Re: Installer

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

[Crossposting to the more-appropriate WinXP General newsgroup]

What makes you think the contents of C:\Windows\Installer have anything to
do with Automatic Updates?

Why do you think anything in that folder needs to be reinstalled?

dpc641 wrote:
> The Installer folder should only have been accessed by Automatic Updates.
> Mind you, the Installer function did 'hang up' for a few months - about a
> year ago. I fixed the problem by reinstalling Office 2003.
>
> As I see it, there are two options - 1. transfer the folder to an external
> hard drive or 2. try to reinstall all those patches that are in the folder
>
> PA Bear wrote:
>> C:\Windows\Installer is a hidden folder with a Read Only attribute.
>>
>> Yours is ~40GB? What have you been installing/reinstalling? (I've had
>> this XP box for 5+ years and mine's not quite 1.5GB.)
>>
>> Mind you, I'm not recommending deleting anything in that folder, just
>> making an observation.
>>
>> dpc641 wrote:
>>> Thanks - answered in part. The directory with all the files is
>>> C:\Windows\Installer. Temporarily I have excluded them from the virus
>>> scan - since there are 40gb of them
>>>
>>>> I still don't know what or where this "Installer folder" is
>>>> (C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution, perhaps?) but KB822158 should address
>>>> your problem.
>>>>
>>>> dpc641 wrote:
>>>>> Sorry, XP Professional, SP3. I have 40 gigabytes of files in the
>>>>> Windows
>>>>> Installer folder. Thanks for the tip. --
>>>>> Regards
>>>>> DPC641
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> What "Installer folder" in which OS?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Virus scanning recommendations for computers that are running Windows
>>>>>> Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or
>>>>>> Windows
>>>>>> Vista: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
>>>>>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
>>>>>> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
>>>>>> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> dpc641 wrote:
>>>>>>> My Installer folder has gigabytes of files, slowing down virus
>>>>>>> scanning.
>>>>>>> Can I delete them?

[dpc641]

Thanks for continuing the conversation. Clearly I'm no expert in this area.

My folder C:\Windows\Installer contains 3,989 files and 40.6gb. Most of the
files are Windows Installer Patches. Now I didn't do this, so I have assumed
that they arrived by Automatic Updates.

My quandary is how to get rid of them, since they are occupying a sizable
portion of my hard drive.
--
Regards
DPC641


"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> [Crossposting to the more-appropriate WinXP General newsgroup]
>
> What makes you think the contents of C:\Windows\Installer have anything to
> do with Automatic Updates?
>
> Why do you think anything in that folder needs to be reinstalled?
>
> dpc641 wrote:
> > The Installer folder should only have been accessed by Automatic Updates.
> > Mind you, the Installer function did 'hang up' for a few months - about a
> > year ago. I fixed the problem by reinstalling Office 2003.
> >
> > As I see it, there are two options - 1. transfer the folder to an external
> > hard drive or 2. try to reinstall all those patches that are in the folder
> >
> > PA Bear wrote:
> >> C:\Windows\Installer is a hidden folder with a Read Only attribute.
> >>
> >> Yours is ~40GB? What have you been installing/reinstalling? (I've had
> >> this XP box for 5+ years and mine's not quite 1.5GB.)
> >>
> >> Mind you, I'm not recommending deleting anything in that folder, just
> >> making an observation.
> >>
> >> dpc641 wrote:
> >>> Thanks - answered in part. The directory with all the files is
> >>> C:\Windows\Installer. Temporarily I have excluded them from the virus
> >>> scan - since there are 40gb of them
> >>>
> >>>> I still don't know what or where this "Installer folder" is
> >>>> (C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution, perhaps?) but KB822158 should address
> >>>> your problem.
> >>>>
> >>>> dpc641 wrote:
> >>>>> Sorry, XP Professional, SP3. I have 40 gigabytes of files in the
> >>>>> Windows
> >>>>> Installer folder. Thanks for the tip. --
> >>>>> Regards
> >>>>> DPC641
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> What "Installer folder" in which OS?
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Virus scanning recommendations for computers that are running Windows
> >>>>>> Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or
> >>>>>> Windows
> >>>>>> Vista: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158
> >>>>>> --
> >>>>>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> >>>>>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
> >>>>>> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
> >>>>>> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> dpc641 wrote:
> >>>>>>> My Installer folder has gigabytes of files, slowing down virus
> >>>>>>> scanning.
> >>>>>>> Can I delete them?
>
>

