Fifty-fifty though installing updates in Windows is an easy process, the mechanism in the groundwork that manages it all is fairly complicated. There is likewise a lot of misinformation on the Cyberspace about how to bargain with problems relating to Windows Update.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that all Windows updates tin be installed at once past only deleting the SoftwareDistribution binder stored in C:\Windows. This is completely incorrect. Yes, you might save some infinite (anywhere from 500 MB to several GB's), only deleting the folder volition non remove any installed update.

In addition it's a bad idea to delete the SoftwareDistribution folder unless it is absolutely required. In that location is a subfolder called DataStore that has a large database of all the Windows Updates bachelor. This database volition probably be a couple of hundred MBs in size. Deleting this database simply removes the Windows Update history for the computer.

To evidence this to myself, I did a examination. I openedControl Console, clicked on Windows Update and then clicked on View Update History in the left paw menu.

review update history

This screen just gives you a full list of installed updates with the Status, Importance and Date Installed. When nosotros delete the SoftwareDistribution folder, this dialog will be completely empty equally if you have never installed any updates. Before I show you that, click on the Installed Updates link at the top where it tells you how to remove an update.

windows update history

As you can run into, I have a couple of hundreds updates currently installed for Office, Windows, Silverlight, etc. Now if you lot follow the instructions beneath for deleting the binder, you tin can go back to View Update History dialog and you will meet it'southward now empty.

blank update history

However, if y'all click on Installed Updates again, yous will see that all the updates that were listed before and notwithstanding listed there. This is considering nosotros simply deleted the log history of the updates and not the actual updates.

This dialog is where yous can actually uninstall an update, merely merely one at a time. Simply click on an update and then click Uninstall. Unfortunately, there is no way to remove all updates at once unless yous employ Organization Restore.

uninstall an update

If yous use Organisation Restore and restore the computer to a previous restore point, any updates that were installed afterward that restore indicate volition be gone. To remove all updates, though, you lot would need a restore betoken created right afterward the Bone was installed. Even if a restore point was created at that point, older ones normally get deleted over time to make space for newer restore points.

Withal, if you take a lot of infinite allocated to System Restore, y'all might exist able to whorl back a couple months worth of updates at once.

In one case you delete the contents of the binder, yous will need to revisit Windows Update via Command Panel and cheque for updates. The entire database will be congenital from scratch and you may notice that Windows shows Checking for updates for a very long time. This is considering a list of every update applicable to the Os has to be downloaded over again and and so compared to the updates currently installed on the organisation.

Delete SoftwareDistribution Folder

In order to remove this folder, y'all first have to stop the Windows Update and BITS services in Windows. To do this, click on Kickoffand type in services.msc into the search box.

services msc

Next, right-click on the Windows Update service and click on Stop. Do the same thing for theBackground Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) service too.

stop windows update service

Now navigate to the following folder shown below and you will see several folders listed there. The main ones that we will talk about are Downloads and DataStore.

C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution

software distribution folder

If you are trying to regain difficult drive space only, and then you should but delete the contents of the Download binder, though in theory this should non really be necessary. The Download folder actually holds all the updates that have been downloaded, but not yet installed. Once they are installed, the updates are removed inside 10 days. And then theoretically, that binder should shrink in size soon afterwards you lot accept installed all the Windows updates.

The DataStore binder contains the database with the total Windows update history for the calculator. Once it is deleted, the update history dialog volition be bare similar I had shown above, but all your updates volition still remain. You lot should really never delete the DataStore binder unless you are told to do and then or if Windows Update is completely corrupt and misconfigured.

Annotation that you may not be able to delete certain folders and the ReportingEvents file. In the case where you tin can't delete a folder, only open the folder and delete all the contents within. For me, I got an fault when trying to delete the DataStore folder, so I merely went inside the folder and deleted the database file and all the other files in the binder.

Bank check for Windows Updates

If you did remove the SoftwareDistribution folder, you will want to go to Windows Update again to check for updates. Information technology will show that you accept never perform a check for updates since the update history is now gone.

check for updates

Click the Bank check for updates button and exist prepared to await a while every bit the database is beingness recreated.

Conclusion

So the main point here is that you cannot actually get rid of all Windows Updates at one time unless yous accept a really erstwhile restore point saved on the organisation. Secondly, you should but delete the Downloads folder in the SoftwareDistribution folder if y'all are looking to salvage infinite or simply install all the latest updates and wait 10 days to see if they are removed automatically.

Thirdly, you lot should only delete the DataStore binder if something is really incorrect with Windows Update like not showing any new updates for several months, etc. Hopefully, this gives y'all a better understanding of how Windows Update works and how the files are stored. If y'all have whatever questions, post a comment. Enjoy!