Winsxs backup can be deleted. Winsxs can be removed. Causes of Large WinSxS Folder Size

Good day. This week the site received a new record in terms of attendance - 5407 unique visitors per day, for which we thank you very much. Although I rarely write lately, the site is still growing :)

Now let's talk about our problem. What is this WinSxS folder? This folder is where the Windows Updates and Features file is stored. Why does she weigh so much? Hmm ... In fact, it weighs much less :) Files from the Windows, System32 folders are projected into this folder using , which is why everything file managers show such a large size - they do not see the difference between real files and symbolic links. Based on the same, it is highly recommended not to climb into this folder through the explorer and try to delete everything manually. There are a few standard means, which will help to safely and efficiently clean this folder. And by the way, as updates are installed, it is constantly growing, so it is recommended to periodically repeat these steps. By the way, I recommend using method #2.

Method number 1. Cleaning up Windows Updates using the Disk Cleanup utility (also works on Windows 7 SP1 with KB2852386 installed).

A very simple way and does not require any decisions from the user. But the evaluation of files works mediocre, it is wrong both up and down. But it doesn't really matter to us.

1) We need the "Run" utility, so press the key combination Win+R and enter in the opened window cleanmgr.

3) We are waiting for the assessment of free space and click the "Clean up system files" button.

4) Put a tick on "Clean up Windows updates". And click OK. The process of cleaning up the update files will begin.

But this way you can delete only part of the files, more accurate cleaning can be done using method number 2.

Method number 2. Clean up Windows Updates, Disabled Features, and Windows Cache stored in the WinSxS folder using the DISM utility. (I recommend)

This method allows you to clean not only update files, but also all other garbage from the WinSxS folder.

1) Open the command prompt as administrator, for this we press the keyboard shortcut Win+X and choose " Command Prompt (Admin)«.

Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore

As you can see, 4.77GB of the total occupied is in the Windows folder and is in no way superfluous, since these are the files necessary for the system to work. But here are backups (needed in case your system does not boot after installing updates) and the cache with temporary files can be cleaned. Well, carefully read the penultimate line " Component Store Cleanup Recommended: Yes". So let's move on to the next step.

Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

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In this article, we will discuss the situation around the WinSxS folder in Windows, why it keeps growing in size, and ways to control its size.

Directory C:\Windows\WinSxS is a repository of Windows OS components. It contains DLL files, binary files, XML files required for the installation and operation of any Windows feature. When are installed windows updates, new versions of Windows components appear in the system; wherein previous versions moved to the specified folder. This is done so that the user has the opportunity to roll back in case of any problems with the update, or to maintain compatibility with previous versions.

Without even looking at it brief description the purpose of the folder, you can understand that over time, an increase in the volume of the folder is inevitable. Moreover, this process is unlimited, although in its memory the WinSxS folders are larger than 20 GB I did not see.

The easiest way to reduce the size of a folder is to simply remove older versions remaining components and obsolete updates (not manually, of course). To do this, you can use the built-in system cleaning utility in Windows 10 or a special option of the DISM command (more on that below).

BY THE WAY

In Windows 7, the cleanup tool of the same name does not affect old updates. Default. To remove unnecessary updates in this version with cleanmgr.exe, update KB 2852386 is required.

Everything would be fine, but not everything is so simple. In addition to the described functions, the WinSxS folder is a real warehouse of hard ones, which are pointers to files, taking on all their functions. This means that the link and the file itself can have different names and be located in different directories of the same volume, while pointing to the same object. And file managers of all stripes display the large size of the WinSxS folder precisely taking into account such hard links that lie in this directory. The real size of the WinSxS folder can be found, for example, using a small program DU(Disk Usage) from Sysinternals. You can also check the size of the system component store using the DISM command:

Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore

Often on the forums, the question of manually clearing a folder is repeated. I will support those who are smart enough to protect users from erasing WinSxS content with a simple selection and key Delete. Often such actions end in damage to the system image, although sometimes (even rarely) such a removal “rolls”. But even if this happened, this method of freeing up space is highly discouraged. The main ways to clean up WinSxS are:

  • folder compression via NTFS compression
  • deleting old versions of components from their repository (remaining versions after installing updates)
  • removal of unrequired system components.

Applying all three options at once in the order described below, you can achieve good results in freeing up disk space. And, if you are a Windows 10 owner, start with the command in:

Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

Copes with it and cleanmgr.exe, also run as administrator. By the way, the Windows 10 Task Scheduler provides an operation similar to DISM. It overwrites outdated updates older than 30 days. Look for a task with a name StartComponentCleanup In chapter ~\Microsoft\Windows\Servicing.

