Can I cleanup manually msp files under installer folder?

Question

That folder takes more than 50GB of disk storage...

Answer 1

It is not recommended to manually clean up .msp files in the Windows Installer cache located in the %windir%\installer folder. This directory is automatically managed by Windows, and manual intervention can lead to various issues, including problems with installing or updating applications. The files in this cache are necessary for uninstalling and updating applications, as they contain essential data related to the installation process. If you're concerned about disk space, consider using the Disk Cleanup utility or other safe methods to free up space without risking system stability.

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References:

• Restore the missing Windows Installer cache files and resolve problems that occur during a SQL Server update
• Windows Installer Best Practices

Answer 2

Hi אבי אקיסול, I can imagine how frustrating it must be to see your disk space eaten up by files you don’t even use especially when it’s over 50GB and you’re worried about breaking something by deleting them.

To safely free up space in the Installer folder use PatchCleaner to find orphaned .msi and .msp files, verify with PowerShell if needed back them up before deleting and keep Windows updated to prevent future buildup never delete everything manually.

Before we clean anything have you recently uninstalled or updated large MSI based apps example Microsoft Office or Visual Studio and Adobe and can you still repair/uninstall them without errors?

Best regards

Lucky