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I need to free space on Windows XP SP3.
Q1) What system folders can be safely delete in case I don't need to have restore points etc?
Q2) Can I delete content from C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download
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6
I need to free space on Windows XP SP3.
Q1) What system folders can be safely delete in case I don't need to have restore points etc?
Q2) Can I delete content from C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download
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Q1: That’s a complex and messy question. If you just want to strip XP down to the minimal size, your best bet is to look at what others have done. nLite is a great resource for this.
Q2: Yes, assuming that you have not recently installed any Windows Updates (or made sure to reboot afterwards), then it is safe to delete SoftwareDistribution\Download
.
Q1) can I use nLite for an existing installation? – Radek – 2012-02-05T23:17:32.437
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No, but you can use the list of folder that are removed in order to determine what to delete. However, be wary that if it is already installed, it may not be as simple as just deleting a folder (there may be references to it in the registry or other files). Depending on what it is, you may need to uninstall stuff (eg Windows Components in Add/Remove Programs) to be safe. MSFN is also a good place to find advice on what is safe. (I recall seeing a discreet list a while back; I’ll post a link if I can find it again.)
– Synetech – 2012-02-06T00:19:15.0172
Disclaimer: I'm using Windows 7.
Personally, I wouldn't be touching any system folders. Some tips to free space:
Quite frankly, if you're that tight for disk space it's time to invest in a new drive.
It’s not always about disk space. – Synetech – 2012-02-06T00:19:40.040
@Synetech, what do you mean? The question states "I need to free space". – Hand-E-Food – 2012-02-06T00:24:45.837
2True. But some people like to strip down Windows regardless of available space. ;-)
– Synetech – 2012-02-06T00:35:51.340
Why didn't it find this question when I was creating mine? http://superuser.com/questions/53266/safe-to-delete-c-windows-softwaredistribution-download
– Radek – 2012-02-05T23:18:37.457I already deleted all content from 'the directory'. Rebooted the computer and everything looks ok. Updates were turned off for ages. – Radek – 2012-02-06T00:48:11.243