Wasted space with XP patches

[stockhausen]

I have just reinstalled Windows XP 64bit on a system. After installation, I used Acronis v11 to create an image of the partition - the resulting .TIB file comes to 1.11GB.

I then ran Windows Update and installed all the recommended patches (including SP2 & MSIE 7) and again used Acronis v11 to create an image of the partition - the new .TIB file comes to comes to 4.09GB

Any suggestion as to how applying patches can cause an approximate 200% increase in size and what I can safely delete to recover some of this space?

 

[helmutcheese]

CCleaner can delete them.

 

[stockhausen]

CCleaner can delete them.

Thanks, I'll give that a go.

I did run the Windows "Disk Cleanup" but it seems to have made next to no difference.

 

[stockhausen]

There are a number of files on this system that are pretty large and yet would seem to be "obsolete", e.g.:

C:\Windows\Service Pack Files\ - 730 MB
C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\ - 1.17 GB
C:\Windows\$NtServicePackUninstall$ - 823 Mb​

I am unlikely to want to uninstall any of these patches. Does anyone know whether any adverse impact would result from emptying these directories?
I don't want to find that when next I run Windows Update, these patches are all downloaded and reinstalled.

 

[bledd]

just run ccleaner, and tick the 'hotfix cleanup' section

you can remove servicepack files and %ntservicepack folders 100% no problem, don't think there are adverse effects when removing softwaredistribution

you should slipstream SP2 into your XP64 cd

 

[stockhausen]

just run ccleaner, and tick the 'hotfix cleanup' section

you can remove servicepack files and %ntservicepack folders 100% no problem, don't think there are adverse effects when removing softwaredistribution

you should slipstream SP2 into your XP64 cd

Many thanks for that.

I have run CCleaner - to be honest, it really doesn't seem to regain all that much space although there may well be hidden options that I haven't discovered yet.

I will also make a partition backup (using Acronis) and then try deleting the ServicePacks & SoftwareDistribution.

The reason that I haven't slipstreamed SP2 into my XP64 CD is that I am trying to build a stable configuration with all the additional software I need (CCleaner, AVG, AdAware, Spybot, Adobe Reader, Firefox, OpenOffice, VLC, Audacity, UltraDefrag, etc.) and then save the partition image with Acronis so that I quickly and easily can restore it in the event of a disaster.

 

[bledd]

it's under 'advanced' 'hotfix cleanup' in the main screen

a slipstreamed SP2 install will be 'cleaner' than one with SP2 installed later..

you can delete those folders, WU won't try and download them again