Installed windows 8 updates are not removed. How to remove unnecessary Windows updates and free up a lot of space. How to remove old update files
If you purchased a laptop or computer with Windows 8, or just installed this OS on your computer, then sooner or later (unless, of course, you have disabled all updates), you will see a store message offering you to get Windows 8.1 for free, the acceptance of which allows you to update the system to new version... And what if you don't want to update, but at the same time it is also undesirable to refuse from regular system updates?
The second method is actually the same as the one described above, but disable the upgrade to Windows 8.1 using the registry editor, which you can launch by pressing the Win + R keys on your keyboard and typing regedit.
In Registry Editor, open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ and create a WindowsStore subkey under it.
After that, selecting the newly created key, right-click in the right pane of the registry editor and create a DWORD parameter named DisableOSUpgrade and set its value to 1.
That's all, you can close the registry editor, the update will no longer bother you.
Another way to turn off Windows 8.1 upgrade notification in Registry Editor
This method also uses the registry editor, and it can help if the previous option did not help:
- Start Registry Editor as described earlier
- Open the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ System \ Setup \ UpgradeNotification section
- Change the value of the UpgradeAvailable parameter from one to zero.
If there is no such section and parameter, you can create them yourself, in the same way as in the previous version.
If in the future you need to disable the changes described in this manual, then simply perform the reverse operations and the system will be able to independently update to the latest version.
The most common of them are: incorrect installation of updates, system malfunctions after installing updates, hardware failure, etc.
As you know, up-to-date support for Windows 8 comes from the update center, so to speak, repositories. Often, all installations of updates, patches and packages occur automatically (depending on the system settings). Microsoft developers use these settings to solve security issues operating system, incompatibility software, devices.
If you suddenly need to remove one or more of the installed updates, say not those that are "important", but those that are "optional", then by following the simple procedure described below, you can easily solve your problem.
How do I uninstall a failed Windows 8 update and install it again?
In addition to the cases described above, when you need to uninstall Windows 8 updates, it also happens that when downloading updates, it crashes, or the installation fails. In such a situation, other service packs or patches are no longer downloaded or installed on the system. In this case, uninstalling the failed update and then trying to install it can also help.
Not all Windows folders are equally useful. Many users have already made this conclusion for themselves. Some folders in the system can take up a lot of space, but not always the necessary data. If we have at least figured out the folder of system snapshots (restore points), then not everyone knows how to get to the WinSxS folder. In this article I will tell you what this folder is, why it takes up so much space, and how it should be tidied up.
Why is WinSxS so big?
There is nothing mysterious about the WinSxS folder. Windows sends "snapshots" of system files to it, which are affected by the next update. Hence the meaning of this folder - to ensure the rollback of the system after the update, if it began to work incorrectly or unstable. Claims for the WinSxS folder are related to the monstrous size shown by the research tools hard disk, sort of.
And there is no riddle. The actual size of the WinSxS folder is much smaller - "hard links" are to blame.
"Hard Link" - Conquest file system NTFS. In reality, there is only one file, and there can be many "hard links" to it. But they, from the point of view file manager are completely separate files with the same size as the referenced file. But in reality, their size is zero.
When the standard tools calculate the size of the WinSxS folder, they are told the files themselves, regardless of the fact that these are "hard links". In reality, the size of the WinSxS folder is not that large and rarely reaches 15 GB. However, with large updates, of which there have been many lately, the size of this folder raises questions.
How do I clean up the WinSxS folder correctly?
The answer depends on the version of the operating system you are using.
Windows 7
On Windows 7, install SP1 or KB2852386. The fact is that the developers have included the cleaning of this folder in the system disk cleaning utility. There this item is called "Cleaning Windows Updates".
Old files are deleted in the following way. All files that are related to updates installed earlier than 30 days ago are removed.
Windows 8
In Windows 8, the WinSxS folder has undergone small but important changes. Now it stores not just old files, but compressed old files. This greatly reduces the actual physical size of the folder.
Starting from Windows 8, you can see the real size of WinSxS with the following command "Dism.exe / Online / Cleanup-Image / AnalyzeComponentStore"... To do this, you need to call the system utility "Command Prompt" ("cmd") as administrator.
The native disk cleaner here is always adept at cleaning up Windows updates, as described for Windows 7 SP1.
Windows 8.1 and 10
Windows 8.1 introduces an additional feature to remove all older versions of Windows components. This is done by the command "Dism.exe / Online / Cleanup-Image / StartComponentCleanup / ResetBase".
Attention! Use non-standard commands only if the free space is simply catastrophically valuable. In all other cases, "Disk Cleanup" will give a completely satisfactory result. And the security of the system due to the 30-day moratorium on the removal of updates will be higher.
