(Answer) (Category) MSO Technologies FAQ : (Category) Computer Tips & Tricks : (Category) Windows XP :
Freeing up disk space after installing SP2
Installing SP2 leaves a lot of space on hard disk taken up by files you would only ever need if you were to uninstall it. Once you are sure you are happy with it:

A very big restore point will have been made. Once a new regular size one has been made in the ordinary way, clean up by going to

 Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Disk Cleanup
and in 'More Options' click the bottom button to remove all but the most recent restore point

Delete the hidden folder of files that would be restored by an Uninstall:

 C:\Windows\$NTServicePackUninstall
Once done, if you try to use the 'Remove' for Service pack 2 in Add/remove programs, that will fail and offer to remove itself

There may also be a large folder C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download depending on how you did the installation. That can also be deleted

Check that the installations temporary folder did get properly removed - it will be on the drive where you downloaded the setup files, so probably C: and have a long name of random letters. If it is still around, delete it. And burn the downloaded file to a CD so as to have it if you ever need to reinstall.

There will also be a large folder C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles. Do not delete this - it will be used in future by Windows File Protection - but on an NTFS disk you can compress it to save about 200MB of disk space. R-click on it, Properties, click the Advanced button, and select 'Compress'


Alex Nichol, MS-MVP Windows XP
address-suppressed

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