- Can You Delete Softwaredistribution Folder
- Cannot Delete Softwaredistribution Folder
- Clean Softwaredistribution Folder
- Softwaredistribution Folder Windows 10
- Cannot Delete Softwaredistribution Download Folder
Click 'OK' to confirm the deletion of the files. Right-click on the 'Software Distribution' folder in the left pane. Click 'Delete.' The folder and all files are now deleted. Aug 09, 2017 After reviewing the support forums it is a suggested fix - process in fixing ailing windows updates -to rename the SoftwareDistribution Folder, for example SoftwareDistribution.old, to allow Windows to regenerate in order to allow Updates to install correctly. After checking permissions and logging in with Administrator privileges there is no way to rename the folder, after the update.
- SoftwareDistribution Folder Delete in Windows. When deep cleaning Windows to recover disk space, performing a SoftwareDistribution folder cleanup is one task that may help. This article explains how Windows uses the SoftwareDistribution folder and covers cleaning the folder to help free up disk spa.
- Aug 24, 2017 Typically I have no issues renaming the SoftwareDistribution folder once the Windows Update service is off, but I have a few boxes that can't be renamed even after rebooting the. SOLVED WSUS - Software Distribution folder won't delete - Spiceworks.
- Delete Software Distribution folder. To delete the contents of the Software Distribution folder, in Windows 10, from the WinX Menu, open Command Prompt (Admin). Type the following one after the other and hit Enter: This will stop the Windows Update Service and the Background Intelligent Transfer Service.
- Go to the Software Distribution folder (C: Windows SoftwareDistribution) in File Explorer and you are now able to delete the folders inside. Press Ctrl+A to select all and delete, to save time. Note: If ever you are not able to delete some files, it may be in use.
The Software Distribution folder in Windows operating system is a folder located in the Windows directory and used to temporarily store files which may be required to install Windows Update on your computer. It is thus required by Windows Update and maintained by WUAgent.
Software Distribution folder location
The The Software Distribution folder in Windows 10/8/7 is situated in the following location in File Explorer:
C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution
On my computer is size is around 1 MB, but its size could vary.
Is it safe to delete Software Distribution folder
While you do not want to touch this folder under normal conditions, you may need to empty its contents should you find that your system’s Datastore and the Download folder have got de-synchronized, resulting in your Windows Updates not working properly.
It is generally speaking safe to delete the contents of the Software Distribution folder, once all files required by it have been used for installing Windows Update. Even if you delete files otherwise, they will get automatically downloaded. If you were to delete the folder itself, it will get automatically re-created and the required WU components downloaded automatically.
However, this data store also contains your Windows Update History files. If you delete them you will lose your Update history. Moreover, the next time you run Windows Update, it will result in a longer detection time.
If your Windows Update is not working properly or not working at all or if you find that the size of this folder has really grown large, then you can consider deleting the Software Distribution folder in Windows 10/8/7.
If it is just the size, then if you use Disk Cleanup Tool and opt to Clean up System Files on your System Drive, and then Windows Update components & Delivery Optimization files , you will find that the size of this folder will get substantially reduced. But if you are facing Windows Update issues, then you flushing this folder has been known to help fix several issues like Windows Update not working, Windows Updates fail to install, Failure configuring Windows updates, Windows Update stuck downloading updates, We couldn’t complete the updates,Windows 10 keeps installing the same update and so on.
Delete Software Distribution folder
To delete the contents of the Software Distribution folder, in Windows 10, from the WinX Menu, open Command Prompt (Admin). Type the following one after the other and hit Enter:
This will stop the Windows Update Service and the Background Intelligent Transfer Service.
Now browse to the C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution folder and delete all the files and folders inside.
You may press Ctrl+A to Select All and then click on Delete.
If the files are in use, and you are unable to delete some files, restart your device. After rebooting, run the above commands again. Now you will be able to delete the files from the mentioned Software Distribution folder.
After you have emptied this folder, you may restart your computer or you may type the following commands, one at a time in the CMD, and hit Enter to restart the Windows Update related Services.
Now that folder has been flushed, it will now get populated afresh.
Rename SoftwareDistribution folder
If you wish to rename the Software Distribution folder, open an elevated command prompt windows, type the following commands one after the other, and hit Enter:
Alternatively, you may also boot Windows 10 into Safe Mode, and rename SoftwareDistribution to SoftwareDistribution.bak or SoftwareDistribution.old.
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Active3 years, 8 months ago
One of our Windows 2003 servers has a fairly small C-partition, which is approaching full. I've had a quick look round using Disktective as to where the space has gone, and a fair bit of it seems to be taken up with
C:WINDOWSSoftwareDistributionDownload
I think this folder is used as a temporary storage for Windows Update, but as all the pending Windows updates have now been installed, is it OK to delete the contents of this folder?
Abel75044 gold badges1111 silver badges3636 bronze badges
Simon HodgsonSimon Hodgson
3 Answers
After you have installed all the pending updates, it is safe to delete all the files and folder under C:WINDOWSSoftwareDistributionDownload
Can You Delete Softwaredistribution Folder
As @Zab said, stop the Update Service while you clean up the folder
- Enter
net stop wuauserv
into an elevated command prompt - Manually clean up
C:WINDOWSSoftwareDistributionDownload
- Enter
net start wuauserv
into an elevated command prompt
As soon as the service starts again, some folders will be re-created. This is ok
Community♦
deddebmededdebme3,19944 gold badges2424 silver badges2727 bronze badges
You should stop 'automatic updates' and 'windows update' services, then you can delete all downloaded/(and already installed) updates
You can also clean the database folder nearby to 'reset' windows update.
Harry reports problem with people who deleted the directories, as opposed to people who deleted files in directory.
ZaBZaBCannot Delete Softwaredistribution Folder
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Clean Softwaredistribution Folder
If I were you I'd run the Microsoft Disk Cleanup wizard and see if it proposes deleting this directory.
If it doesn't do that, then I wouldn't touch it.
If it doesn't do that, then I wouldn't touch it.