Customize on demand or remove components

This "feature" appeared in new version Windows, allowing you to delete binaries of unused system features. And it's only available from DISM or using the DISM cmdlet in PowerShell. Also, keep in mind that the DISM command is not able to analyze dependency packages, as it was in the previous version with a similar capability. In general, after removing a package using only DISM, only the one specified will be removed. And the rest of the dependent packages will remain. Full list settings and functions in Windows image can be viewed by running the following command in the console:

DISM.exe /Online /English /Get-Features /Format:Table



For example, we are not going to use the invariably appearing in all Windows versions almost useless for a long time Internet Explorer . It can be removed from the list of functions and features, i.e. from exactly from the WinSxS folder, using this command:

DISM.exe /Online /Disable-Feature /Featurename:Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64 /Remove

Now in the list of available system functions, the status of this service will change to Disabled. However, this is exactly the case when the user must be sure of his actions. You should not turn off all Enabled functions for obvious reasons.

NTFS compression for WinSxS

The next option to reduce the size of the WinSxS folder is to apply to the . In this case, it is strongly recommended to insure the creation of a full-fledged backup systems. After creating it, we launch the console and stop a couple of services:

Sc stop msiserver sc stop TrustedInstaller sc config msiserver start= disabled sc config TrustedInstaller start= disabled

Let's stock up on a backup copy of the access lists assigned to folders and files (ACLs) in our directory using the utility icacls. An ACL backup is a simple test file that lists files and folders and their permissions.

Icacls "%WINDIR%\WinSxS" /save "%WINDIR%\WinSxS_NTFS.acl" /t

Let's become the owner of the WinSxS folder itself and the folders included in it:

Takeown /f "%WINDIR%\WinSxS" /r

Give your account full rights to this directory:

Icacls "%WINDIR%\WinSxS" /grant "%USERDOMAIN%\%USERNAME%":(F) /t

Compress the contents of the folder with a command from the terminal. Some of the files will not succumb to compression (they may just be in use by the system right now), so if you run the command without the /I flag, it will stop the process when it stumbles upon a locked file. You can find the name of the process that is working on this file ( ctrl + F) and stop it. However, it is worth focusing on compressing those files that are not used by the system:

Compact /s:"%WINDIR%\WinSxS" /c /a /i *

After we finish, it is better to delegate the rights received on WinSxS back to TrustedInstaller:

Icacls "%WINDIR%\WinSxS" /setowner "NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller" /t

We restore the original ACLs to the WinSxS folder from the previously created backup file:

Icacls "%WINDIR%" /restore "%WINDIR%\WinSxS_NTFS.acl"

And now we restore the autostart of services Windows Installer and Windows Module Installer:

Sc config msiserver start= demand sc config TrustedInstaller start= demand

You can check the size of the WinSxS folder:

In my case, with the help of compression, I managed to reduce the folder size by almost 4 GB. Not God knows what, however ... On one of the machines I have a small SSD - for him, even such an amount of space is serious. And, if you like this scenario, I can offer a replacement for the commands in this paragraph with this batch file:

Close before starting windows explorer. Before starting, unpack the file from the archive, unlock it in the properties and run as administrator. It will take a lot of time.

How will compression affect the operation of the WinSxS folder and the system as a whole?

Windows works with compressed files in the so-called transparent mode (data transfer mode). But data compression/decompression always takes time. And the user sometimes notices this: not all of us have a “modern stone” attached under the hood. But by the way, in the case of the compression function, to have powerful processor much more efficient than fast HDD- in some cases, I personally noted even an increase in speed when working with compressed files. So users of non-old computer models will not feel a slowdown, but owners of “oldies” should use the compression function carefully in relation to any compressed files and folders.

Removing old versions: cleanmgr.exe

Another reliable way free disk space (including in the WinSxS folder) is a cleaning utility cleanmgr.exe. In Windows 10, she can do a little more than the previous ones in Vista/7. We launch:

clear winsxs folder windows 7

If you notice that a significant part of your disk space is occupied by a strange WinSxS folder, then our article will be useful to you. We will talk about what kind of storage it is, why it is used and how to get rid of unnecessary components.

What is this WinSxS folder

The Windows SxS file directory can only be found on the latest operating systems. Windows systems A: Vista, 7, Server 2008 R2 and 2012 R2, and 10 and up. This folder contains components that are involved in servicing all system operations. In addition, it accumulates all subsequent Windows updates and file backups for the recovery process.