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

"Windows Installer Patches" aren't offered via Automatic Updates. What
problems had you been having that you needed these "Windows Installer
Patches"? What's the Created Date ranges of these files and folders?
What's the Modified Date range?

dpc641 wrote:
> Thanks for continuing the conversation. Clearly I'm no expert in this
> area.
>
> My folder C:\Windows\Installer contains 3,989 files and 40.6gb. Most of
> the
> files are Windows Installer Patches. Now I didn't do this, so I have
> assumed that they arrived by Automatic Updates.
>
> My quandary is how to get rid of them, since they are occupying a sizable
> portion of my hard drive.
>
>> [Crossposting to the more-appropriate WinXP General newsgroup]
>>
>> What makes you think the contents of C:\Windows\Installer have anything
>> to
>> do with Automatic Updates?
>>
>> Why do you think anything in that folder needs to be reinstalled?
>>
>> dpc641 wrote:
>>> The Installer folder should only have been accessed by Automatic
>>> Updates.
>>> Mind you, the Installer function did 'hang up' for a few months - about
>>> a
>>> year ago. I fixed the problem by reinstalling Office 2003.
>>>
>>> As I see it, there are two options - 1. transfer the folder to an
>>> external
>>> hard drive or 2. try to reinstall all those patches that are in the
>>> folder
>>>
>>> PA Bear wrote:
>>>> C:\Windows\Installer is a hidden folder with a Read Only attribute.
>>>>
>>>> Yours is ~40GB? What have you been installing/reinstalling? (I've had
>>>> this XP box for 5+ years and mine's not quite 1.5GB.)
>>>>
>>>> Mind you, I'm not recommending deleting anything in that folder, just
>>>> making an observation.
>>>>
>>>> dpc641 wrote:
>>>>> Thanks - answered in part. The directory with all the files is
>>>>> C:\Windows\Installer. Temporarily I have excluded them from the virus
>>>>> scan - since there are 40gb of them
>>>>>
>>>>>> I still don't know what or where this "Installer folder" is
>>>>>> (C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution, perhaps?) but KB822158 should
>>>>>> address
>>>>>> your problem.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> dpc641 wrote:
>>>>>>> Sorry, XP Professional, SP3. I have 40 gigabytes of files in the
>>>>>>> Windows
>>>>>>> Installer folder. Thanks for the tip. --
>>>>>>> Regards
>>>>>>> DPC641
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> What "Installer folder" in which OS?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Virus scanning recommendations for computers that are running
>>>>>>>> Windows
>>>>>>>> Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or
>>>>>>>> Windows
>>>>>>>> Vista: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158
>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
>>>>>>>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
>>>>>>>> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
>>>>>>>> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> dpc641 wrote:
>>>>>>>>> My Installer folder has gigabytes of files, slowing down virus
>>>>>>>>> scanning.
>>>>>>>>> Can I delete them?

