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Can I delete these randomly named folders?

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Summary: Folders with random and unreadable names will occasionally appear on your machine. They're typically the side effect of an update that didn't clean up.

I found these two entries while using Windows Explorer in Local Disk C:

5b6de5225ad398e1a3d65428
5da1b70ef43f9d294a281e704

What do they mean? Can I safely delete them or transfer them to My Documents?

What they are is easy.

Whether or not you can, or should, delete them depends on where they are.

These folders are most often created by various update utilities - most often Windows update - as temporary locations to store files before or while the update is applies to your machine. They're supposed to be deleted automatically when the update is finished. But as you've experienced, that's not always the case.

Same for me, by the way. I just found a folder "C:\66b56c24fd10a4d55d658cce1cc19e" on my machine.

If you have more than one drive, you may find them on drives other than C: as well. I've found them on my external hard drive, E:, on occasion as well.

"If you're paranoid - and it's often good to be paranoid - you can always copy the folder to some other location..."

The short answer is that if these folders exist at the root of one of your drives, you're quite safe to delete them, particularly if they've been around for a while. They're just unnecessary leftovers from a previous software update.

If you're paranoid - and it's often good to be paranoid - you can always copy the folder to some other location or burn it to a CD. That way in case we were wrong, in case something appears to start misbehaving after removing the folder, you can always restore it from the backup.

Me? I just deleted "C:\66b56c24fd10a4d55d658cce1cc19e" from my machine.

One caveat: if you find these folders anywhere underneath your Windows directory, I'd be tempted to leave them alone. I've seen comments that it's possible that they might hold the updated files for a possible uninstall, or for Windows System File Protection. As long as they're not taking up much space, then they're fairly benign anyway.

However if you can't resist and want to delete them anyway, then I definitely recommend copying them somewhere for safety first, just in case.

Related:

Article 11117 | Posted January 30, 2007

Recent Comments
0 Comments

Is there a recognised algorithm the generate truly random number strings? Twenty years ago it seemed to be the pursuit of computer scientists. Has it been achieved yet?

Posted by: Bevin at January 30, 2007 4:59 PM

Anything generated by an algorithm is, by definition, not truly "random".

Posted by: Ken at January 31, 2007 9:42 AM

Your remarks concerning odd named files- I (have) had one on my physical second Hard Drive D: - turned out to be a text files of a logging sequence.
I just deleted it, but did a Restore point beforehand- I have XP Home.
Thanks Leo, your answer helped.
I am a newcomer to your Newsletter.

Posted by: ezra BM at February 6, 2007 6:46 AM

Hmm...well, what if those Random Folders refuse to be deleted because they claim they are being used by a program even though there are no files inside? I can successfully remove all of those random folders except for one stubborn one which will probably remain for the remainder of the life of my computer. So annoying!

Posted by: Daniel at May 3, 2007 5:55 PM

Everybody runs into files or folders that you can't delete because they are in use or something. The program "unlocker" which you can get here: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/ takes care of that problem very easily. I use it regularly and recommend it.

Posted by: David at May 16, 2007 2:06 AM

have two folders on external drive E: Properties are:
E:\be0224887b466ec6b6ba11edbaa265\update\updspapi.dll
and
E:\eb99fa32721d7821dfea81e9\update\update.exe

I cannot delete these folders nor their contents, get Cannot delete (filename)ACCESS DENIED. They have been there for months. Unlocker does not work on them. Booted in safe mode, .. same problem. Have ticket open with Microsoft Support, but so far, nothing back from them. XP Home SP2.

Posted by: John Booth at May 1, 2008 2:33 PM

Nice and important article Leo , thanks.
John i think these files is necesary for Xp system , any way if you didn't like to be these folders visible in your drive , just make them hidden from the folders option for these folders "eb99fa32721d7821dfea81e9" "be0224887b466ec6b6ba11edbaa265"...
http://www.fosdir.com

Posted by: peter at July 28, 2008 1:58 AM

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