54. Remove Service Pack Backup Files

When installing Windows 7 Service Pack 1 you not only install the updates but you also end up with numerous Backup files. These backup files, in most cases, simply sit on your hard drive taking up valuable disk space. Windows 7 service Pack 1, for example, leaves behind around 650MB of backup files after the service pack has been installed.

Many users simply think no more about these backup files, preferring to leave them where they are regardless of how much disk space they take up. Other users, however, prefer to get rid of the backup files, especially if they happen to be low on disk space.

Whether you actually remove the backup files or not is entirely up to you. One disadvantage of removing the backup files is that, by doing so, you make it impossible to actually uninstall the service pack should you find it necessary to do so.

To actually remove the backup files is simple enough. Two methods are available; using a command prompt or using Windows built in Disk Cleanup application. The Windows Disk Cleaner option is by far the simpler and so we will outline how to remove the backup files using the Disk Cleanup option.

Click the Start button and in the Start Menu Search Box type: Disk Clean.

Fig: 54-1 Search list showing Disk Cleaner application
The Disk Cleanup application will appear as a highlighted option at the top of the Search list. Press the Enter key to start the application.
Before you can start removing files you need to select the relevant hard drive. By default the C: drive is selected.

Fig: 54-2 Select the drive you wish to clean
Disk Cleanup will now calculate how much space it can free up.

Fig: 54-3 Calculating how much space can be freed may take a few minutes, so be patient
A list of available files that can be deleted will now appear.
While this list is important, at this stage we are not particularly bothered about the files on this list. We are more interested in the available System Files.
To see what System Files can be deleted, click the Clean Up System files button.

Fig: 54-4 Click on the Clean up system files button to display system files that can be deleted.
You will need to select the drive you want to clean once again and click the OK button.

Fig: 54-5 Select the drive and press the OK button to continue
Once again Disk Cleanup will calculate how much space it can free up.

Fig: 54-6 Disk Cleanup will need to calculate the available disk space it can free up once again
A list of available files will, once again, appear. This time you need to look down the list until you come to the Service Pack Backup Files option.
Once you have located the Service Pack Backup Files option, place a check mark (Tick) in the box to the left of the option and the press the OK button.

Fig: 54-7 Place a check mark next to the Service Pack Backup Files option to enable it
A message will now appear asking you if you are sure you want to permanently delete these files. If you do then click the Delete files button.

Fig: 54-8 Click the Delete Files button to start the deletion
A progress window will now appear. Once the files have been deleted this window will disappear and all the files you selected will have been permanently deleted.

Fig: 54-9 The progress window shows which files are currently being deleted
Your Service Pack Backup Files have now been deleted.