Shrink that gigantic WinSxS folder down to size

[CLiNT]

Going a bit beyond the winSXS conversation

The Windows 7 Disk Cleanup utility when run as a simple batch with the sageset/sagerun command, as mentioned by northwood2222:

%SystemRoot%\System32\Cmd.exe /c Cleanmgr /sageset:65535 & Cleanmgr /sagerun:65535

Untitled.jpg
Will provide the option(s) of doing a deeper clean than that which would normally be effected from the use of Disk Cleanup
without the sageset/sagerun commands. This indirectly contributes to reducing the size of the SXS folder.
There is the option to remove Service Pack installation setup files if one had installed them in the first place, thereby
making any service pack permanent, and also indirectly reducing the SXS footprint.

I've run the above previously on many occasions, so that the;
"C:WindowsSystem32DISM /online /Cleanup-Image /SpSuperseded"
command seemed to have had little effect, if any at all.

DISM as a whole on the otherhand, sounds a bit more complicated. If I'm not mistaken in my readings regarding this, might it open up
a whole new way of tailor hacking Windows 7? Might it be possible to remove considerable bloat in terms of generic drivers support
that the operating system installs for compatibility purposes, many of which, once a system is set up, could be nit-picking-ly
removed if not needed. This is something that MS would never mention directly as it would obviously break the os and lead to
numerous support calls.

I still think that there is so much more that could be done to remove bloat overall in Windows 7 that DISM needs to be explored.
I invite Fred Langa to delve further into Deployment Image Servicing and Management.

[curiousclive]

His link for copying into a command prompt in win 7 64bit does not work at all says it is not a valid command or something like that. This is what I copied and pasted from the article:

C:WindowsSystem32DISM /online /Cleanup-Image /SpSuperseded


unfortunately when I open a command prompt it already has C:\users\XXXX> filled in and can not be deleted.

So does not work for win7.

[BATcher]

See if reading my post #3 (above) helps!

[BruceR]

unfortunately when I open a command prompt it already has C:\users\XXXX> filled in and can not be deleted.

That would be the command prompt.

Bruce

[northwood2222]

His link for copying into a command prompt in win 7 64bit does not work at all says it is not a valid command or something like that. This is what I copied and pasted from the article:

C:WindowsSystem32DISM /online /Cleanup-Image /SpSuperseded


unfortunately when I open a command prompt it already has C:\users\XXXX> filled in and can not be deleted.

So does not work for win7.

DISM does work on Win 7, but the command as shown in the article is incorrect.

However, on Win 7 you don't need to use the DISMal command, use the Disk Cleanup Program as described in an earlier post

Type Disk Cleanup in the Search Box
Select Drive C (that should be the default)
Tick the box that says Service Pack Backup Files
Click OK

job done

NW

[curiousclive]

DISM does work on Win 7, but the command as shown in the article is incorrect.

However, on Win 7 you don't need to use the DISMal command, use the Disk Cleanup Program as described in an earlier post

Type Disk Cleanup in the Search Box
Select Drive C (that should be the default)
Tick the box that says Service Pack Backup Files
Click OK

job done

NW

I wonder what the correct command prompt would be for win 7? As I am just curious as to what it does. If it only does what disk cleanup does then was a pointless article.

[ibe98765]

The SXS folder is not problem for me on WinXP SP3. It is only about 66MB. Hardly worth worrying about.

The real problem for me is the INSTALLER folder under the Windows folder. That beast is 5GB (4GB compressed), which is about 1/3 of the used space on my C: partition! This is criminal!!

Windows Installer folder.jpg

[BruceR]

The SXS folder is not problem for me on WinXP SP3. It is only about 66MB. Hardly worth worrying about.

The real problem for me is the INSTALLER folder under the Windows folder. That beast is 5GB (4GB compressed), which is about 1/3 of the used space on my C: partition! This is criminal!!

Did you see XP being specifically addressed in yesterday's newsletter?

► Windows XP uses an early version of the WinSxS subsystem. Among other things, XP does not store backups and safety copies of DLLs associated with Windows Update files in the WinSxS folder. Instead, it stores them in the normal \Windows folder. ...

More on shrinking Windows’ huge WinSxS folder

Bruce

[ibe98765]

Did you see XP being specifically addressed in yesterday's newsletter?

► Windows XP uses an early version of the WinSxS subsystem. Among other things, XP does not store backups and safety copies of DLLs associated with Windows Update files in the WinSxS folder. Instead, it stores them in the normal \Windows folder. ...

More on shrinking Windows’ huge WinSxS folder

Bruce

Perhaps you could state whatever it is you are trying to communicate more directly? Because as written, I have absolutely no idea what you are trying to say!

[BruceR]

Perhaps you could state whatever it is you are trying to communicate more directly? Because as written, I have absolutely no idea what you are trying to say!

It was a very simple and straightforward question, with a quote and link to very recently updated information, which was intended to be helpful.

If you're not interested in answering or looking, just ignore it.

There was no intended hidden comment.

Bruce

[ibe98765]

It was a very simple and straightforward question, with a quote and link to very recently updated information, which was intended to be helpful.

If you're not interested in answering or looking, just ignore it.

There was no intended hidden comment.

Bruce

If you had read my post, you would see that I stated that I was using Win/XP SP3. SO why are you asking your question and what does the answer do for you, one way or the other?

[BruceR]

If you had read my post, you would see that I stated that I was using Win/XP SP3.

I did and I did, which is exactly why I asked the question which for some totally obscure reason you don't wish to answer.

SO why are you asking your question

It was a polite way of referring you to additional information which you might have seen but probably hadn't judging by the context, thus the question rather than a statement.

and what does the answer do for you, one way or the other?

Absolutely nothing; which is why I said, "If you're not interested in answering or looking, just ignore it."


Bruce

P.S. Have you realized yet that I was trying to assist you? How can an informative link offend?

P.P.S. Would it help if I went back to my innocent question and underlined the word yesterday?

[ibe98765]

@Bruce - I suppose your posts are clear to you but they are obtuse to me.

I've told you that I am on WinXP, that my SxS file is small and of no concern and that my concern is the INSTALLER file.

Why can't you just come out and say whatever it is that is on your mind instead of beating around the bush?

[CLiNT]

Alright kiddies, let's keep things under control here.

[DrRon]

I need to step in here with a bit of trepidation, to follow up on the question regarding the Installer folder...
First, please understand that I have carefully re-read everything here and in the follow-on article.
Let me be as clear as I can about my question.

My Installer folder is 2.4 G.
It contains .5 G of $PatchCache$, which I expect I can delete since it is contained between the $'s, right?
The rest of the Installer folder is a collection of windows Installer package, patch, .rmi, script, icon, .exe, etc files dating back to 2005.

Now, my question is - can I just delete the entire contents of my Installer folder if I am happy that my XP SP3 system configuration is stable?
If not, perhaps just the cache?
If something in between, how do I figure out what stays?

Unless I missed it, my question wasn't specifically addressed in any of the previous discussion.