All this bulky structure is necessary for correct operation operating system, and it also gives you the ability to manage updates. For example, System Restore and are features that help users get their system back up without losing data when unexpected failures occur, such as low battery, applications installed incorrectly, or other damage to the computer.

It is the WinSxS folder that helps to make a backup to the state in which everything worked correctly and no system files were damaged.

The WinSxS folder is also a repository of NTFS components that have links to other Windows directories and together form a single file system OSes. This principle of data structure and management allows you to increase the performance of the device, as well as more efficiently use disk space. Therefore, despite the seeming large volume of the folder, a size of up to 10 GB is considered a normal state.

But over time, the folder still goes beyond the acceptable limits and can begin to affect performance. Therefore, from time to time, you still need to deal with cleaning the folder from unused components.

It is important to understand that the folder contains integral components of the Windows OS, so you cannot manually delete folders or individual files in it, as you can destroy important system connections.

How to find out how much space a Windows SxS directory takes up

If you decide to optimize the WinSxS folder, you can find it at:



The local drive letter may change depending on the OS installation on your desktop. But most often it is the "C" drive. By right-clicking on the folder, we select the "Properties" option. A dialog box will open in front of us, where on the "General" tab you can see the total size of the files.

In fact, the figure that the folder properties reflect is not entirely correct and is greatly overestimated. This is due to the fact that the properties consider not only real files, but also all links as separate file. For example, if a file named api32.dll is 600 KB and is located in the Windows/system32 folder, then Windows will consider the file to be 1200 KB on your hard drive.

To find out the real size of the folder, and also to understand whether it is worth worrying about clearing it, go through the following steps (this analysis option is suitable for later versions of Windows, from 8.1 and higher):

  1. Launch a command prompt, type Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore and press Enter.
  2. The analysis will open before you current state Windows SxS directory, where in the bottom line you will see the answer whether you should clean the folder or not. For example,

Component Store Cleanup Recommended: No

But you should not worry that the folder is growing and will soon greatly slow down the system. Microsoft has provided automatic cleaning of unused files. If you still want to take care of the speed of your PC or free up additional disk space, then follow these tips.

How to clean up the WinSxS folder

Method 1: Disk Cleanup

The developers of Windows 7 and above have provided an opportunity for users to rid the local disk of unused system components. To do this, follow these steps:

If for some reason the Start menu search did not find the Disk Cleanup utility, then you can manually install it on your desktop. Download update KB2852386 from Microsoft. It is usually included in the list of system updates, but is not required, so it may not be installed. This happens in Windows 7.

Method 2: Task Manager

The "Task Scheduler" option will help to reduce the size of the WinSxS folder in Windows 8 and higher. For this:


You can also call the task scheduler from the command line by running cmd with administrator rights and entering the command:

schtasks.exe /Run /TN "\Microsoft\Windows\Servicing\StartComponentCleanup"

This will schedule the deletion of files with a delay of 30 days. At this time, both new updates and previous ones will be stored.

Method 3: DISM.exe

This option is for advanced users when you are sure that the removed components from the WinSxS folder will not be useful to you. In fact, this is an improved version of the task scheduler from earlier operating systems. This method of freeing disk space is possible in Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016.

  1. At the command prompt, as an administrator, enter:

Cleaning is done without waiting 30 days, but within an hour.

  1. Adding the "ResetBase" parameter to this command removes all superseded versions of each component in the repository:

  1. The "SPSuperseded" option removes all backup components:

After this command, there are no old versions of updates that could be returned to.

As a rule, the methods given by us are enough to optimize the WinSxS folder. This directory is an important part of the operation of the operating system, and removing its components can stop Windows work and lead to the loss of your data. We advise you to follow these rules and do not use third party programs to delete files from this vault.

The size of modern hard drives personal computers can reach several terabytes, which is good news, but whatever one may say, they cannot stretch. And when there is not much space left on the disk, the thought of what to do next and where to put the content begins to disturb the user more and more.

With the user section, everything is simple. In the end, some of the files can be moved to some removable media. But what about the system partition? Alternatively, you can delete restore points, which is generally not recommended, as well as unused programs. The latter does not suit all users, and besides, the program to be removed must take up a lot of disk space.

In general, the logic is this - the larger the program, the more useful it is.

