Deleting old Update Backups

I read an article about deleting old Update Backups in XP. The article showed where they were stored.

Where are the old Vista Update Backup folders stored? I understand from the article that they take up considerable hard drive space. I don't intend on deleting the most recent but are there any others that should not be deleted?

Thanks.

If you're talking about SP1, have a look at this tutorial: SP1 Disk Cleanup Tool

Thanks, I'll check that out but I was talking about all old update files. I read an article in a computer magazine about deleting the old Update files in XP to free up considerable drive space and wondered where those files were in Vista. In XP there is a folder that contains all of the old files but I couldn't find anything in Vista.

I think they are in Windows.old folder and should appear in cista disk cleanup unless the folder is on another partition.

I could not find a Windows.old folder. I am using Vista Home Premium.

Also, I set this forum up (I thought) to get an email when someone posted to my question. So far I've not gotten a notice. I just happen to check and found I did indeed get a couple of responses. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Hi Vegaspat,

Run this command in the start-menu searchbox to enable the extended disk cleanup options and delete the old update backups...

Steven

Steven,

I think I've probably confused everyone. My PC came with Vista already installed. It was not an upgrade from XP.

The article I was reading was talking about the files that were left after the many updates that Windows XP did. It said that if you were satisfied and knew you weren't going to roll back before a particular update you could delete all of the old update files.

It explained how to do this in XP and since I also have another PC that does indeed run XP I was also to relate to the article. But this newer PC with Vista was not so easy to relate that article to. I searched but could not find where these old critical updates appeared.

The article was in the May 2008 issue of Smart Computing, Page 27 just in case you have access to it.

Sorry if I confused everyone.

Hi Vegaspat,

The method for XP with $Ntuninstall to remove the old backup uninstall files for Windows Updates to save hard drive space unfortunately does not work in Vista. They appear to be thoroughly mixed into the Vista abyss somewhere. I have not seen a way to do this yet in Vista though.

Sorry,
Shawn

Hi Vega,

This command works on XP or Vista and still lets you delete old backup files.

Steven

Last two posts say different things - which is correct? I'm getting confused now....because I thought Brink was right in this for the whole time I have been using Vista....