How to reduce the size of the Windows folder (Win 7)

[Kelemvor]

So I just noticed that my Windows folder is almost 20 gigs in size. I ran a check and found the following:

Winsxs ~8gigs
Installer ~4 gigs ($patchcache$ ~1.5 gigs)
System32/DriverStore ~1 gig

Can I delete any of these folders or do anything to shrink them down at all? MY drive is close to filling up and I'm just trying to free up any space I can.

Thanks.

 

[ninaholic37]

I noticed something similar today. I installed some programs (like OpenOffice) to try them out, then uninstalled them because I didn't want to keep them, and my hard drive did not go back up to 264gb free! I checked the program folders to make sure they were gone, restarted my computer, even deleted a few other things, and it still said only 263gb free! This made no sense to me, since ideally installing programs then uninstalling them should be similar to not adding them to your computer in the first place... right?

Then I saw your thread, and am now also investigating what is going on here - and it seems the culprits may be the 3 areas you mentioned.

Here's an interesting page explaining why WinSXS shouldn't be deleted:
http://www.winvistaclub.com/f16.html

And another one about why Windows/Installer shouldn't be deleted:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2667628

The "System32/DriverStore/File Repository" seems to serve a similar purpose, from what I can tell.

So now I know, installing things then uninstalling them can create a big mess of shared/orphan files in Windows 7, where it seems almost impossible to filter out manually what can be deleted. Maybe I should just install things into a Virtual Machine to try them out there from now on, and if I end up really liking them I'll add them to my main system to avoid that extra Windows clutter (actually a Virtual Machine would be a great way to randomly delete folders to see if they have any negative effects on the system, as you could always just keep a backup of it and try again)...

edit: Ok, I managed to get my HDD back to 268gb free by deleting the mostly useless "System Restore Points". I guess that was the bigger issue (6gb saved of a capped 10gb) than my 4Gb Winsxs directory. Interesting:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/3187/disable-system-restore-in-windows-7/

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/3187/disable-system-restore-in-windows-7/

 

[6string]

I've ran into the same issue, from what I've researched the WinSXS folder should not be deleted

 

[Rezident]

I've had similar problems. For the issue with programs being installed then not fully uninstalled, I've used Revo Uninstaller with some success.

 

[Kelemvor]

Well, according to this KB: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2592038

You can run DISM /online /Cleanup-Image /SpSuperseded from a command prompt and it might help with the Winsxs folder. I guess I'll give that a try some time.

 

[Dahak]

that would help, but only for a machine that you have installed sp1 onto, if you installed it with sp1 integrated already it wont clean up much.

and the other issue is if for some reason you would need to remove sp1 you would not be able to, but in reality I never have seen a need to remove a sp

 

[Vampirrella]

has anyone just tried deleting the winsxs folder as a "test" to see what the real world effects would be after and if the OS would still function properly?

 

[JackMDS]

Maybe this can Help.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2795190

 

[Kelemvor]

has anyone just tried deleting the winsxs folder as a "test" to see what the real world effects would be after and if the OS would still function properly?

Fire up VirtualBox and see what happens.