Remove Hotfix Backups Utility

As you install hotfixes on Windows systems, you accumlate files in uninstall directories. These files are files replaced by the installation of hotfixes and can be restored by uninstalling the hotfixes. After you've tested the system for a time with a hotfix, it is unlikely you will uninstall it and over time a large quantity of disk space can be used by the files in the uninstall directories. For Windows XP and Small Business Server (SBS) 2003 systems, you will usually see these files in directories under C:\WINDOWS with names such as $NtUninstallKB822132$, $NtUninstallKB834707$, etc. You will need to turn on the display of hidden files to see these directories, which you can do by clicking on Tools, Folder Options, View and then selecting "Show hidden files and folders".

You can see a list of thse hotfixes under Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel.

Add or Remove Programs hotfix listing

You can manually delete all of these directories. The hotfixes will still be listed under Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel, if you do that, but you can then click on them one by one and Windows will display an error message, such as the one below and ask whether you want to remove the reference to each under Add or Remove Programs.

Uninstaller Error
An error occurred while trying to remove Security Update for Windows Servier 2003 (KB890046). It may have already been uninstalled.

Would you like to remove Security Update for Windows Server 2003 (KB890046) from the Add or Remove programs list?

Yes   No

 

If you click on Yes, the entry for the hotfix will be removed from the "Currently installed programs" list under Add or Remove Programs.

But, especically if you have a lot of hotfix uninstall directories to remove, it is much easier to use Doug Knox's Remove Hotfix Files utility. The developer's webpage states the utility "will only remove hotfix backups that are specific to the Windows XP operating system", but I've found it works fine for Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2003 as well.

The software is free, though you can purchase a license that will allow you to select which hotfix uninstall information to remove. The unlicensed version will remove the information for all hotfixes. That is probably what most users will want to do, but a license is only $5. If you support multiple systems, you may want to consider having that capability.

The startup screen for the software displays a list of the hotfixes that have backup files on your system and will be removed.

Remove Hotfix Backups

Just click on the Remove Backup Files and Add/Remove entries button and you are done!

Developer: Doug Knox
Developer Website: Doug's Windows 95/98/Me/XP/Vista Tweaks and Tips
Requirements: Windows Vista or Small Business Server (SBS) 2003
Purchase Information: Freeware. Paying $5 for a license will give you the capability to selectively remove hotfix information.
Recommended: Yes Thumbs up

Download Sites:

  1. Developer's website
  2. MoonPoint Support