There is another way - to clear the "temporary" WinSxS system folder located in the Windows directory. If you have been using the operating system for a long time, you will surely find that its size is several gigabytes. There were users whose WinSxS weighed two dozen gigabytes. Removing the "junk" accumulated in WinSxS is also an option, but you need to approach it with extreme caution.

Clearing this system directory is not the same thing as getting rid of the contents of the TEMP folder. Why this is so, first let's find out what the WinSxS folder is and what it is for.

WinSxS what is this folder

The WinSxS folder first appeared in Windows Vista and contained information about the configuration of the operating system and its components. In subsequent versions of Windows, the purpose of the WinSxS folder, by and large, has not changed.

Yes, it has been optimized, but the files contained in it are still of considerable value to the system, and therefore deleting them with crooked hands can lead to sad consequences. The content of the WinSxS directory is represented by the old system update components that store system recovery information. configuration files, as well as hard symbolic links or Hard Links.

Despite the apparent uselessness, the old update components can even be very useful. If there are problems during the next Windows update, you can always roll back to older versions and thereby restore the normal operation of the system.

Now it's easy to see why the WinSxS folder takes up so much space on your hard drive. Its growth is directly proportional to the frequency of updates. Old system components are archived and copied to the WinSxS directory, which actually leads to its increase. In reality, its size rarely exceeds 15 GB. In addition, file managers, including Explorer, deceive you by overestimating the size of the WinSxS folder by about 40 percent.

These 40 percent are files of symbolic links that do not contain actual data, but only refer to them. "Real" files can be located in other system directories, for example, in Windows, ProgramData, etc. Firstly, deleting references to the WinSxS size will not affect in any way, and secondly, this again can lead to problems.

If you are Windows user 8, it is also worth considering whether there is any point in cleaning up this folder. The fact is that, unlike Windows 7, in the eighth version, the cleaning of "extra" files is performed automatically according to the specified settings of the task scheduler.

Cleaning up winsxs

Thus, it makes sense to clean up the WinSxS folder only in two cases. Either the WinSxS folder really took on "menacing" sizes, which is more typical for the seventh version of Windows, or you value every gigabyte so much that you are ready to risk the performance of your system. There are several ways to clean up the WinSxS directory. Easiest but not the most effective method is to use system utility cleanmgr, also known as Disk Cleanup. To run it, in the "Run" window, enter the command cleanmgr and press enter. Do you recognize?

winsxs cleaner - DISM

The other way is much more efficient. This time we will use the DISM console utility. Remove all versions of updates without waiting for the scheduled operation. To do this, run the following command from a command prompt running as administrator:

DISM.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

Another command is responsible for deleting archive files created during the installation of service packs. To do this, enter the following line on the command line:

Attention! After executing this command, you will not be able to remove already installed service packs and return to their old versions. By the way, you will receive such a message (as in the screenshot) if there is nothing to delete.

You can also remove old versions for each component. To do this, use this command:

DISM.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase

The consequences will be exactly the same as in the case of using the command DISM.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /SPSuperseded .

What else can be done to clean up the WinSxS folder. In recent versions of Windows, there is useful feature like enabling/disabling system components on demand. If you open the control panel, and then go to the "Programs and Features" section, you will understand what is at stake. Some of these components, even if not checked, are still present on the disk. You do not need to connect to the Update Center to download them, you can install them directly from the disk. So, they are just in the WinSxS folder.

If component files take up a lot of disk space, you can delete them. To do this, we will again use the already familiar DISM utility. Launch the console and enter the following command:

DISM.exe /Online /English /Get-Features /Format:Table

This will display a list of components, as well as their status. Enabled - enabled, Disabled - disabled. To remove a component from the system, use the following command:

DISM.exe /Online /Disable-Feature /featurename:NAME /Remove

Keyword NAME here means the name of the component. For example, we need to remove the Microsoft-Hyper-V-All module.

DISM.exe /Online /Disable-Feature /featurename:Microsoft-Hyper-V-All /Remove

Now if you run the Get-Features command again, you will see that the status of the feature has changed to "Disabled with Payload Removed" which means "disabled with removal of payloads".

Outcome:

As you can see, there is nothing complicated about this. We tested all the options described above, and found them to be quite effective and efficient. But the most important thing is that our actions did not lead to any negative consequences for the operating system.

Anything left in the WinSxS folder should not be deleted. And one moment. Do not use random utilities found on the Internet to clean up this folder.

As experience has shown, the use of such "cleaners" often led to a complete reinstallation of the system. Also, pay attention to the fact that you will not find the WinSxS directory cleanup function in any of the well-known optimizers.

