deleting update files

[chrisv]

Alright, so the OP tries to delete Windows and is told he can't do it. He
then asks a computer-literate friend of his "How do I delete C:\Windows?".
He says "Boot from a Linux live disc".
So, he gets a copy of Knoppix, boots from it, deletes the Windows
directory. It all works; he's feeling very proud of himself that he's done
all of that; and thankful for the advice of experts. And then he tries to
boot Windows....

Whom do you blame in that scenario? A naive computer-user? Or whom?

Oh brother...

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

You are aware that it won't allow anyone to do it, aren't you?

I'm aware that it can be done. Try a Linux live CD or mount the drive on
a USB dock on another PC.

Of course, maybe a newbie wouldn't manage to do the above...

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

In other words, you don't know. IF the updates are stored anywhere, the
would be removed by deleting the Windows directory. How does that make
Valorie *~'s answer incorrect (note, it was her, not relic, that gave that
reply).

Instead of troll posts like you made, why don't you attempt to answer the
OP's question?

Getting a bit disingenuous, aren't we.

There's no way to spin "There's no way to spin relic's answer into a
'correct' answer" into "In other words, you don't know". It is a
complete non-sequitur.

You say "IF the updates are stored anywhere, the[y] would be removed by
deleting the Windows directory". That would be true only if "anywhere"
is in the Windows directory tree.

 

[relic]

In other words, you don't know. IF the updates are stored anywhere, the
would be removed by deleting the Windows directory. How does that make
Valorie *~'s answer incorrect (note, it was her, not relic, that gave
that
reply).

Instead of troll posts like you made, why don't you attempt to answer the
OP's question?

Getting a bit disingenuous, aren't we.

There's no way to spin "There's no way to spin relic's answer into a
'correct' answer" into "In other words, you don't know". It is a
complete non-sequitur.

You say "IF the updates are stored anywhere, the[y] would be removed by
deleting the Windows directory". That would be true only if "anywhere"
is in the Windows directory tree.

Time for everyone to get a life again.

 

[relic]

How to remove all traces of Windows Updates from your disk:

http://www.datadocktorn.nu/us_frag1.php

 

[Ed Cryer]

How to remove all traces of Windows Updates from your disk:

http://www.datadocktorn.nu/us_frag1.php

Followed by this;
http://tinyurl.com/68brv94

Ed

 

[relic]

Followed by this;
http://tinyurl.com/68brv94

Yes!

<a sense of humour bubbles to the surface>

 

[Char Jackson]

Time for everyone to get a life again.

This is Usenet. That's not what we do here.

 

[Char Jackson]

In other words, you don't know.

Actually, I do know, and if you've been following the thread, you
should know, too. The right answers have been given, but I wanted to
make sure the right answers weren't diluted by the silly "delete
Windows" comment.

IF the updates are stored anywhere, the
would be removed by deleting the Windows directory. How does that make
Valorie *~'s answer incorrect (note, it was her, not relic, that gave that
reply).

Crazy talk.

Instead of troll posts like you made, why don't you attempt to answer the
OP's question?

I thought it was more important to call attention to the incorrect
answer that appeared earlier in the thread and seemed to be in danger
of growing legs. It's squashed now.

 

[Char Jackson]

Well, of course it doesn't. I thought it was clear that I was
responding to the very specific point that I quoted, but I guess it
wasn't.

So, for the record: I do not advocate trying to delete C:\Windows,
not as a method of purging updates or for any other purpose.

You're fine, Stan, there was no problem with anything you said. I was
just trying to bring everything back around to where it started, to
put it into perspective.

 

[Tester]

Let us remember that the OP asked the following question:

When I used XP I used to intermittently delete all the backup
files that XP created after each windows critical update.
I would like to do the same in W 7 64 bit. Where are these files
in W 7?

Assuming you CAN delete the entire C:\Windows directory tree, how does
that help the OP? It doesn't.

If he can delete the entire C:\Windows (now I am basing this answer on
Windows XP), he will surely delete the SoftwareDistribution Folder that
resides in c:\Windows. This folder keeps collecting all the patches
from Microsoft's Updating Servers.

However, when C:\Windows is deleted, the entire system would also be
rendered useless so unless he can undelete the folder using third party
tool, the only option would be to re-install windows.

Assuming you CANNOT delete the entire C:\Windows directory tree, how
does that help the OP? It doesn't.

It does help the OP in that his system would still be working. Nothing
is lost and so nothing is gained either.

There's no way to spin relic's answer into a "correct" answer.

Even if you can spin something out, there is absolutely no point in
doing it unless you want your head to spin in circles as well.

 

[Tester]

I am not willing to try it, but I suspect if you try to delete
C:\Windows, nothing will happen. Isn't that folder protected in
Windows 7?

Are you willing to try to see if you have SoftwareDistribution Folder in
c:\windows folder? In windows XP everybody had this folder and in time
on a corrupt system, this folder became a huge glut of useless patches
collected from Microsoft Servers. The updating became impossible and so
the only advice was to delete the contents of this folder by rebooting
the system in Safe Mode. Alternatively, was to first stop the Automatic
Update Service and then delete the contents of the said folder before
restarting the service again.

The SoftwareDistribution folder is always hidden so one needs to unhide
all system and hidden folders to see it in action.

 

[Tester]

Whom do you blame in that scenario? A naive computer-user? Or whom?

No you can't blame anybody except that you just take it on the chin and
learn from the experience. There are always people out there who have
to drop the plate before they can cook a proper meal.

 

[Ed Cryer]

No you can't blame anybody except that you just take it on the chin and
learn from the experience. There are always people out there who have to
drop the plate before they can cook a proper meal.

I take your point but I have great sympathy with computerphobes. The
things scare some people so much, and they've had so many bad
experiences in the past, and yes, maybe they are a bit thick, and you
can hardly live without several these days. I feel for some I've met.
Their hearts are in the right places but digital technology just blows
their heads away.

Ed

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Time for everyone to get a life again.

You *must* be kidding when you say that

And of all things, you yourself replied to this post with a
constructive(?) suggestion.

Although I don't know how I can successfully carry out the process
without Swedish meat balls^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h steel wool pads.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Followed by this;
http://tinyurl.com/68brv94

Ed

I had dinner at the house of friends last night. The drive on their
older computer just died; the husband says he put it in his pile of dead
or obsolete drives that he intends to open some day so he can hammer the
platters, but now I will have to send him this video

He'll like the Swedish one too, I think.

 

[Char Jackson]

I had dinner at the house of friends last night. The drive on their
older computer just died; the husband says he put it in his pile of dead
or obsolete drives that he intends to open some day so he can hammer the
platters, but now I will have to send him this video

I've been removing the very powerful magnets from my old hard drives
as they've died over the years, although I admit I haven't put them to
use anywhere yet. They're way too strong for refrigerator magnets.
You'd think magnets have no place near magnetic media, but that's
clearly not the case.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

I've been removing the very powerful magnets from my old hard drives
as they've died over the years, although I admit I haven't put them to
use anywhere yet. They're way too strong for refrigerator magnets.
You'd think magnets have no place near magnetic media, but that's
clearly not the case.

OTOH, our refrigerator has a plastic coating on the sides that
interferes a bit with magnets, and we can't use the front because it's a
non-magnetic stainless steel.

I've been wondering what to do with my old drives that I haven't looked
at in years