apparently they are not removed, however:
The $NtUninstallKBxxxxxx$ folders and associated files
in these folders are safe to remove.

$NtServicePackUninstallIDNMitigationAPIs$
$NtServicePackUninstallNLSDownlevelMapping$
Created when you installed IE7.
If you installed IE7 before you installed SP3
then you will no longer be able to uninstall IE7 and they
can also be deleted.

$NtServicePackUninstall$
When you installed SP3 this folder grow in size
as it will contain both SP2 and SP3 uninstall files.
If you have already installed SP3 then I would leave
this folder as is until you are certain that no bugs have
cropped up after installing SP3.
Note: Once you delete this folder you are stuck with SP3

Warning: One folder you should not delete is: $hf_mig$
(and any folders that are part of/contained in $hf_mig$)
It is a necessary folder for future updates

Also See Doug Knox's page on this issue:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_hotfix_backup.htm

And:
Is it safe to delete the $NtUninstallKBxxxxxx$ folders:
http://www.pagestart.com/ntuninstall.html

JS
www.pagestart.com


"John Corliss" <jcorliss@fake.invalid> wrote in message
news:ZOSdnclt6dxTSfbVnZ2dnUVZ_uWdnZ2d@posted.ccoun trynet...
>I recently upgraded a friend's XP Pro to SP3, fully expecting that all the
>c:\windows\$NtUninstallKB* folders would disappear. Man, was I ever let
>down. I want to upgrade my XP Home to SP3, but not if it won't be removing
>all that clutter.
>
> Is there some trick I'm missing?
>
> --
> John Corliss

See http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spack.htm and/or
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=33827
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

John Corliss wrote:
> I recently upgraded a friend's XP Pro to SP3, fully expecting that all
> the c:\windows\$NtUninstallKB* folders would disappear. Man, was I ever
> let down. I want to upgrade my XP Home to SP3, but not if it won't be
> removing all that clutter.
>
> Is there some trick I'm missing?

"DELETE"

"John Corliss" <jcorliss@fake.invalid> wrote in message
news:ZOSdnclt6dxTSfbVnZ2dnUVZ_uWdnZ2d@posted.ccoun trynet...
>I recently upgraded a friend's XP Pro to SP3, fully expecting that all the
>c:\windows\$NtUninstallKB* folders would disappear. Man, was I ever let
>down. I want to upgrade my XP Home to SP3, but not if it won't be removing
>all that clutter.
>
> Is there some trick I'm missing?
>
> --
> John Corliss

R. McCarty wrote:
> It leaves them in case you roll out the Service Pack. Not only do you
> need to purge the Uninstallers and leave $hf_mig$ folder but you also
> need to purge the contents of $hf_mig$ which holds the KB____ data.
> I would only do this IF you are never going to roll out the Service Pack
> from your machine. The amount of space these hotfix folders consume
> isn't that great.

Yet, nonetheless, when you defrag your drive or do a file search, having
them on there slows both processes down tremendously.

> "Jim" <jim-norris@sbcglobal.com> wrote in message
> news:%23KGZP%23H3IHA.4536@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> "John Corliss" <jcorliss@fake.invalid> wrote in message
>> news:ZOSdnclt6dxTSfbVnZ2dnUVZ_uWdnZ2d@posted.ccoun trynet...
>>> I recently upgraded a friend's XP Pro to SP3, fully expecting that all the
>>> c:\windows\$NtUninstallKB* folders would disappear. Man, was I ever let
>>> down. I want to upgrade my XP Home to SP3, but not if it won't be removing
>>> all that clutter.
>>>
>>> Is there some trick I'm missing?
>>>
>>> --
>>> John Corliss
>> I know nothing of SP3. But, what is keeping you from deleting these
>> folders (after you copy them to DVD anyway)?
>> The SP2 update did clean out the uninstall folders left over from SP1
>> updates.


--
John Corliss

John Corliss wrote:
> I recently upgraded a friend's XP Pro to SP3, fully expecting that all
> the c:\windows\$NtUninstallKB* folders would disappear. Man, was I ever
> let down. I want to upgrade my XP Home to SP3, but not if it won't be
> removing all that clutter.
>
> Is there some trick I'm missing?

After reading all the replies, I can see that the best route for me is a
format and reinstall of the OS (XP Home SP2), then installation of SP3.

Probably will clean up a lot of problems in the process, it's just going
to be a major PITA.

--
John Corliss

Not necessary, keep it simple and just delete
the $NtUninstallKBxxxxxx$ folders.

JS


"John Corliss" <jcorliss@fake.invalid> wrote in message
news:EtKdnf3SQ_Ygh_HVnZ2dnUVZ_v3inZ2d@posted.ccoun trynet...
> John Corliss wrote:
>> I recently upgraded a friend's XP Pro to SP3, fully expecting that all
>> the c:\windows\$NtUninstallKB* folders would disappear. Man, was I ever
>> let down. I want to upgrade my XP Home to SP3, but not if it won't be
>> removing all that clutter.
>>
>> Is there some trick I'm missing?
>
> After reading all the replies, I can see that the best route for me is a
> format and reinstall of the OS (XP Home SP2), then installation of SP3.
>
> Probably will clean up a lot of problems in the process, it's just going
> to be a major PITA.
>
> --
> John Corliss

John Corliss wrote:
> John Corliss wrote:
>> I recently upgraded a friend's XP Pro to SP3, fully expecting that all
>> the c:\windows\$NtUninstallKB* folders would disappear. Man, was I ever
>> let down. I want to upgrade my XP Home to SP3, but not if it won't be
>> removing all that clutter.
>>
>> Is there some trick I'm missing?
>
> After reading all the replies, I can see that the best route for me is a
> format and reinstall of the OS (XP Home SP2), then installation of SP3.
>
> Probably will clean up a lot of problems in the process, it's just going
> to be a major PITA.

If you do that, you will need this KB article in order to install Windows
Updates: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144 (Trust me!)
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/