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Date: Sat, 07 May 2011 21:07:05 -0500
From: Weiqi Gao <weiqigao AT gmail DOT com>
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To: cygwin AT cygwin DOT com
Subject: Re: Is it okay to delete Cygwin (mirror) download directories?
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On 05/07/2011 07:32 PM, Olumide wrote:
> Hi -
>
> Over the years I've updated my gotten my Cygwin fix from a number of
> mirrors each one of which has left a massive download directory (in
> excess of 700Mb) on my hard disk. For example:
>
> ftp%3a%2f%2flinux.rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de%2fcygwin
> http%3a%2f%2fftp.uni-kl.de%2fpub%2fwindows%2fcygwin%2f
> http%3a%2f%2fftp.gwdg.de%2fpub%2flinux%2fsources.redhat.com%2fcygwin%2f
>
> Now I'm running out of HD space I'm looking to reclaim some of that
> space. Is it okay to delete some or all of these directories? I'm
> concerned that the Cygwin setup program uses one of these folders to
> determine what programs I've currently got installed.
>
> Thanks,

I routinely delete these directories without any ill effects.  The 
setup.exe program will recreate them and refill them up as new versions 
are downloaded and installed.  The only time you don't want to delete 
them is after you downloaded a bunch of updates but before you have 
installed them.

The setup program does not use these directories to determine what has 
been installed (as far as I understand, and I am a mere user of setup.exe.)

Give it a try.  What's the worse that can happen?  A messed up Cygwin 
installation?  You can always delete the whole thing and start over.

-- 
Weiqi Gao
weiqigao AT gmail DOT com
http://www.weiqigao.com/blog/

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