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Clear Windows update files

Overview​

About this script

This script improves your privacy on Windows.

These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.

This script clears the contents of the %SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution\ directory. This action is sometimes called resetting the Windows Update Agent or resetting Windows Update components by Microsoft 1.

This directory contains Windows Update files 2 3. It includes logs of Windows updates 2 4, downloaded updates 5, and database files related to the updates 2.

Over time, the size of this folder can increase 5, leading to potential disk space issues. Clearing this directory can help free up disk space 5.

This folder is used by Windows Updates 1 6. The wuauserv service, also known as "Windows Update Service" 7, uses this folder for its operations 1 8 9. This service manages the Windows Update Agent (WUA) functionality 7.

Clearing this directory is generally safe, and sometimes, Microsoft even recommends this action to troubleshoot and resolve update-related errors 1 5 6 9 10.

This script contributes to users' privacy and system efficiency by cleaning up old and potentially unnecessary update files.

This script uses Batch (batchfile) scripting language.

Not Advised

This script should only be used by advanced users. This script is not recommended for daily use as it breaks important functionality. Do not run it without having backups and system snapshots.

Implementation Details

  • Language: batch

  • Required Privileges: Administrator rights

  • Compatibility: Windows only

  • Reversibility: Some changes may be permanent

Explore Categories​

This action belongs to Clear Windows system log files category. This category configures Windows using 19 scripts. These scripts are organized in 1 categories. The category includes 14 subscripts and 1 subcategories that include more scripts and categories. Read more on category page ▶

Apply now​

Choose one of three ways to apply:

  1. Automatically via privacy.sexy: The easiest and safest option.
  2. Manually by downloading: Requires downloading a file.
  3. Manually by copying: Advanced flexibility.

Alternative 1. Apply with Privacy.sexy​

privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily.

Open privacy.sexy

privacy.sexy instructions
  1. Open or download the desktop application
  2. Search for the script name: Clear Windows update files.
  3. Check the script by clicking on the checkbox.
  4. Click on Run button at the bottom of the page.

Alternative 2. Download​

Reversible

This script is reversible, you can restore your changes to the initial/default state. The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.

If something goes wrong, use the Revert script provided above.

  1. Download the script file by clicking on the button below:

    Download script

  2. Run the script file by clicking on it.

Alternative 3. Copy​

This is for advanced users. Consider automatically applying or downloading the script for simpler way.

