KB948109 installed files on USB drive - cannot remove them

I recently noticed a new directory (73a4f0bd8b20f485ea23c458) installed on a
USB drive.
The contents and dates are a 100% match for C:/windows/SQL9_KB948109_ENU
KB948109 is a Security Update for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2.

I need to delete these files - they interfere with the operation of tools
that operate on data stored on the USB drive.
However, I have tried everything I can think of to delete this unwanted
directory, without success. Ideas anyone?

These are some of the things I have tried. Evry attempt to delete the files
result in an error message that they are in use or write-protected:
- tried to delete the files
- tried to delete them in SAFE mode
- uninstalled SQL server and tried to delete the files
- stopped as many services as I could think of and tried to delete the files

Eventually, I reinstalled SQL server, hoping (against hope) that I would be
able to delete the files afterwards.
I now have TWO copies of this unwanted directory!!!

Can anyone help me to delete them?

The directory was created on the USB drive because there was not
sufficient space available to unpack the update to a temporary staging
area on the root drive.
You need to take Ownership of the temp folder/files in order to delete
them now.

How to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421


Vista - I installed a new version of Windows and now I can't open a folder
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...973031033.mspx

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============


pspinks wrote:

> I recently noticed a new directory (73a4f0bd8b20f485ea23c458) installed on a
> USB drive.
> The contents and dates are a 100% match for C:/windows/SQL9_KB948109_ENU
> KB948109 is a Security Update for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2.
>
> I need to delete these files - they interfere with the operation of tools
> that operate on data stored on the USB drive.
> However, I have tried everything I can think of to delete this unwanted
> directory, without success. Ideas anyone?
>
> These are some of the things I have tried. Evry attempt to delete the files
> result in an error message that they are in use or write-protected:
> - tried to delete the files
> - tried to delete them in SAFE mode
> - uninstalled SQL server and tried to delete the files
> - stopped as many services as I could think of and tried to delete the files
>
> Eventually, I reinstalled SQL server, hoping (against hope) that I would be
> able to delete the files afterwards.
> I now have TWO copies of this unwanted directory!!!
>
> Can anyone help me to delete them?

Thank you MowGreen. Your recommended action was the right one, and I
successfully deleted the rogue directory. I did try SAFE mode previously,
but hadn't realised that it was necessary for the Admin account to explicitly
take ownership of the files first, nor had I realised that a user account
with Admin privileges would not be able to perform the clean-up.

I'm still curious about the cause however. There were 23.5GB free on the C:
drive, and the files take up less than 10MB when unpacked, so lack of space
shouldn't be a problem. The update was installed using an account with Admin
privileges, not by the Administrator account, but other KB updates were
successfully installed from the same account at the same time with no
problems. Maybe I need to read up more about Admin privileges.

You're mowst welcome. IF there is more free space on the USB drive than
that's where the updates will be staged from. That's what you just
deleted, the staging area files. They should have been deleted when the
system rebooted but the USB drive may not have been 'online' in time for
the cleanup after the reboot.
A User Account with Admin privileges is sufficient to install updates,
there's no need to log on as *the* Admin.

A workaround would be to disconnect the USB drive prior to updating or,
ensure that there is more free space on C:\ than the USB drive.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2009]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============


pspinks wrote:

> Thank you MowGreen. Your recommended action was the right one, and I
> successfully deleted the rogue directory. I did try SAFE mode previously,
> but hadn't realised that it was necessary for the Admin account to explicitly
> take ownership of the files first, nor had I realised that a user account
> with Admin privileges would not be able to perform the clean-up.
>
> I'm still curious about the cause however. There were 23.5GB free on the C:
> drive, and the files take up less than 10MB when unpacked, so lack of space
> shouldn't be a problem. The update was installed using an account with Admin
> privileges, not by the Administrator account, but other KB updates were
> successfully installed from the same account at the same time with no
> problems. Maybe I need to read up more about Admin privileges.

"pspinks" wrote:

> I recently noticed a new directory (73a4f0bd8b20f485ea23c458) installed on a
> USB drive.
> The contents and dates are a 100% match for C:/windows/SQL9_KB948109_ENU
> KB948109 is a Security Update for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2.
>
> I need to delete these files - they interfere with the operation of tools
> that operate on data stored on the USB drive.
> However, I have tried everything I can think of to delete this unwanted
> directory, without success. Ideas anyone?
>
> These are some of the things I have tried. Evry attempt to delete the files
> result in an error message that they are in use or write-protected:
> - tried to delete the files
> - tried to delete them in SAFE mode
> - uninstalled SQL server and tried to delete the files
> - stopped as many services as I could think of and tried to delete the files
>
> Eventually, I reinstalled SQL server, hoping (against hope) that I would be
> able to delete the files afterwards.
> I now have TWO copies of this unwanted directory!!!
>
> Can anyone help me to delete them?