Windows 8 Automatic Updates is a required option and is therefore enabled by default. Eliminates previously found errors and vulnerabilities, improves the overall performance of your PC or laptop. It starts automatically - but not always at a convenient time. Due to this, some users want to disable automatic updates of Windows 8.
As you know, such a procedure can heavily load a computer (especially an old one). And if you are working on a project or playing a game, it will interfere.
Another disadvantage is the inability to turn off the PC before the procedure is completed. What if you need to leave urgently? Do not leave the computer on. There are many reasons for this. But the solution to this problem is very simple.
How to disable automatic updates in Windows 8?
Due to the changed interface, the usual operations in Windows 8 are performed a little differently. In particular, the control panel is not located in Start, as in the "seven", but in the side menu of Hot Corners. However, there is still nothing complicated here - just the order of actions has changed a little.
A new window will open in which you can turn off the automatic update of Windows 8. To do this, select the "Do not check for ..." item. Click OK to save your settings.
Keep in mind that if you decide to disable Windows 8 Update, the built-in antivirus will also be affected. It will stop updating, which will reduce the security level of your PC or laptop. But the problem will not be relevant after installing any other antivirus.
The above method is suitable in cases where you need to disable updates on Windows 8 temporarily. That is, then to start them manually - at a convenient time. If you want to disable updates in Windows 8 permanently, then it is better to use a different method here.
To completely stop searching for updates, you must disable the service responsible for this task
So, if you want to disable Windows 8 updates on a laptop permanently, then do the following:
This method completely disables the search for updates on a computer or laptop running Windows 8, so they will no longer start.
But there is one small caveat: when installing programs from Microsoft, this service may turn on again. That is, all settings are reset to the previous ones. Consider this.
Are Windows 8 Updates Needed?
Microsoft developers will answer you unequivocally - "Yes". Like many PC users. It's not for nothing that this option is enabled by default.
On the other hand, it always starts at the wrong time and constantly interferes. In this regard, there is a desire to go to Windows 8 Update and turn it off.
To stop for a while or forever is the second question. And there is no definite answer to it. The first solution is supported by the fact that patches increase the security of Windows and improve the performance of a laptop or computer. And in favor of the second - disabling this service does not affect the work of the PC in any way. This will be proved by thousands of users who completely blocked it and forgot about it.
Yes, for the first time, while the OS is raw, it is advisable to leave this service enabled. But since Windows 8 came out a long time ago, today it is already working stably. Therefore, the decision to disable the search for updates in Windows 8 will not affect the security of the laptop or PC in any way.
Everyone has come across automatic Windows updates.
In my case, this experience turned out to be negative and I removed the function automatic update Windows 8.1, which I recommend to everyone. But first of all, you need to figure out why they are needed at all.
Experts write that they are necessary for the normal functioning of the operating system, namely:
All this is understandable, the system is being improved and it seems that it should work better and faster.
But what is really going on? Due to the constantly increasing number of updates, the computer slows down and starts to freeze. It is simply impossible to work with such a load “on your shoulders”.
Initially, I had Windows 8 on my laptop - heavy and clumsy, but when it was updated to the new version 8.1, it became easy and pleasant to work. Until that time, until the updates downloaded almost every day reached critical mass.
After installing the next innovations, it became generally impossible to work - the programs hung, when the browser was opened, a black screen appeared, blocking the work, and when the computer was booted, a window began to pop up informing about an error in the operation of one of the system programs - Catalyst Control Center host application.
How to resolve an error in the Catalyst Control Center can be found
In a word, the opposite is true - instead of improvement, a complete stop of work.
Then I uninstalled the latest installed updates and the computer started working normally.
How to get rid of updates?
For your convenience, you can work with two windows at the same time, separating them with hot keys: WIN + Left arrow - browser window, WIN + Right arrow - second window.
1. First of all, you should clear the "Download" folder where they are downloaded.
Path: Disk C ⇨ Windows ⇨ SoftwareDistribution ⇨ Download.
2. Then delete the last downloads after which the computer began to freeze (if you remember the approximate date of this "event").
Path: Control Panel ⇨ Programs and Features ⇨ Installed updates (link at the top left).
To make it easier to find interfering updates, rearrange them under the installation date: right-click, select Sort ⇨ Installed... Remove the desired one, but do not overload the computer.
3. The next step is to cancel the automatic download of updates.
Control Panel ⇨ Update Center ⇨ Enable or disable automatic updates. Select "Do not check for updates (not recommended)".
Now restart your computer.
It follows the fate that updates are also contraindicated for unlicensed copies of Windows.
