Update is available that enables you to delete outdated Windows update

[A Guy]

Teerex brought this to my attention in this thread

If you already have taken updates, and have SP1, the update is already installed. It is well worth your while to run cleanmgr.exe. I had already manually removed a number of superseded updates and yet the cleanup removed 3.91GB! A significant number on an 80GB SSD. Thanks Teerex for bringing this to our attention.

This article describes an update for the Disk Cleanup wizard in Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1).

This update adds a new plugin to the Disk Cleanup wizard. After you install this update, you can use the Windows Update Cleanup option to delete Windows updates that you no longer need.

Notes
The Windows Update Cleanup option is available only when the Disk Cleanup wizard detects Windows updates that you do not need on the computer.

To enable you to roll back to previous updates, updates are stored in the WinSxS store even after they are superseded by later updates. Therefore, after you run the Disk Cleanup wizard, you may be unable to roll back to a superseded update. If you want to roll back to a superseded update that the Disk Cleanup wizard deletes, you can manually install the update.

Update is available that enables you to delete outdated Windows updates by using a new option in the Disk Cleanup wizard in Windows 7 SP1

A Guy

 

[Brink]

In addition:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/307546-windows-updates-remove-outdated-updates-windows-7-a.html

 

[A Guy]

Ooops, looked everywhere...but there I guess. I figured it was news as it can benefit many

A Guy

 

[Brink]

No worries mate.

 

[Layback Bear]

Worked for me and removed 4.41 GB. No problems when I got done.
I also found it was listed in Cleanup Disk Extended.

 

[Teerex]

There is now a Microsoft blog post on this. Apparently this is a consolation gift to us Win 7 users for not getting a SP2 for Windows 7, especially for all those who brought their Windows 7 installations online a long time ago.

Instead of bringing SP2 to Windows 7, they brought Windows-8-style SxS cleaning to Windows 7. Well, I'd still prefer SP2, but I'll take this too...

P.S. This blog post is also a little misguided and misguiding, which I have pointed out there in the comments.

P.S. 2: You can freely delete up the copy of the DISM folder you will find in the User\Local Temp folder after running this tool.

 

[NoN]

Consolation Prize!!!

Far prefer SP2 pack...disk clean up takes me 10mns of my time and updates since SP1 are such time to install!

 

[SIW2]

Yep, it seems likely there was pressure for SP2. Ms doesn't want to do that. Not because there is work involved ( they did SP2 for Vista , yet very few business/big clients were running that ).

It seems they don't want to make it easier to install. Given that so many are using it, business has only recently migrated to 7 , etc, they realised they had to do a little something. This is that little something.

It as great example of MS listening - they come up with something, not what they were asked for, but better than nothing.

 

[SIW2]

It is a little buggy still, perhaps it needs an update already. LOL.

Every time you run it, a copy of dism is left in appdata - you could end up with several. It also keeps offering to remove 2.18 mb, but that never goes away.

I am sure those little glitches will be fixed. Useful for anyone who has had their installation for a long while.

 

[lffoar]

Kudos and thanks fellers, got rid of almost 4gb

 

[SIW2]

It finally got rid of the 2.18 stuff. Might have been waiting for something pending, took it's time but worked fine in the end. Good job MS.

That will help until MS do the SP2 .

 

[A Guy]

I'm not seeing any dism in appdata. A Guy

 

[lehnerus2000]

I didn't realise that you had to reboot for the actual removal to take place (you don't with an ordinary cleanup).

When I ran it, the amount of free space on my partition actually decreased significantly.
I decided to reboot and I noticed that Windows went into its update configuration mode.
After the reboot, I got my space back (~4 GB).

I notice that it is included in this months updates, so you don't have to download it separately.

P.S. 2: You can freely delete up the copy of the DISM folder you will find in the User\Local Temp folder after running this tool.

Every time you run it, a copy of dism is left in appdata - you could end up with several. It also keeps offering to remove 2.18 mb, but that never goes away.

I'm not seeing any dism in appdata. A Guy

I think that Teerex and SIW2 mean these folders:

​

If MS plans to support W7 until 2020 they will have to release SPs sooner or later.

Businesses will be howling by 2016.
How many updates will need to be installed by then?
OTOH, maybe MS is planning to release a business friendly version of Windows by then (W10?).

 

[Layback Bear]

Don't you just love that magic reboot. Sometimes it just fixes so many things.
I like many others would like to see a SP-2 but that would make Windows 7 even better therefor Windows 8 or 8? sales would fall even more. I don't think Microsoft would like that.

 

[lehnerus2000]

I haven't installed it in my main PC yet.
I just installed it in another VM and I got back ~5.5 GB!

Additional
Those previously posted results were for 64 bit VMs.
I just finished updating a 32 bit VM (which hadn't been updated since February - ouch!) and I got back ~2.2 GB.

 

[Teerex]

Take note that, in case you use System Restore (I think most do), you'll have to wait for the restore points to clear out to see any changes in free disk space.

 

[spencer1]

Cool. I got back nearly 4gb from it. That reduces the size and time of my image backup significantly.

 

[NoN]

Don't you just love that magic reboot. Sometimes it just fixes so many things.
I like many others would like to see a SP-2 but that would make Windows 7 even better therefor Windows 8 or 8? sales would fall even more. I don't think Microsoft would like that.

Well now Windows 8.1 is out....i do not think a SP2 for windows 7 sp1 will shadow any sales of windows 8.

I'll jump directly to improved 8.1 and let sink deep 8, if i do have to change OS. Plus XP end of support will suit corporations who might go ahead Windows 8

 

[patio]

It finally got rid of the 2.18 stuff. Might have been waiting for something pending, took it's time but worked fine in the end. Good job MS.

That will help until MS do the SP2 .

It happens on your next re-boot...

 

[Dude]

I removed 2.3Gb with this.