Is it safe to delete files Under C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download

Question

My C drive is full and I have gone through the cleanup process several times.  I noticed that every day files get added to the C-Drive under C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download.  Can I safely delete these files?  They add up to 100 to 200 MB a day.

Answer 1

Hi, 

The 'SoftwareDistribution' folder is where automatic updates are stored. 

There are mixed views across the board about deleting this folder, but my view is that if you stop automatic updates, delete the folder then restart automatic updates that works and has worked many time before for me.

Answer 2

Similar to the post by ClickStartComp the method used by Customer Support Services is to rename the folder. Verify that no problems exist after a restart and then delete the folder.

Here is a KB which in trying to fix another problem uses the process of renaming the folder:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949386

Before your rename the folder you must stop the service. Here is how:

• Start>Run
• type cmd and press enter
• type net stop wuauserv and press enter
• type rename c:\windows\SoftwareDistribution softwaredistribution.oldand press enter
• type net start wuauserv and press enter
• type exit and press enter

Verify that the new software distribution folder created when you restart the update service is approxiamtely 1.5 MB in size (standard files). Restart the computer and del the folder if you have no issues.

Answer 3

In a previous post, you said that the folder is where old automatic updates are stored. If that's true, there is a more user-friendly way to delete those updates using disk cleanup.

1. Click the start button and search Disk Cleanup.
2. When it is done scanning, click clean system files.
3. Make sure "Windows update cleanup" is selected and click OK.
4. When you restart your computer, is may reconfigure itself (As if it had installed new updates) but this won't affect any user files.

 I hope this helps

Answer 4

Click start then click Computer-on the left side of that page should be a list with "Computer" toward the bottom of the list. Under Computer you should have a description of your pc(my description is emachine). Expand that description and at the bottom of that list is "Windows"-expand that and in that list you will find softwaredistribution.  There are other ways to get to softwaredistribution but for me on this disktop which has a 7 os that was the easy way. Hope this is what you wanted.

Answer 5

3. Make sure "Windows update cleanup" is selected and click OK.

Does not apply to Windows XP, under which this Q was raised, where such an option is not offered.