Is it safe to delete files in c:\programdata\package cache and c:\windows\softwaredistribution

Hi Alvin

I am Dave, an Independent Advisor, I will help you with this . . .

1

To safely delete the contents of SoftwareDistribution, follow these steps

Click your Start Button, type cmd then right click Command Prompt and choose 'Run as Administrator'

Run this command and hit Enter:

net stop wuauserv

Leave Command prompt open

Open File Explorer, on the View ribbon, temporarily turn on 'Hidden Items'

Navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download

Delete the entire contents of the Download folder

Close File Explorer

In Command Prompt, run this command and hit Enter:

net start wuauserv

When that completes, close Command Prompt

2

With regards to the "c:\programdata\package cache folder

You should not delete the contents of that folder, it contains the files necessary for repairing, uninstalling, modifying, or reinstalling the software on your PC

So I have 25GB in my ProgramData folder.

Can this be correct? I find it a bit hard to believe that for normal, 3rd party applications, deleting these files would result in some unrecoverable system crash, or the inability to reinstall as needed.

My SoftwareDistribution folder size is zero.

Windows created these folders, and I avoid messing with what Windows does, so while deleting the Package Cache or Software Distribution

folder may not bork Windows it may cause issues if various things such as Visual C++ become corrupted and need repairing

(via System File checker or DISM perhaps).

The Package Cache on my Windows has 27 sub-folders totaling all of 69.5MB. My Software Distribution folder is empty.

Deleting either folder = nothing to gain, so why risk it ? 

Personally, safe or not, deleting either folder falls into over managing, and Murphy's Law territory. 

So....

Thank you BossDweeb and DaveM121.