How to Clean Old Windows Update Files

If you have your computer set up to install Windows Updates automatically, eventually you will accumulate update backlogs. Over time, these update backlogs pile up and take an increasing amount of memory. This article will explain how to clean old Windows update files.

Things You'll Need

• Windows operating system Administrator access to your computer

Instructions

How to Clean Old Windows Update Files

1. 

   Click the Windows "Start" button, and then select "Computer."

2. 

   Click once on "Uninstall or change a program" in the "Computer" window.

3. 

   Click once on "View installed updates" under "Tasks" on the "Programs and Features" window.

4. 

   Click once on an update that you want to uninstall. The "Installed Updates" window allows you to sort updates by the various categories (e.g., Name, Program, Installed On date, etc.). Sort by program. Uninstall the older updates for each program first. This way, you can make sure you don't uninstall anything too new. You will be unable to select more than one program at a time to uninstall.

5. 

   Click once on "Uninstall."

6. 

   Click once on "Yes" in the pop-up warning window, if you are certain you want to uninstall the selected program.

7. Click once on "Continue" if Windows generates another pop-up window asking for permission to proceed with uninstalling the program. If you are not identified as a system administrator on the computer, you might need to have someone with a system administrator ID enter her password. Depending on the size of the files, and the speed of your computer, this part of the process could take time. Be patient.

8. Repeat this process for all Windows update files you want to uninstall.

9. 

   Restart your computer, after you have uninstalled all of the desired files, to complete the uninstall process. The uninstall process will not be complete unless the machine is restarted. To reboot, click once on the Windows "Start" button, then click once on the arrow near the bottom right and select "Restart."

Tips & Warnings

• If you are using Windows XP, check out the article in the Resources section for available freeware to remove Windows update files. Use at your own risk.

• Make certain you no longer need the update you want to uninstall.

Resources

• Article on Freeware to Remove Update Files from XP