  1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
HELP: Step-by-step guide

  1. Click on Start menu

  2. Type cmd

  3. Right click on Command Prompt select Run as administrator

  4. Click on Yes to run Command Prompt

Animation showing how to open terminal as administrator on Windows 11

  1. Copy the following code:
Code to apply changes
:: Stop service: wuauserv (with state flag) (wait until stopped)
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$serviceName = 'wuauserv'; Write-Host "^""Stopping service: `"^""$serviceName`"^""."^""; $service = Get-Service -Name $serviceName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue; if (!$service) { Write-Host "^""Skipping, service `"^""$serviceName`"^"" could not be not found, no need to stop it."^""; exit 0; }; if ($service.Status -ne [System.ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus]::Running) { Write-Host "^""Skipping, `"^""$serviceName`"^"" is not running, no need to stop."^""; exit 0; }; Write-Host "^""`"^""$serviceName`"^"" is running, stopping it."^""; try { $service | Stop-Service -Force -ErrorAction Stop; $service.WaitForStatus([System.ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus]::Stopped); } catch { throw "^""Failed to stop the service `"^""$serviceName`"^"": $_"^""; }; Write-Host "^""Successfully stopped the service: `"^""$serviceName`"^""."^""; $stateFilePath = '%APPDATA%\privacy.sexy-wuauserv'; $expandedStateFilePath = [System.Environment]::ExpandEnvironmentVariables($stateFilePath); if (Test-Path -Path $expandedStateFilePath) { Write-Host "^""Skipping creating a service state file, it already exists: `"^""$expandedStateFilePath`"^""."^""; } else { <# Ensure the directory exists #>; $parentDirectory = [System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName($expandedStateFilePath); if (-not (Test-Path $parentDirectory -PathType Container)) { try { New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $parentDirectory -Force -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; }  catch { Write-Warning "^""Failed to create parent directory of service state file `"^""$parentDirectory`"^"": $_"^""; }; }; <# Create the state file #>; try { New-Item -ItemType File -Path $expandedStateFilePath -Force -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; Write-Host 'The service will be started again.'; } catch { Write-Warning "^""Failed to create service state file `"^""$expandedStateFilePath`"^"": $_"^""; }; }"
:: Clear directory contents  : "%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$pathGlobPattern = "^""$($directoryGlob = '%SYSTEMROOT%\SoftwareDistribution'; if ($directoryGlob.EndsWith('\*')) { $directoryGlob } elseif ($directoryGlob.EndsWith('\')) { "^""$($directoryGlob)*"^"" } else { "^""$($directoryGlob)\*"^"" } )"^""; $expandedPath = [System.Environment]::ExpandEnvironmentVariables($pathGlobPattern); Write-Host "^""Searching for items matching pattern: `"^""$($expandedPath)`"^""."^""; $deletedCount = 0; $failedCount = 0; $foundAbsolutePaths = @(); Write-Host 'Iterating files and directories recursively.'; try { $foundAbsolutePaths += @(; Get-ChildItem -Path $expandedPath -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction Stop | Select-Object -ExpandProperty FullName; ); } catch [System.Management.Automation.ItemNotFoundException] { <# Swallow, do not run `Test-Path` before, it's unreliable for globs requiring extra permissions #>; }; try { $foundAbsolutePaths += @(; Get-Item -Path $expandedPath -ErrorAction Stop | Select-Object -ExpandProperty FullName; ); } catch [System.Management.Automation.ItemNotFoundException] { <# Swallow, do not run `Test-Path` before, it's unreliable for globs requiring extra permissions #>; }; $foundAbsolutePaths = $foundAbsolutePaths | Select-Object -Unique | Sort-Object -Property { $_.Length } -Descending; if (!$foundAbsolutePaths) { Write-Host 'Skipping, no items available.'; exit 0; }; Write-Host "^""Initiating processing of $($foundAbsolutePaths.Count) items from `"^""$expandedPath`"^""."^""; foreach ($path in $foundAbsolutePaths) { if (-not (Test-Path $path)) { <# Re-check existence as prior deletions might remove subsequent items (e.g., subdirectories). #>; Write-Host "^""Successfully deleted: $($path) (already deleted)."^""; $deletedCount++; continue; }; try { Remove-Item -Path $path -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction Stop; $deletedCount++; Write-Host "^""Successfully deleted: $($path)"^""; } catch { $failedCount++; Write-Warning "^""Unable to delete $($path): $_"^""; }; }; Write-Host "^""Successfully deleted $($deletedCount) items."^""; if ($failedCount -gt 0) { Write-Warning "^""Failed to delete $($failedCount) items."^""; }"
:: Start service: wuauserv (with state flag)
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$serviceName = 'wuauserv'; $stateFilePath = '%APPDATA%\privacy.sexy-wuauserv'; $expandedStateFilePath = [System.Environment]::ExpandEnvironmentVariables($stateFilePath); if (-not (Test-Path -Path $expandedStateFilePath)) { Write-Host "^""Skipping starting the service: It was not running before."^""; } else { try { Remove-Item -Path $expandedStateFilePath -Force -ErrorAction Stop; Write-Host 'The service is expected to be started.'; } catch { Write-Warning "^""Failed to delete the service state file `"^""$expandedStateFilePath`"^"": $_"^""; }; }; $service = Get-Service -Name $serviceName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue; if (!$service) { throw "^""Failed to start service `"^""$serviceName`"^"": Service not found."^""; }; if ($service.Status -eq [System.ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus]::Running) { Write-Host "^""Skipping, `"^""$serviceName`"^"" is already running, no need to start."^""; exit 0; }; Write-Host "^""`"^""$serviceName`"^"" is not running, starting it."^""; try { $service | Start-Service -ErrorAction Stop; Write-Host "^""Successfully started the service: `"^""$serviceName`"^""."^""; } catch { Write-Warning "^""Failed to start the service: `"^""$serviceName`"^""."^""; exit 1; }"
  1. Right click on command prompt to paste it.
  2. Press Enter to apply remaining code.

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