SP3 temp folder can't be deleted?

[kaborka]

I just noticed a folder \250fbcb74ab17c6a1a9038eb90b6\i386 on my E partition that dates from when I installed XP SP3. I tried to delete it, but it's locked as in-use. It's taking up 260MB. Does anyone else have this left over from SP3?

 

[corkyg]

No - I have Sp3 since Beta - now final No such file. That should have been cleaned up.

Put the drive in an external case, and attach it to another system by USB - then delete the file. It can't be in use since the drive would not be booted from. You may have to find the file, right click on it, and in Properties make sure the Attribute is not R or H or S. Should be A.

 

[bruceb]

I have a similar folder from when I installed XP SP2.
Never did try to delete it, but I guess it would be safe to do so.

 

[corkyg]

On second thought, that file is there so you can uninstall SP3 and that is where all the stuff is that it needs to put back to restore you to SP2.

In fact, I recently had to use it. There is a small gotcha that was not discussed before installing SP3.

That concerns IE7. If you installed IE7 before installing SP3, and then install SP3, IE7 is no longer uninstallable on the Add/Remove Programs list.

So, in order to correct a broken IE7, I had to first, uninstall SP3. It restored me to SP2. Then I uninstalled IE7. Then I reinstalled Sp3, and then lastly, IE7. Now, IE7 can be separately uninstalled if necessary.

Bottom line - that big file contains all the backup needed to uninstall SP3.

MS KB

 

[kaborka]

'Duh -- I was able to delete it after a reboot. Still doesn't answer the question what had locked it earlier.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: kaborka
'Duh -- I was able to delete it after a reboot. Still doesn't answer the question what had locked it earlier.

Windows was still using the file.

 

[kaborka]

Obviously. The question is, why was it using something in that folder, when I had installed SP3 weeks ago, with many reboots in between?

 

[Saint Nick]

I have a temp folder on my storage drive that I can't delete either. Has an oldschool installshield file in it ... not sure why, but it won't let me remove it, even after rebooting and resetting the external drive.

 

[nobody554]

Something you might try...there's a freeware program out called "Unlocker" (Found here) that helps "kill" whatever handle or process that might be locking the file. As long as you don't try and delete some super-important system file, it doesn't crash Windows; at least, not since I started using it.