Can Server updates (KB*.*) on SBS 2003 be moved to a different partition?

the files contained within the NtUninstall folder tells your computer how to uninstall the a Windows update that you have downloaded and installed. Each folder has a specific name ending in the name of a particular Windows update.

If you were to go to add/remove programs and select a Windows update to uninstall, the information on how to run this process would come from the corresponding $Ntuninstall folder.

Some of these files are also related to what Microsoft refers to as "hotfixes" and they can be removed if you aren't planning on rolling back from a hotfix, though it's not entirely obvious which update is which.

To summarize, you can delete these folders, just as long as you are sure as you don't want to uninstall that particular Windows update. Your best bet would be to keep them, but if your are desperate for hard disk space wait for a week or two to insure that the updates you have installed are running fine, and then you can delete the corresponding NtUnistall  folder safely.

Yes, we can try to delete or archive the history of updates by below procedure.

Delete Windows update files

Warning If you delete the folder for each update, the corresponding Windows update cannot be uninstalled. Consider the effect that this will have on the computer before you delete the Windows update files.

To delete Windows update files, follow these steps:

   1. Delete only those %Windir%/$NtUninstallKB number$ folders that were created more than a month ago as backup files for Windows updates. Do not delete those that were created within the last 30 days.
   2. To delete the download cache for Windows updates, delete all the folders in the %Windir%\SoftwareDistribution\download folder that were created more than 10 days ago.
   3. Delete the following log files in the %Windir% folder:
          * kb*.log
          * setup*.log
          * setup*.old
          * setuplog.txt
          * winnt32.log
          * set*.tmp

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/956324

Do NOT delete the $hf_mig$ folder anyway!

Manually removing the entries from Add or Remove Programs

    * Click Start, Run and type regedit.exe
    * Navigate to the the following key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Uninstall

    * Backup the branch by exporting to a file.
    * Select the appropriate sub-key (denoted by the update ID) and delete the key.
    * Close Registry Editor.

What about moving all the actual update folders which start with KB under windows\$hf_mig$? I am guessing they are the actual updates not the uninstall information so I presume they have to stay. I am not clear on whether when installed they dropped the updated dlls and such elsewhere or if in fact they must remain as is. Thanks for all the help on this.

IF you need space, please see http://www.lwcomputing.com/tips/static/bootdrivesize.asp - it contains nearly 2 dozen things you can do to get more disk space on a 2000/2003 server.

You can move or delete your kb it's only needed if you uninstall hot fix/patches

It can easily free about 500-600 mb

Before I close this thread I want to be sure I understand. The path c:\windows\$hf_migs has subfolders "$ntUninstallKB*******" and subfolders "KB*******". I understand that the  "$ntUninstallKB*******"  folders can be moved or deleted provided I do not want to uninstall an update but I am still not clear if I can move or delete all the  "KB*******".  folders. Sorry to be so dense but I cannot afford to break this server but do need space. Thanks to all who have replied for your help. I have used some of the other suggestions which have helped. If I can in fact delete the  "KB*******".  folders I will have bought a lot of time.

Do NOT delete the $hf_mig$ folder anyway! Or Any subfolder !

Delete only those %Windir%/$NtUninstallKB number$ folders

So only delete c:\Windows\$NtUninstallKB?????$ folders

They aren't suppose to be in $hf_mig$ folder