$NTUninstall directory management

[Fushigi]

Look in the Windows dir with hidden files viewable and you see dozens of $NTUninstall* directories. Plus dirs for SP installs, etc. Each represents a patch from MS and contains the files/data that was replaced by the patch.

That's all well and good, but on a patched 2000/XP/2003 system they take over 100MB of space (compressed). What I'd like to know is this: If I accept all of the patches on the system and have no intention of ever uninstalling them, can I delete these directories or do something else to recover the wasted space?

 

[Mercutio]

If they're on an NTFS volume you could always compress them to save about 40% of the space they take up.

Or delete them, 'cause you probably won't ever uninstall a patch.
Or tell Windows "no" when it asks if it can save system files in the first place.

 

[Tannin]

Is there any overhead cost to the compression, Merc? I'm not talking about the obvious one-time-only compression process, but asking if there is an extra process loading on startup chewing up RAM and CPU cycles after you tick "yes" to the compression.

 

[Tannin]

Actually, now that you prompt me to mention it, Fushigi, it isn't so much the space that bugs me (never really thought about it actually), rather it's the dozens of extra entries in the "add remove programs" list. I wish there was a way to say "don't show me the bloody Windows patches, OK? I'm only interested in 3ed party apps and add-ons, show me them"

 

[Mercutio]

NTFS compression is based on LZH (the compression used in .GIF files) and is very easy on CPU time - maybe extra CPU 5 - 10% utilization the first time a compressed folder is opened It's basically free, but since most common file types, less MSOffice files and NTUninstall directories, are also compressed to begin with, it's less useful than it used to be.

 

[Fushigi]

Actually, now that you prompt me to mention it, Fushigi, it isn't so much the space that bugs me (never really thought about it actually), rather it's the dozens of extra entries in the "add remove programs" list. I wish there was a way to say "don't show me the bloody Windows patches, OK? I'm only interested in 3ed party apps and add-ons, show me them"

Yes, I'd love it if we could say "I accept all of this. Only show me a single summary entry."

 

[Will Rickards]

I wish there was a way to say "don't show me the bloody Windows patches, OK?

Ask and microsoft delivers, at least for me anyway.
My add remove programs has a show updates checkbox at the top. With it unchecked I don't see the windows updates. My OS is XP Home SP2.

 

[Tannin]

Ahh, thankyou Will, Merc, and Fushigi. I'll look for the checkbox. I don't recall seeing it, but then I don't run XP on any of my own machines. But then my own machines are ones on which I don't use Add Remove Programs very often. Mostly, I use it on junk-ridden machines that come into the workshop full of spyware, Compaq eye-candy, Kodak Software Updater, and the like. Many of these run XP.