Many users, when the windows winsxs folder was found on the computer, wondered what it was for?

Often the data in it is quite large, so users want to delete it to save disk space.

Can this be done, and if so, how?

Definition

What is this folder, what is it for and what files does it contain? Can it be completely cleared? After all, it is impossible to do this with the usual click on the Delete button.

This folder contains backup copies of all operating system files. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of such a folder, since it is from it that in case of problems the system makes its own elimination and recovery. The data that is stored in it is the data before the last update was installed.

That is, every time the user updates the system, data about file updates is written to the folder under discussion. These files themselves are saved there in their original form. Thanks to this phenomenon, it is possible to delete the changes made.

This saves the last valid copy of the material. That is, before installing the update for the first time, data about the original version is saved. But when installing the second update - the data after the first update (if it worked properly).

That is, it is important to consider that only the latest version of updates can be deleted using this folder. "Roll back" the program to the original version will not work. This can only be done by reinstalling.

By the way, with such functionality and under such a name, this folder is available only in Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 operating systems. latest version operating system, this folder also contains the files needed to reinstall the entire OS. That is, it is from it that data is taken for automatic recovery of Windows.

Every time after updating Windows, information about changed files is stored in this folder so that, if necessary, it is possible to roll back the changes made.

The essence of the problem and features of its solution

If the computer is actively used and updates are installed regularly, the folder can fill up very quickly. At the same time, its weight can become very significant - several gigabytes. It starts to take up a lot of disk space and the user may want to delete it.

Is it worth it? That's a moot point. If after latest updates the computer is working fine, all programs have been checked and no bugs were found in them, then a “rollback” of the system is not needed and the folder can be deleted.

But if there are difficulties and problems in the updated programs, then you should not clear the data store. And also, you don’t need to do this until you make sure that absolutely all updated programs work properly. Otherwise, errors may be found in the future, and you will have to reinstall the program, since it will be impossible to restore it.

You can clear the folder using the tools preinstalled in the operating system. Download special utilities is not needed for this. Thus, if the computer is working properly. Then you can proceed to this procedure.

It is very important to remember that deleting such a folder or even files from it in the usual way, forbidden. That is, by default, the system will not allow the user to do this. However, when installing special utilities and requesting special permissions (reminiscent of TrustedInstaller), it can still be removed.

If it is removed in this way, the operating system will no longer boot. This is due to the fact that some files from this folder are almost always involved in the download. If you deleted the directory completely, then the system will not detect at some point required file, and won't load.

How to reduce the size of the WinSxS folder in Windows. How to clear winsxs.

Why is the WinSxS folder growing? Every time after updating Windows, information about changed files is stored in this folder so that, if necessary, it is possible to roll back the changes made.

Cleanup using the command line

Deleting files and clearing the folder according to the algorithm below is safe for the computer. They won't do any significant damage. So in this case, only unnecessary backups are deleted, but not system files for download.

  • Log in as Computer Administrator;
  • Launch the Run function - you need to hold down the Win + R buttons on the keyboard at the same time;
  • A small Run window will open, equipped with an input field;
  • Write in it the combination msconfig;
  • Press Enter on the keyboard or Run in the input box:
  • In Windows 10, you can click on the Start button and type the phrase Command Prompt, which will open the same window;
  • A window will open with a black background, this window command line;

<Рис. 1 Командная строка>

  • In the input field, enter the combination Dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /AnalyzeComponentStore;
  • Press Enter;
  • The command starts the analysis of the data store, that is, the directory that you want to clear;
  • A notification will appear on a black background that the storage needs to be cleaned (this always happens);
  • Write in the input field the combination exe /online /cleanup-image /StartComponentCleanup;
  • Press the Enter button on the keyboard;
  • Now the system of automatic cleaning of the desired storage from all unnecessary backup files, while all the necessary boot data is saved;
  • As soon as the process is completed, the system will notify you.

<Рис. 2 Очистка завершена>

You can now exit the Command Prompt application and restart your computer. Check the contents of the folder. Now its "weight" should be much lower, since all possible junk files retired.

An interesting characteristic of this approach is that this method should not be used too often. Otherwise, it may slightly increase in "weight" if there are no backup copies of updates in it. That is, you need to clean up only when the contents of the directory are very significant (the amount of content within 7 GB is considered normal and does not adversely affect the system).

Cleaning with a utility

Cleaning this directory in this version of the operating system has some peculiarities. In order to produce it, you need to install update KB2852386. It is not mandatory, because many users do not have it, but it is it that adds the necessary function to the disk cleanup utility.

