Deleting un-used Windows Updates

[tharpdevenport]

I hope this is the right forum.

I read how to delete the files that I have skipped from installing from Windows Update, but I have a question.

Windows Update only shows about 18 un-downloaded updates, but the folders shows more than 18 subfolders.

I am worried -- am I deleting installed updates, too? I got a screen grab; obviously I know better than to delete the whole Download folder, and to also not delete the Install subfolder, too. Is it safe to delete all these subfolders?

 

[tharpdevenport]

Nobody knows?

 

[Rackmountsales]

Go to Start > Run > type in

regedit
Click OK
Navigate to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Setup

by clicking the plus signs. Then click the plus sign next to the Setup
folder.
Click on the ServiceStartup folder.
In the right frame, these should be the only entries you see

Name - (Default)
Type - REG_SZ
Value - (not set)

If there are any other Names listed besides (Default), then right click
them, and choose Delete.
Close the registry editor by clicking all of the minus signs all the way
back to My Computer. Exit the registry editor.

[*** NOTE: *** DO NOT delete anything else from the registry, please.
Improper editing of the registry may render the system inoperable.]

Restart the system.
Revisit Windows Updates.

Did that resolve the issue ?

 

[Dngrsone]

Yes, you can delete those folders. They are just the downloaded data, the changes are already incorporated into your OS and getting rid of the downloads will not affect anything.

 

[tharpdevenport]

Thank you, Dngrsone -- I will try that first and see if it works.

Question: Safe to also delete the white ones, which are not folders?

 

[Dngrsone]

Thank you, Dngrsone -- I will try that first and see if it works.

Question: Safe to also delete the white ones, which are not folders?

Can't say, I don't see teh extension names...

 

[tharpdevenport]

There are no extension for them when I check. I right-clicked them and looked and it said "Type: File" in the details.