[Peter Foldes[_2_]]

See if this will help. Read Carefully beforehand

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" > wrote in message
...
> [Crossposting to the more-appropriate WinXP General newsgroup]
>
> What makes you think the contents of C:\Windows\Installer have anything to do with
> Automatic Updates?
>
> Why do you think anything in that folder needs to be reinstalled?
>
> dpc641 wrote:
>> The Installer folder should only have been accessed by Automatic Updates.
>> Mind you, the Installer function did 'hang up' for a few months - about a
>> year ago. I fixed the problem by reinstalling Office 2003.
>>
>> As I see it, there are two options - 1. transfer the folder to an external
>> hard drive or 2. try to reinstall all those patches that are in the folder
>>
>> PA Bear wrote:
>>> C:\Windows\Installer is a hidden folder with a Read Only attribute.
>>>
>>> Yours is ~40GB? What have you been installing/reinstalling? (I've had
>>> this XP box for 5+ years and mine's not quite 1.5GB.)
>>>
>>> Mind you, I'm not recommending deleting anything in that folder, just
>>> making an observation.
>>>
>>> dpc641 wrote:
>>>> Thanks - answered in part. The directory with all the files is
>>>> C:\Windows\Installer. Temporarily I have excluded them from the virus
>>>> scan - since there are 40gb of them
>>>>
>>>>> I still don't know what or where this "Installer folder" is
>>>>> (C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution, perhaps?) but KB822158 should address
>>>>> your problem.
>>>>>
>>>>> dpc641 wrote:
>>>>>> Sorry, XP Professional, SP3. I have 40 gigabytes of files in the
>>>>>> Windows
>>>>>> Installer folder. Thanks for the tip. --
>>>>>> Regards
>>>>>> DPC641
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> What "Installer folder" in which OS?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Virus scanning recommendations for computers that are running Windows
>>>>>>> Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows
>>>>>>> Vista: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
>>>>>>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
>>>>>>> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
>>>>>>> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> dpc641 wrote:
>>>>>>>> My Installer folder has gigabytes of files, slowing down virus
>>>>>>>> scanning.
>>>>>>>> Can I delete them?
>

[Twayne[_2_]]

dpc641 wrote:
> Thanks for continuing the conversation. Clearly I'm no expert in
> this area.
>
> My folder C:\Windows\Installer contains 3,989 files and 40.6gb. Most
> of the files are Windows Installer Patches. Now I didn't do this, so
> I have assumed that they arrived by Automatic Updates.
>
> My quandary is how to get rid of them, since they are occupying a
> sizable portion of my hard drive.


Somehow I suspect you have your phraseology mixed up. Auto update
uninstall folders live in the windows folder. Or, you have something
installed I haven't heard of, because c:\windows\installer doesn't even
exist on my XP Pro system. Are you deploying software packages or have
verbose registry logging turned on or something?

I think in order to get a good answer you're going to have to be a lot
more specific.

The automatic update uninstallers in c:\windows\ you can delete, or
zip up and save off to another location if you think you might ever need
one of them. Otherwise I don't know what your'e talking about.

HTH,

Twayne



>
>> [Crossposting to the more-appropriate WinXP General newsgroup]
>>
>> What makes you think the contents of C:\Windows\Installer have
>> anything to do with Automatic Updates?
>>
>> Why do you think anything in that folder needs to be reinstalled?
>>
>> dpc641 wrote:
>>> The Installer folder should only have been accessed by Automatic
>>> Updates. Mind you, the Installer function did 'hang up' for a few
>>> months - about a year ago. I fixed the problem by reinstalling
>>> Office 2003.
>>>
>>> As I see it, there are two options - 1. transfer the folder to an
>>> external hard drive or 2. try to reinstall all those patches that
>>> are in the folder
>>>
>>> PA Bear wrote:
>>>> C:\Windows\Installer is a hidden folder with a Read Only attribute.
>>>>
>>>> Yours is ~40GB? What have you been installing/reinstalling?
>>>> (I've had this XP box for 5+ years and mine's not quite 1.5GB.)
>>>>
>>>> Mind you, I'm not recommending deleting anything in that folder,
>>>> just making an observation.
>>>>
>>>> dpc641 wrote:
>>>>> Thanks - answered in part. The directory with all the files is
>>>>> C:\Windows\Installer. Temporarily I have excluded them from the
>>>>> virus scan - since there are 40gb of them
>>>>>
>>>>>> I still don't know what or where this "Installer folder" is
>>>>>> (C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution, perhaps?) but KB822158 should
>>>>>> address your problem.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> dpc641 wrote:
>>>>>>> Sorry, XP Professional, SP3. I have 40 gigabytes of files in
>>>>>>> the Windows
>>>>>>> Installer folder. Thanks for the tip. --
>>>>>>> Regards
>>>>>>> DPC641
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> What "Installer folder" in which OS?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Virus scanning recommendations for computers that are running
>>>>>>>> Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000,
>>>>>>>> Windows XP, or Windows
>>>>>>>> Vista: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158
>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
>>>>>>>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
>>>>>>>> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
>>>>>>>> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> dpc641 wrote:
>>>>>>>>> My Installer folder has gigabytes of files, slowing down virus
>>>>>>>>> scanning.
>>>>>>>>> Can I delete them?

