Tech: Windows 2000 hotfix files

Subject: Tech: Windows 2000 hotfix files
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 12:39 AM

I am trying to clean up my pc to allow a bit more memory space.

In my programs files a have a good number of Win 2000 Hotfix files from Windows updates.

If I click on remove on the old ones I am told my PC will revert back to the previous configuration. What does this all mean. Can I remove them or do they have to stay?

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 2000 hotfix files
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 02:28 PM

in later Windows versions, if there are problems you can't easily 'fix', there is a memory bank of settings to revert to an earlier setup before the problem. This can make things run better, but, as I found recently, it can cause you to lose some things you have recently installed or made shortcuts to...etc...causing you to have to re-do some of your settings. This is a mixed blessing, obviously. If your need for space is serious, and you are running ok, then you can probably remove them..

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 2000 hotfix files
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 03:05 PM

Considering how cheap hard drives are, I'd consider adding a drive rather than deleting files that make the computer work better. You can get a good-sized external hard drive for under $100. Internal drives are even cheaper.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 2000 hotfix files
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 03:28 PM

To be honest, as long as you are happy with your system as it is, I see no reason why you shouldn't delete the folders that are something like "$uninstall". The only problems I can think of is 1, you wouldn't then be able to revert to the previous setup (I don't see that as a problem as long as you have convinced yourself the hotfix hasn't mucked something else up on your system) and 2, I think you would be stuck with a registry entry that Control Panel uses for the add/remove programs entry.

I've a load I'd like to get rid of. I'll try and do a bit more research and report back. I suspect somewhere like annoyances.org will probably have a solution.

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 2000 hotfix files
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 03:41 PM

Maybe this little utility is what we want. I may try it tommorrow or later tonight.

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 2000 hotfix files
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 05:15 PM

OK, I have removed mine and all seems OK. I didn't like the look of the download utility which didn't seem to confident as to whether it would work on anything other than XP or not so I proceded manualy as follows.

1. Run RegEdit
2. Backup Registry
3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\
4. Delete all unwanted keys
5. Close RegEdit
6. Open Windows Explorer and go to Windows folder.
7. Send all unwanted "$uninstall" type folders to recycle bin (I'll permenantly delete later but for now I can restore). Note: I think you need to set your folder options to view hidden files to see them.

I have since shut down and rebooted with no problems.

One other thought. I think this is an all or nothing operation unless you know the order the hotfixes were applied. I wouldn't save one in the middle of that order with the intentions of restoring/removing whatever that had done as I think you could end up putting the system out of sync - ie, incompatable versions of dlls, etc. side by side.

Jon

Jon

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 2000 hotfix files
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 05:22 PM

Correction.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\uninstall

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 2000 hotfix files
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 05:45 PM

The $Uninstall files are just logs of what was changed, usually with compressed versions of any files that were removed or replaced by a new version with the same file name. They're useful only if you decide to back out of an individual fix, and can usually be deleted once you're happy with the fix.

Removing the uninstall key in the Registry probably removed the fixes from the Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel. You might want to check there for "appearance" to see if anything looks different, but usually only the most recent fix appears anyway (I think?).

Before you go "irreversible" you might also want to visit Microsoft's Win2K update site (and Office update site if you have Office) and let them scan for "fixes you need" just to make sure you haven't deleted something that they use to tell what your current configuration is. I believe the "update record" is kept elsewhere, but haven't poked around in Win2K much recently.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 2000 hotfix files
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 06:40 PM

No John, you see the full list in Add/Remove Programs or at least I did. As far as I can make out, they are treated exactly the same as any program that has been properly installed by a setup program. The key iteself contains several entries, one of which is usually "uninstallstring" which looks to be the program to run to perform the uninstallation.

Jon