winsx directory in Windows 8?

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Does Windows 8 use a winsx directory the way that Windows 7 does?

The reason I ask is because since my most recent install of Windows 7 in January 2011, the winsx directory has grown to 13.8GB. There is also an ‘installer’ directory which is 6.3GB. The system32 directory is only 3.2GB. My ‘users’ directory is 22GB, but that looks reasonable considering Adobe Lightroom 4 stores its preview images there. The programs I use (9GB) are loaded on a separate partition. My Windows 7 partition totals 70GB, a large proportion of which comprises files in case something goes wrong.

This has increased my Windows partition image backup saving time from about 10 minutes in January 2011 to 35 minutes now.

So, is Windows 8 going to give me the same problem over time?

Thanks

Geoff

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The answer is probably yes.
There definitely is a “winSxS” folder area in windows 8, and it appears to be somewhat larger than I recall it to be in Windows 7.
Mine is a whopping 7 GB.

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Yes it does. Mine is presently at 7.11 Gb.

I suspect there must be more than the Winsx folder that has changed since 1/11 on your PC. How often do you clean out ALL the temp files, error logs, other logs, temp internet files, etc.?

I use a batch file to help with this clean up chore: Copy the following and paste into Notepad, then save as Cleanup.bat (Or some such .bat file) on your desktop

Code:

 @Echo off
cls
cleanmgr /sageset:1000
del /F /S /Q "%systemroot%temp*.*"
del /F /S /Q "%systemroot%Prefetch*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:Documents and SettingsDefault UserLocal SettingsTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE5*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:Documents and SettingsDefault UserLocal SettingsTemp*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:Documents and SettingsDefault UserLocal SettingsHistory*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:Documents and Settings%username%Local SettingsTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE5*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:Documents and Settings%username%Local SettingsTemp*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:Documents and Settings%username%Local SettingsHistory*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:Documents and Settings%username%Local SettingsApplication DataTemp*.*"
del /F /S /W "C:Documents and Settings%username%Local SettingsApplication DataTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE5
*.*"
::Rem: No need to duplicate the following section for each registered User
del /F /S /Q "%homepath%Cookies*.*"
del /F /S /Q "%homepath%recent*.*"
del /F /S /Q "%homepath%Local Settingscookies*.*"
del /F /S /Q "%homepath%Local SettingsHistory*.*"
del /F /S /Q "%homepath%Local SettingsTemp*.*"
del /F /S /Q "%homepath%Local SettingsTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE5*.*"
::Rem: the following line deletes the Virus Vault for AVG 2012 FREE anti-virus program.
del /F /S /Q "C:$AVG$VAULT*.*
del /F /S /Q "C:Users%username%AppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE5*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:Users%username%AppDataLocalTemp*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:Users%username%AppDataLocalHistoryHistory.IE5*.*"
cleanmgr /sagerun:1000
::Pause

This also runs the Windows cleanmgr on steroids. Select to clean everything. You can also use CCleaner to assist with this.

Do you hibernate your PC. If so the hiberfil.sys file will be large as well. It will most likely be the same size as your virtual memory. When I disabled hibernation mine was 3.5 Gb. MS shows how to disable hibernationhere.

Edit: I should have mentioned (forgive my oversight) as mentioned by others below, the sageset command in the third line only has to be run the first time. Afterward simply remove this line. Leave the sagerun at the end as it is. Also the :: pause can be removed if you wish to have the box close automatically when finished.

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Winsxs is there and it’s there for a reason. Fred Langa wrote two articles on it, and they obviously still apply:

http://windowssecrets.com/newsletter/web-filtering-keeps-you-a-little-safer/#story5
http://windowssecrets.com/langalist-plus/more-on-shrinking-windows-huge-winsxs-folder/%5B/url%5D

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Ted,

Just a note if you use [noparse]

Code:

 your code here 

[/noparse] tags it makes it easier to copy out the code into a text editor since it provides the Select button. :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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RG, Got it. I could not remember the actual tags to use. It has been changed.

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Ted,

I know the feeling I have a bad case of CRS! :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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I haven’t used Windows 8 long enough to see, but in Windows 7 I use cleanmgr.exe in conjunction with sagerun (after setting the parameters with sageset, which only needs to be run once) in the Task Scheduler to run nightly. I’ve kept an up-to-date copy of CCleaner just for the sake of comparison, and run it in Analyze mode from time to time. Cleanmgr leaves a bit behind, but the files left behind are files that I actually want to keep, anyway. CCleaner always finds about 440MB to 470MB of mostly Temporary Internet Files (which actually serve to speed up page load times) and some log files.

I never clean the registry except manually – I never use a registry cleaner and advise against it, regardless of recommendations or by whom. I’ve cleaned up the mess registry cleaners leave behind too many times for clients, to ever take them seriously.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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cleanmgr.exe is the way to go for cleaning this up. You’ll have the option to remove unneeded files relating to Windows Updates with the caveat that you’ll not be able to uninstall them later. [/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]

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