Symbolic Links for Windows Updates

[sandoz]

Good day Die Hard Win 7 users.

I have a question about the proper use of Symbolic Links. My Windows Updates files, located on the C: drive, are using up an enormous amount of space. It seems that every time I reboot, a new Windows Security Update is available (Ha!, we thought all updates for Windows 7 were discontinued).

I have a data drive that has lots of space. I'm thinking that the use of a symbolic link for the Windows Updates Folder on Drive C: would be a great way to reclaim space from the C: drive.

The plan is to create a hard link from the Windows Security Update folder on C: to a folder on my data drive, move all the Windows Security Update files to the proper folder on the Data drive, and then delete the Windows Security Update files from the C: drive.

My understanding is that Symbolic Links are useful for many applications and programs but I've read that system files don't work properly using Symbolic Links. Will the Windows Update files function properly when they are moved to a different drive using Symbolic Links?

Thanks in advance for your reply,
Sandoz

Specs: Windows 7 Ultimate; C: drive 256 GB Solid State Drive; Data Drive: Raid 1 configuration using two 2TB hard disc drives.

 

[SIW2]

Windows Updates Folder on Drive C:

Windows Security Update folder on C:

Have you got screenshots of those folders?

 

[sandoz]

No screenshots yet. My understanding is that the updates are located at C:\Windows\Software Distribution\Download

But, there are only 13 files listed in the Download folder and the folder size is only 30.2 MB. Clearly, there is/are other locations where the Windows Updates files are located.

I say this because there are 431 Updates listed in "Installed Updates" window.

 

[RolandJS]

Did you have your WU set to download updates but let you decide which to install? If yes, why not simply set to: let me decide which ones to download and install?

 

[sandoz]

RolandJS
Updates are set to "let me decide which ones to download and install". The issue for me is not how to manage the incoming updates. I only download those updates that I perceive to be important. My concern is the space the updates are taking up on my C: drive. I want to move the updates from the C: drive to my data drive which has lots of available space. My question is.....can the files be moved to the data drive whereby the OS will continue to function properly and continue to utilize the updated files.

 

[RolandJS]

"...can the files be moved to the data drive whereby the OS will continue to function properly and continue to utilize the updated files..." I do not know the answer, I will listen in and await the knowledge/experiences of others.

 

[gobbetto]

I think to remember those files are there just to give you the possibility to uninstall them.
The updated files are already in their proper directories (system32, syswow64,...)

I usually delete all the files in C:\Windows\Software Distribution\Download after a few weeks if everything works well after the update. I don't care to uninstall a working updated file

 

[Megahertz07]

Updates installed are integrated to the OS.
What you may see under C:\Windows\Software Distribution\Download may be just the installer and can be cleaned with Clean manager (%windir%\system32\cleanmgr.exe).

My suggestion is to disable WU and every two months run Single file with all updates - Simplix