[dpc641]

Peter,

Thanks. It was a couple of years ago that the problem started, when Office
updates wouldn't install & were clogging up my Automatic Update system. One
of the MS Discussion Boards (or maybe it was MS Office FAQs) suggested a
number of solutions including another version of Installer. I most likely
caused the problem myself because replacement Installers kept hanging-up and
not completing.

The original problem was caused by Office 2003. When I re-installed it, the
stalled updates suddenly loaded and the problem was fixed. Thanks for your
suggestion.

Regards
dpc641
--
Regards
DPC641


"Peter Foldes" wrote:

> See if this will help. Read Carefully beforehand
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301
>
> --
> Peter
>
> Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
> Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" > wrote in message
> ...
> > [Crossposting to the more-appropriate WinXP General newsgroup]
> >
> > What makes you think the contents of C:\Windows\Installer have anything to do with
> > Automatic Updates?
> >
> > Why do you think anything in that folder needs to be reinstalled?
> >
> > dpc641 wrote:
> >> The Installer folder should only have been accessed by Automatic Updates.
> >> Mind you, the Installer function did 'hang up' for a few months - about a
> >> year ago. I fixed the problem by reinstalling Office 2003.
> >>
> >> As I see it, there are two options - 1. transfer the folder to an external
> >> hard drive or 2. try to reinstall all those patches that are in the folder
> >>
> >> PA Bear wrote:
> >>> C:\Windows\Installer is a hidden folder with a Read Only attribute.
> >>>
> >>> Yours is ~40GB? What have you been installing/reinstalling? (I've had
> >>> this XP box for 5+ years and mine's not quite 1.5GB.)
> >>>
> >>> Mind you, I'm not recommending deleting anything in that folder, just
> >>> making an observation.
> >>>
> >>> dpc641 wrote:
> >>>> Thanks - answered in part. The directory with all the files is
> >>>> C:\Windows\Installer. Temporarily I have excluded them from the virus
> >>>> scan - since there are 40gb of them
> >>>>
> >>>>> I still don't know what or where this "Installer folder" is
> >>>>> (C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution, perhaps?) but KB822158 should address
> >>>>> your problem.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> dpc641 wrote:
> >>>>>> Sorry, XP Professional, SP3. I have 40 gigabytes of files in the
> >>>>>> Windows
> >>>>>> Installer folder. Thanks for the tip. --
> >>>>>> Regards
> >>>>>> DPC641
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>> What "Installer folder" in which OS?
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Virus scanning recommendations for computers that are running Windows
> >>>>>>> Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows
> >>>>>>> Vista: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158
> >>>>>>> --
> >>>>>>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> >>>>>>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
> >>>>>>> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
> >>>>>>> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> dpc641 wrote:
> >>>>>>>> My Installer folder has gigabytes of files, slowing down virus
> >>>>>>>> scanning.
> >>>>>>>> Can I delete them?
> >
>
>