SP2/Automatic Update

Thanks for the reply Johanna- same problem and was just scratching head trying to figure out easy way to do that.

 

My download of SP2 resumed today and now it is installed with only minor inconvenience so far.

 

ephemarial Glad that helped. WelshJim is not exactly a "beginner ", but an MVP, and knows more about Windows than most of us. These are notes I took from him about the "MS Mess" some time ago:

WelshJim, you have saved me a ton of typing with that particular post of yours, and I thank you for it, and I'm sure anyone using the BBS Search function will, too!

Cheers from Ohio,
Johanna

 

Johanna--Thanks for the info on uninstalling Windows Messenger. Actually, I did not want to uninstall it, but rather just disable it, which I used to do from Outlook Express|Tools|Options|General tab.
It was late. I was cranky, in a hurry, and could not see the setting in OE. I found that SP2 puts Windows Messenger in Start|All Programs and I when I clicked on it, I found a setting to disable it.
This AM I found that I also could disable from the OE General tab, just like before. Oh, well.

 

WelshJim, if SP2 brings Windows Mess back to life, than I definitely think I will skip it! I give you credit for your bravery- upgrading to XP and accepting SP2 right on top of each other. Your computer must feel like a stranger these days!

I knew you knew how to disable it, rather than uninstall it, I was being sarcastic? I guess. I am annoyed with MS over the ver5 WU, and am inclined to use hand grenades to swat flies... MS Messes, of all flavors, are not welcome here, and I killed them all.

I'm so ticked at MS right now that I disabled Norton's Auto Program Rules because it recognizes every MS app as "safe ". Then I ran a program scan of ever internet application (250+) and set rules for each and every one of them. Almost all to "block ", a few to "manual ", and only a couple to automatic (Like every Symantec one. Gotta trust somebody I suppose!)

MS pulled some sneaky stuff with WU ver 5, and I can't wait to find out what tricks SP2 has up its sleeve. Meanwhile, I have closed the doors and bolted the windows (pun definitely intended! )
Johanna

 

Johanna--I am underwhelmed by both XP (versus Win98) and now SP2. (I have the feeling that the main benefits are in USB, and of course, my new PC is far superior--13 times more RAM, 28 times more memory, 10 times higher CPU speed, etc.)
Specific to SP2, lots of messages to learn the origin of and then eliminate. Few seem to be really helpful based on the way I had already configured my Security. (Sadly SP2 loads more slowly vs. SP1a.)
But Windows Messenger was shortlived. So do not let that stop you.
Jaime (have to code my identity since you blew it.)

 

FWIW, I just noticed a new folder that SP2 apparently installed at C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution. It contains approximately 500 megs. Most of it is in a sub-folder named Download. That looks like useless bloat to me so I deleted all the contents leaving only the empty Download folder. With that the Software Distribution folder has only a couple megs left in it. I see no untoward effects from doing that but each must decide based on their own risk tolerance. I give no warranty and risk doing things like this only because I have excellent backups.

I'm assuming this folder is only created if you download SP2 via Autoupdate from the MS Updater v5 site. Those who install SP2 via the CD shouldn't have it but I can't verify that.

 

Thanks for the input Christer. I suspect your Download folder is probably empty.

Since deleting the 500 meg contents of my Download subfolder caused no apparent problems, I decided to go further. I deleted the entire tree, C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution, to see what happened. I run FAT32 so did the Deltree from a boot disk session. I verified that the files and folders were indeed gone.

Upon reboot I find that the following were recreated:

20 files, 8 folders, 1.97 MB (2,074,837 bytes)

I still see no problems from this action as yet. I think I've trimmed this as far as possible and the recreated items are probably permanent guests on the drive. At any rate I have dropped enough bloat to reduce the drive image backup by one CD so it was worth the exercise. I checked the MS Updater site and it still works as always so no effect there either.

 

Update

I found this item that seems to validate some of my actions if not all:

 

I downloaded SP2 from WU manually, and I have the folder, too- 82 files in all. Think I'll delete it, just for grins and giggles.

Johanna
(who also keeps good back ups!)

 

Thanks for the input Christer.

The big file to get rid of is $NtServicePackUninstall$ which is in the C:\Windows folder and all the $NtUninstall...$ folders which are leftovers from SP1 and which would be needed only if You uninstall SP2.

No exactly. I keep all that stuff cleaned up as I go by using CleanUpdate by Doug Knox. Actually SP2 didn't create a $NtServicePackUninstall$ file as I had expected.

The 500MB that You cleared off Your system is probably downloaded and extracted SP2 files ...... ...... 500MB is too much for the SP2 download itself.

The majority of them are duplicates of the files found in C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386 and are dated 8/4/2004 so I just don't think I need all that duplicity. I'm sure XP needs them for some obscure reason but if it has anything to do with redundancy of backups or uninstalling any updates/hotfixes, I already have that handled and in spades.

I'll post back if anything turn sour as a result.

 

You're absolutely correct. I checked back on my GoBack history readout and sure enough, I wiped the $NtServicePackUninstall$ file from the drive along with a couple earlier HotFixes, by using CleanUpdate. It just got lost in the shuffle and didn't register on me at the time.

 

Irony

Does anyone else get the irony here of how meticulously we work to keep our hard drives free of "clutter" that the average Windows user would not even be aware of, because that stuff is neatly hidden by default.

Despite having more hard drive disk space than we will ever use in our lifetimes, we don't want unnecessary trash on our C drive. There is probably litter on the floor of our cars, and maybe some scraps of paper in our purses or pockets, but, gosh darn! That uninstall file must GO!! LOL

Everybody have a great day. And if you live in the US, don't bother going to the Post Office. They are closed to commemorate the day that Native American genocide began.

Johanna

 

Johanna, thanks for the chuckle of the day.

It's ironic indeed. I go to great lengths to trim 500 megs of bloat from the system but I keep the last seven copies of the boot drive images to protect myself from a misstep. They occupy 36 gigs on my secondary drive.

I liken it to having crabgrass in the lawn. If I can't get rid of it, I can at least keep it clipped short.

 

FWIW folks, I just noticed a new file at C:\WINDOWS\$hf_mig$\ that follows the MS pattern for Hotfix uninstall files. It contains the uninstall files for the latest IE6 SP2 update (KB834707). I'm deleting it manually since the CleanUpdate utility from Doug Knox doesn't seem to detect it. It's only about 7 megs but I really need that space.

 

Yet another file in there shows a different version in one location:

Directory of C:\WINDOWS\$hf_mig$\KB834707\SP2QFE

09/29/2004 01:27 PM 603,648 urlmon.dll
1 File(s) 603,648 bytes ver. 6.0.2900.2518

Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32

09/29/2004 01:47 PM 603,648 urlmon.dll
1 File(s) 603,648 bytes ver. 6.0.2900.2518

Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\dllcache

09/29/2004 01:47 PM 603,648 urlmon.dll
1 File(s) 603,648 bytes ver. 6.0.2900.2518

Directory of C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386

08/04/2004 02:56 AM 601,088 urlmon.dll
1 File(s) 601,088 bytes ver.6.0.2900.2180


You'll notice the file in the i386 folder of the ServicePackFiles was left unchanged.

It's almost as if some files require more than one version since SP2 was installed. I yet believe it's required only for uninstalling as opposed to operation and will continue to delete the $hf_mig$ folder if it recreates after subsequent Hotfixes.