WinSxs Folder consuming enormous disk space

Anonymous

My WinSxs folder under Windows directory is consuming 10GB of disk space. We all know that Windows root folder is the system root directory. What is WinSxs? Is there any work around to clear up the free space from this folder? If it keeps building up with this rate, I can see my primary partition being being full very soon. Is there anything that I can do to get back this disk space?

hrishi

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Anonymous

Hi Hrishz,

I’ve attached a link below that explains the purpose of the WinSxs folder:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa374224.aspx

You can use the Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) Files Removal Tool which has resulted in some people having more free space in the WinSxs folder. The downside is that after doing this you will be unable to uninstall SP1, you should have SP1 installed anyways so if this isn’t a problem proceed with the steps listed below:

1. Click Start

2. In the “Start Search” box type VSP1CLN.exe and then press Enter

3. In the command prompt that opens type “Y” for yes to perform the clean up

Here is a article about this:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc709655.aspx

You can also take a look at another post about this same issue in the forums, link below:

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistaperformance/thread/e473cda6-94d5-4e6a-9ce8-97cf876174a0

Hope this helps. : )

If you have any further questions don’t hesitate to ask.

Brian

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

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43 additional answers

Anonymous

2013-01-03T20:18:20+00:00

You can use the Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) Files Removal Tool

...

2. In the “Start Search” box type VSP1CLN.exe and then press Enter

There is no VSP1CLN.EXE in Vista SP2.

EDIT: Ah, but it does have its successor, for Vista SP2 & Win 7, COMPCLN.EXE, but that also does nothing.
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Anonymous

2013-01-02T05:10:43+00:00

I just found something I wrote about WinSxS a few years ago.

You can force a scavenging operation (to remove unneeded files) by adding or removing a windows feature in Control Panel - Programs and Features.

Edit

I found the source

http://blogs.technet.com/b/joscon/archive/2010/06/12/general-guidance-on-disk-provisioning-for-winsxs-growth.aspx

Makes the point that Vista doesn't automatically scavenge like Win 7. You need to do something to make it happen.

He also recommends reserving 40GB for the WinSxS folder.
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Anonymous

2013-01-02T00:31:17+00:00

I am beginning to think that Microsoft has stock in the drive companies. The answer seems to be to just install a sufficiently large drive so you don't notice it for a couple years, like at least a terabyte preferably larger. Or move all your computing to the cloud and just use your computer as a terminal. I wonder what Win8 will be like??? More bloat? I want my WinXP Pro back.
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Anonymous

2013-01-01T20:08:52+00:00

Holy **** a lot of you are ungrateful shits.. You're lucky you even have a computer and that Microsoft are even producing them. Instead of moaning and complaining at the people who make your life easier, get outside and do something productive to vent off your anger. It shouldn't take a 15 year old to realise that..

Sorry Xray, it was aimed at you.
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