Downloading the update

How to install such an update? Proceed according to the following algorithm:

  1. Open the control panel;
  2. Go to the System Updates item (you can do this by simply finding such an item through the search engine in Explorer, you can also find it through the search in the Start menu);
  3. Having opened the System Update Center in one way or another, click on the Search for updates button, which is available in the window that opens;
  4. Wait for a while until the search is completed;

<Рис. 3 Центр обновлений>

  1. Click on Optional Updates;
  2. Scroll the list to the side to see the endings in the names of the updates (this is where their numerical and alphabetic designations are located);
  3. Find the update with the corresponding number;

<Рис. 4 Выбор обновлений>

  1. Click on it and install the update;
  2. As soon as the system notifies you that the download and installation is complete, close all windows.

After that, you need to restart your computer. Now the changes have taken effect and you can move on to deleting unnecessary data from the catalog.

Cleaning up in Windows 7

After the computer has been restarted, excess data from the storage can be deleted using special cleaning programs. hard drive. It is through it that all operations with the system files in this OS are done.

Do the following:

  1. Open the program to clean up the hard drive (to launch it, use the search in the Start menu);
  2. Locate the Clear key system files, click on it;
  3. A small menu will open, in which you need to click on the Cleanup updates section (depending on the features of the system, this item may have a different name - Update backup files);

<Рис. 5 Работа в Windows 7>

  1. Click the OK button and wait for the deletion to complete, which the system will notify you about.

Restart your computer and check the properties of the WinSxS folder. Its volume should decrease very significantly, sometimes almost twice.

Cleanup in Windows 8, 8.1

In these versions of the operating system, the cleaning utility is included in the standard update package that must be installed. That is, you do not need to download anything additional. To clear the data store, use the following instruction:

  1. Open the Start menu;
  2. Start typing "disk cleanup";
  3. As soon as the corresponding utility appears in the list of search results, launch it with a mouse click;
  4. Find the Clean up system files section in the window that opens;
  5. Click on it and in the list that opens, select the section Clean up operating system updates;

<Рис. 6 Манипуляции в Виндовс 8>

  1. Wait until the OS notifies the user that the cleanup is complete, and then restart the device for the changes to take effect.

As in the previous cases, after checking the properties of the folder, it will become obvious that the number of files in it has decreased significantly.

Features of Windows 8.1

Exclusively in this operating system, there is another way to clean this system folder. It, like the very first described method, involves the use of the command line. Act according to next instruction:

  1. Log in under account Administrator (otherwise the method will not work);
  2. Launch the Command Prompt using one of the methods described above, or by simultaneously pressing the Win and X keys;
  3. In the menu that opens, find the item Command Prompt (administrator) and click on it;
  4. In the Command line input field, write the combination dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase;
  5. If you print the combination dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore, you can find out exactly how many megabytes it takes up the "problem" directory, that is, how much it has;

<Рис. 7 Работа в Виндовс 8.1>

  1. Next, press the Enter button on your keyboard.

The cleaning program has started. Since as soon as it ends, that is, all files will be deleted, the disappearance of which will not harm the system, the Command Prompt window will notify you that the cleanup is complete. Now you can close this window and restart your computer.

After checking the properties of the catalog, it turns out that its weight has significantly decreased. This method is absolutely safe. But, like the first method, you should not use it too often, as this can even lead to an increase in the weight of such a data archive.

Automatic removal

To prevent the amount of storage from growing uncontrollably, it is recommended to configure the self-cleaning function in it of unnecessary documents, files and data. To configure this feature, you will need the operating system task scheduler.

Find the Task Scheduler application using the Start Menu Finder. Launch the application. In the list on the right side of the window, select the Create a simple task section.

<Рис. 8 Автоматическая очистка>

Generate a StartComponentCleanup task in the Microsoft\Windows\Servicing branch. Set the time interval as desired, but not too frequent. Click OK and restart your device for the changes to take effect.

<Рис. 9 Создание задачи>

Cleaning up the #WinSxS folder

Most frequently asked question Windows 10: How to #clean up the WinSxS folder. The fact is that during the component update process, Windows does not remove previous versions. This is necessary so that, if necessary, it would be possible to roll back the updated components. Because of this, the disk fills up quickly and needs to be cleaned periodically. In no case should you delete the WinSxS folder! In the video I talk about two ways to clean the Windows WinSxS folder.