Removing windows hotfixes

[gilera]

Can someone please tell me if i take out hotfixes from installed programmes what is actually removed? The reason is that i am still running SP1 and i see a lot of hotfixes for SP2 that i do not want, also old SP1 fixes that i would like to get rid of if i can.

[Statica]

I dont get it .. you want to remove patches and fixes from your computer? Why? And while we're at it, why not use SP2?

[Panama Red]

You can remove the installation files for hot fixes from the Temp Folder(s) but I wouldn't recommend removing the hot fix itself. Your choice I guess. The place to remove them is using Add/Remove programs tho, not from within the Programs folder. I, too, recommend using SP2 and all subesquently released patches/hot fixes/etc.

[gilera]

Hi statica, my reason for not installing SP2 is as i understand it is the conflict still with some other programmes and as my system is running quite happily i am content to wait until it has been sorted out a bit further.
Hi panama red, sorry for confusion but i did mean if i take them out using add/remove programme. Assuming i use this what is actually removed. ie. If the hot fix has been installed will this remove it or only the hot fix download?

[Statica]

Have you checked to see if your specific program has conflicts with SP2? It is a highly recommended update as it patches a number of insecurities!

[gilera]

As i said i am quite happy with the way my system runs at present and do not want to even try messing with download of SP2 but i would appreciate an answer if possible to my question about removal of hot fixes.

[macko72]

As for the hotfixes? The jury is still out on this unfortunately. One would think that once a service pack is installed that the uninstall information which appears in your add/remove section could be gotten rid of. It only makes sense, but do you really think that the goings on at Redmond truly make sense?

Here is the problem with removing them from the add/remove section of control panel or from the hard drive to be more specific. The system registry has recorded these items in many locations of that system file, some are ClassID's which are very cryptic at best. If the uninstall information is removed there is a chance that the system is still going to be looking for them at the next bootup. . Removing them can cause several errors (The obligatory error or floating point errors may ensue) and even some which may prevent some of the systems key services from functioning. Such is the proprietary functions of Windows...but it's still better than a Mac!

This also applies to the section in your Windows folder that heads this title: "$NtUninstallKB810217$" and excreta. You will see a great host of these directories starting with a "$" and ending with the same "$". These contain *.INF" files which are important to the uninstall information and is what the registry is going to insist on looking for. If they're gone, a great number of headaches may occur. If you can not see these files or folders in your Windows folder, then you will need to select the show hidden and system files options in Windows Explorer's "Tools | Folder Options" or in Control Panel's "Folder Options".

When any security update or other critical update is released, you get it without having to lift a finger. Along with each hotfix that Windows automatically installs, you get a couple of bonuses—an Add/Remove Programs entry for that hotfix and a folder containing the files required to uninstall it. Upgrading to Windows XP SP2 clears out the Add/Remove Programs entries, but leaves the folders behind. You may have 60 or 70 of these, subfolders of C:\Windows with names like $NtUninstallKB810217$. Quite a few readers have asked whether they can safely discard these.

Microsoft's official position is that with modern large hard drives it shouldn't really be necessary to remove the uninstall folders. But they admit that there's little reason to retain uninstall data for hotfixes predating the current service pack. If you're squeezed for space, you can delete any of those $NtUninstallKBxxxxxx$ folders whose date/ time stamps clearly show them to be older than the latest service pack you've installed.

The uninstall data for Windows XP SP2 itself resides in a folder named C:\WINDOWS\$NtServicePackUninstall$, and the storage cost for this folder can be considerable—400MB or more. Microsoft does not recommend deleting the folder. By doing so you'll give up the possibility of uninstalling SP2. But if you're 100 percent happy with SP2 and desperate for space, you can delete the folder and all its contents without affecting ongoing use of your computer. If after doing so you attempt to launch the SP2 uninstall routine from Add/Remove Programs, Windows will point out that the data is not available and offer to remove the item from the Add/Remove Programs list.

Best advise? I'd let em be,. the resultant problems just aren't worth the trouble.

AND YOU CAN READ THIS AS WELL:

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/spuninst.htm

[gilera]

Thanks for that informed explanation macko72