Deleting old Update Backups

[vegaspat]

I read an article about deleting old Update Backups in XP. The article showed where they were stored.

Where are the old Vista Update Backup folders stored? I understand from the article that they take up considerable hard drive space. I don't intend on deleting the most recent but are there any others that should not be deleted?

Thanks.

 

[sidney1st]

If you're talking about SP1, have a look at this tutorial: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/142656-sp1-disk-cleanup-tool.html

 

[vegaspat]

Thanks, I'll check that out but I was talking about all old update files. I read an article in a computer magazine about deleting the old Update files in XP to free up considerable drive space and wondered where those files were in Vista. In XP there is a folder that contains all of the old files but I couldn't find anything in Vista.

 

[sidney1st]

I think they are in Windows.old folder and should appear in cista disk cleanup unless the folder is on another partition.

 

[vegaspat]

I could not find a Windows.old folder. I am using Vista Home Premium.

Also, I set this forum up (I thought) to get an email when someone posted to my question. So far I've not gotten a notice. I just happen to check and found I did indeed get a couple of responses. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

 

[dmex]

Hi Vegaspat,

Run this command in the start-menu searchbox to enable the extended disk cleanup options and delete the old update backups...

%SystemRoot%\System32\Cmd.exe /c Cleanmgr /sageset:65535 & Cleanmgr /sagerun:65535

Steven

 

[vegaspat]

Steven,

I think I've probably confused everyone. My PC came with Vista already installed. It was not an upgrade from XP.

The article I was reading was talking about the files that were left after the many updates that Windows XP did. It said that if you were satisfied and knew you weren't going to roll back before a particular update you could delete all of the old update files.

It explained how to do this in XP and since I also have another PC that does indeed run XP I was also to relate to the article. But this newer PC with Vista was not so easy to relate that article to. I searched but could not find where these old critical updates appeared.

The article was in the May 2008 issue of Smart Computing, Page 27 just in case you have access to it.

Sorry if I confused everyone.

 

[Brink]

Hi Vegaspat,

The method for XP with $Ntuninstall to remove the old backup uninstall files for Windows Updates to save hard drive space unfortunately does not work in Vista. They appear to be thoroughly mixed into the Vista abyss somewhere. I have not seen a way to do this yet in Vista though.

Sorry,
Shawn

 

[dmex]

Hi Vega,

This command works on XP or Vista and still lets you delete old backup files.

Steven

 

[johngalt]

Last two posts say different things - which is correct? I'm getting confused now....because I thought Brink was right in this for the whole time I have been using Vista....

 

[vegaspat]

Thanks for all the responses. I guess now I can just quit looking.

And I don't know how or why but I am now getting email notifications on replies. Wasn't before!!

 

[Brink]

Hi Vega,

This command works on XP or Vista and still lets you delete old backup files.

%SystemRoot%\System32\Cmd.exe /c Cleanmgr /sageset:65535 & Cleanmgr /sagerun:65535

Run this command in the start-menu searchbox to enable the extended disk cleanup options and delete the old update backups...

Steven

Steven,

Are these the same type of backup uninstall files that will be deleted as with the SP1 Cleanup Tool?

Shawn

 

[dmex]

Steven,

Are these the same type of backup uninstall files that will be deleted as with the SP1 Cleanup Tool?

Shawn

I know it does clean some of the setup files just not all of them, It just cleans all the other junk instead

 

[Brink]

Thanks Steven,

It's better than nothing I suppose.

Shawn

 

[vegaspat]

Steven,

I'm just curious as to how you found or even know about that command. I'm still in the learning mode and was fascinated when you supplied that command.

I noticed that it doesn't show the total files or KB? as does the standard Disk Cleanup.

Thanks.

 

[dmex]

Hi Vegaspat,

I cant remember where exactly I found out the command, it was a fair few years ago while I was using XP and before the Longhorn Alphas and I just saved it as a command short-cut to launch the Extended Disk Cleanup when needed....

I have a snazzy launchcut if you would like that instead of launching the command everytime?

Steven

 

[vegaspat]

Steven,

As you can tell I'm not THAT computer literate but am willing to learn.

Send the launch cut!

Is there a way to actually show the details as with the default disk cleanup? (# of bytes)

 

[Brink]

Steven,

If I remember correctly, does this enhanced Disk Cleanup version only allow you to select items to be cleaned for when you have Disk Cleanup scheduled next to run in Task Scheduler?

 

[johngalt]

Perhaps - because it incorporates both the /sageset: and the /sagerun switches, I thought it would be just fine, but I later learned that that was just the profile number. In general, though, the sageset and sagerun are used to create cleaning 'profiles' that can easily be used with Task Scheduler. I am not 100% sure if you are *ever* allowed to select files using this method or not.

For a more detailed discussion, see where I suggest the same thing over at Petri.co.il forums and the responses...

How to incorporate a better Disk Cleanup - Petri.co.il forums by Daniel Petri

Be warned, though, that Daniel has his forum default to show oldest posts at the *bottom*.

 

[dmex]

Perhaps - because it incorporates both the /sageset: and the /sagerun switches, I thought it would be just fine, but I later learned that that was just the profile number. In general, though, the sageset and sagerun are used to create cleaning 'profiles' that can easily be used with Task Scheduler. I am not 100% sure if you are *ever* allowed to select files using this method or not.

For a more detailed discussion, see where I suggest the same thing over at Petri.co.il forums and the responses...

How to incorporate a better Disk Cleanup - Petri.co.il forums by Daniel Petri

Be warned, though, that Daniel has his forum default to show oldest posts at the *bottom*.

Did you ever find where you heard about it? I think it was from a Microsoft page since I have a few of these for different parts of the system...

Steven