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I have a load of .msp files that i would like to delete, will this harm my system at all?

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A quick Google yielded the following File Extensions Resource page for .msp. However, a little more digging suggests you shouldn't delete .msp files.

My maxim for this sort of thing is: If you're unsure, don't do it. If you're brave (and understand the potential consequences), rename it and reboot!

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up vote 5 down vote

.msp files can be a couple of things but these are probably Microsoft update files. In general you should never delete anything inside the Windows directory unless you know what you're doing.

It's good that you asked first, because if you have to ask, or you don't know what the files are for, you delete them at your own risk.

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Can I fix that for you? "You should never delete anything inside the Windows directory, period." – Randolph West Jan 5 '11 at 16:52
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@Randolph - Hey, I had to purge a corrupted print spooler cache the other day. ;) But yeah, let me update the answer to be a little clearer. – Shinrai Jan 5 '11 at 16:53
I've voted you up. – Randolph West Jan 5 '11 at 16:55
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@Randolph - And just let me go on the record as stating that I do agree with you as advice for standard users. Unfortunately, I'm just too pedantic to state it across the board. :) – Shinrai Jan 5 '11 at 16:58
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You can often try moving the file to another directory or renaming it before actually deleting to see if it's something important. Creating a backup just-in-case is another good defensive tactic when changing things you're unsure about doing (like deleting files). – martineau Jan 5 '11 at 17:36
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