How to Reduce the Size of WinSxS in Windows Client and Windows Server [Tutorial]
22How to Reduce the Size of WinSxS in Windows Client and Windows Server [Tutorial]
Have you ever experienced that your physical or virtual disk is being consumed by a bunch of files inside of the WinSxS directory and you weren’t able to delete any of them, because you didn’t have enough permission, even with an Administrator account? Probably, you were.
In this tutorial we will talk about the WinSxS folder in Windows 10 and Windows 8.1, the reasons of its constant growth and ways to clean up it. The C:\Windows\WinSxS directory is the repository of Windows components. This directory contains DLLs, binary and XML files necessary for installation and operation of any Windows roles or features. When installing the Windows updates (usually this happens every month), the new version of the updated component is installed in the system, while the old one is saved to the WinSxS folder (it is necessary to provide compatibility and make it possible to roll back to the old versions of the components when you uninstall the problematic update).
The WinSXS folder at C:\Windows\WinSXS is massive and continues to grow the longer you have Windows installed. This folder builds up unnecessary files over time, such as old versions of system components.
This folder also contains files for uninstalled, disabled Windows components. Even if you don’t have a Windows component installed, it will be present in your WinSXS folder, taking up space.
Whenever you are updating your Windows operating system, it will download and store files at C:\Windows\WinSxS. According to Microsoft, previous versions of some components are kept on the system for a period of time, allowing you to rollback if necessary. After a period of time, these older components are automatically removed from the installation. But, we realized that this is not always the case, and you need to do it manually.
This tutorial will apply for computers, laptops, desktops, and tablets running the Windows 10, Windows 8/8.1, Windows 7 operating systems. Works for all major computer manufactures (Dell, HP, Acer, Asus, Toshiba, Lenovo, Samsung).