Windows 7: .msp files

I have removed some of my biggest .msp files. Nothing has happened yet - everything seems to work. But maybe it will hit me in the neck at a later time. I have, of course, taken an image before venturing into that experiment.

Does anybody know whether those .msp and .msi files are really required once the relevant code has been installed?

From what I've read and heard from other people, the .msp is a Microsoft installer patch used to update the OS with security patches, hotfixes, etc as well as updating some other Microsoft programs. The .msi is a Windows installer used for some Windows updates as well as some other 3rd party program installers.

If a new patch or hotfix comes out, it will scan the computer looking for an existing .msp file to use. If there isn't one it will simply bring along its own installer. Same with the Windows updates. If a .msi is available it will be used, otherwise the update or 3rd party software brings along its own file.

So it should be OK to uninstall .msp and .msi files. They may shave a couple of seconds off of an installation but they shouldn't be critical to anything else. At least this is what I've been led to believe.

Thanks Lee. I had a similar understanding. The matter is not critical for my system. But earlier there was an OP who had 56GBs worth of .msp and .msi files - and that on a 120GB SSD. I had recommended that he do exactly what I did but was not 100% sure it would work. Therefore my experiment.

There is an option in CCleaner(or it might be CCEnhancer) to delete some of these.

Hi Keith, it's funny that they figure under the Application tab > Windows. And in my CCleaner they are not present.

In that case it is the CCEnhancer product that adds extra items to CCleaner. CCEnhancer | SingularLabs

Thanks Keith. I added that to CCleaner.

It's good Wolfgang but it can remove some files you may need so be careful what you check.

I know. And when anything happens, I always can set back to the latest image.