what is $ntuninstalkb886185$ in my windows directory?

Answer 1

Don't worry. It is not a malicious file. Whenever you install a Windows update patch, it also saves a uninstall program to go along with it. Why? Just in case if the Windows update patch cripples your computer, you can uninstall it. Lincoln Spector, from PC World, explains these uninstall program (http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,119281-page,1-c,upgrading/article.html):


Question:
After installing Windows XP Service Pack 2, I found folders inside C:\Windows with such names as "$NtUninstallKB810217$". Each holds more than 800MB of files. Can I get rid of them?

Ibrahim A. Al-Harun, Chittagong, Bangladesh


Answer:
When you update Windows 2000 or XP, the update program often saves uninstall information to a folder such as the ones you describe. If you're sure you want the update, remove its uninstall folder.

To see your PC's saved uninstall folders, open Windows Explorer to C:\Windows (in Windows XP) or C:\WINNT (in Windows 2000); you may need to click Show the contents of this folder. If you don't see any folders, select View, Folder Options, click the View tab, select Show hidden files and folders, and click OK.

The Windows Service Pack uninstall is in the folder $NtServicePackUninstall$ (see FIGURE 1). Others are named $NtUninstallKBnnnnnn$ or $NtUninstallQnnnnnn$ (each n represents a digit).

If the folder is more than a few weeks old, you can remove it without risk. You then won't be able to remove the associated update--not necessarily a bad thing. Read about updates before you remove their uninstallers at support.microsoft.com/?kbid=nnnnnn ("nnnnnn" is the six-digit number in the folder name).

To get rid of an uninstall folder, select it in Windows Explorer, press Delete, and confirm your decision. The uninstall may still be listed in the Control Panel Add or Remove Programs applet, however. To remove it, select the program and click Remove. An error message will ask whether you want to delete the entry from the list. Click Yes.

Answer 2

Some programs will leave a file like this in your windows directory in order to store temporary files to uninstall a program. It's very possible you do not have this program still on your computer at all... However, these folders generally take up very little space.

So, that's what it is, as for action against it... I'd probably just leave it alone, unless you go into the folder and it becomes obvious what the program is... If you don't have it, it's safe to delete.

Hope this helps!
Jason

Answer 3

It's a windows update backup. They are there in the case it don't work in your system, to uninstall the update and get the files more quickly instead of asking you for the Windows installation CD-ROM

Answer 4

Don't mess with these folders.
There are windows hidden folders to restore your computer to a previous working configuration in case of any problem.
Delete them with precaution (if you have plenty of them and they are old enough)

Good luck

Answer 5

That type of item is typically from a Microsoft patch or update.