Windows 10: SoftwareDistribution Folder

]I just found where all my updates were located. However there are lots of folders and files.
Can I safely delete them as they take up lots of space?
The figure below shows how much is in the folder.
Thanks for any help.





:)

 

Windows update folder SoftwareDistribution corrupted

Use the Following tutorial to Reset Windows updates completely and check if it helps:

Reset Windows updates

Make sure to run the script as an administrator.

 

Windows update folder SoftwareDistribution corrupted

I was facing high RAM usage issue. I browsed a lot online. I read about deleting the SoftwareDistribution folder inside C:\Windows. I hurriedly selected all inside the folder and pressed delete. Some files could not delete as they were said to be in use.
However, i went back to the website i was looking and it had clearly told to first stop the windows update service before attempting to recreate the SoftwareDistributionfolder. I did not do that in the first time. So i decided to repeat this process. I first
went to Services app in windows 10. Then chose Windows Update service and i tried to stop it but got an
Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.

I then decided to see check for updates in windows in hope that this will recover the corrupted update services. But the update seems stuck at 9 % forever. I am afraid that my Windows Update service has been corrupted. Can someone please help me to
stop and start the Windows update service and rebuild the SoftwareDistributionfolder
folder correctly?

 

You didn't get the image uploaded. Use the Go Advanced button just below the text box when you Edit your post.

 

Could not see "use advanced button
Thanks for help

 

Sorry, the Go Advanced is when you create the message. For the Edit scroll on down and choose Manage Attachments. Takes a bit of looking around on a page to find all the information.

 

Finally got the attachment into my message. Hopefully someone cant have an answer for me.
Thanls

 

You mean exactly C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Downloads contents inside download folder ? Can safely delete these, always do so number of days after installing updates. Also Use Disk Cleanup.

 

Yes that's exactly what I mean. Is it safe to delete all the folders and files inside the
C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Downloads folder.

 

Yes, it is ! Do a Disk Cleanup also.

 

Just wondering if it is necessary to stop the "Windows Update Service and the Background Intelligent Transfer Service" before deleting the contents in the "Download" folder as I have seen this in another article, where the writer stops these services before deletion, then starts them up again all via command prompt.