Tips & Tricks How to Clean the WinSxS Folder

[Neville's Haze]

The WinSxS folder at:

C:\Windows\WinSxS

is huge and will continue to get bigger the more updates have been installed on your system. If you're using a build that updates read on. The WinSxS folder contains old versions and system components. This folder also contains files for uninstalled and or disabled Windows components. Component files elsewhere in Windows are links to files contained in the WinSxS folder. The WinSxS folder contains every operating system file, meaning any updates will increase the size of this folder. What this large folder does is allow you to uninstall updates which can be useful in the case of a bad update, however this feature is sparingly used. First visit the folder:

C:\Windows\WinSxS

If you're using Windows 10 and your folder is clean it should be around 7 gig. Programs like Windows 10 Manager and AusLogics BoostSpeed will clean this folder for you but there are others. Windows Disk Cleanup will do a average job but the easiest way to do it by yourself is in command prompt. To clean the folder it's a good idea to backup your system but it's not required. Note the size of the folder first, then open up an admin command prompt. Copy and paste the following command:

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

(hit enter of course)

After the above command runs use this next command (Note: be patient a large folder take time to clean!)

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

And then finally the third and final command

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /SPSuperseded

Note the size of the folder again and see how much space you saved!

 

[milec03]

Thanks

 

[RedDove]

I never knew there was such a folder, thank you.

 

[medicus]

Before cleaning it was about 7.5 GB, after cleaning about 6.5 GB. Is it OK?

 

[YouDummyZiggy]

using DISM++ can also do cleanup for WinSxS folder

 

[stelpal]

Worked fine. About 1.5Gb less.
Thank You very much!

 

[MniawY]

Thanks @Neville's Haze ?

 

[bboyduck]

mine is 122mb by default ^w^ !

 

[canardo]

mine is 122mb by default ^w^ !

Same here. Mine is 85 MB's

You must be registered for see links

 

[bboyduck]

Same here. Mine is 85 MB's

You must be registered for see links

Looks good ! where did you get that windows ?

 

[canardo]

Looks good ! where did you get that windows ?

It's my own custom build.

You can download from here:

You must be registered for see links

 

[dOpeify]

thanks for this

 

[amir123]

Thank You

 

[bboyduck]

It's my own custom build.

You can download from here:

You must be registered for see links

very nice !
is that your only OS (i mean did you build a custom win7 or 10 ?)

 

[vLaDv]

Thanks bro, i REALLY need to clean my WinSxS folder.

 

[Chuck]

Thanks for this. This is a function of DISM that I wasn't aware of.

If, like me, you want to know more about this function before using it then there's more info on docs.microsoft.com. I found all I wanted to know in the "Clean Up the WinSxS Folder " and "Determine the Actual Size of the WinSxS Folder" articles.

This command will give you a report on the state of your WinSxS folder:
Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore
The articles above tell you how to interpret its report.

 

[Vanzaia]

The WinSxS folder at:

C:\Windows\WinSxS

is huge and will continue to get bigger the more updates have been installed on your system. If you're using a build that updates read on. The WinSxS folder contains old versions and system components. This folder also contains files for uninstalled and or disabled Windows components. Component files elsewhere in Windows are links to files contained in the WinSxS folder. The WinSxS folder contains every operating system file, meaning any updates will increase the size of this folder. What this large folder does is allow you to uninstall updates which can be useful in the case of a bad update, however this feature is sparingly used. First visit the folder:

C:\Windows\WinSxS

If you're using Windows 10 and your folder is clean it should be around 7 gig. Programs like Windows 10 Manager and AusLogics BoostSpeed will clean this folder for you but there are others. Windows Disk Cleanup will do a average job but the easiest way to do it by yourself is in command prompt. To clean the folder it's a good idea to backup your system but it's not required. Note the size of the folder first, then open up an admin command prompt. Copy and paste the following command:

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

(hit enter of course)

After the above command runs use this next command (Note: be patient a large folder take time to clean!)

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

And then finally the third and final command

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /SPSuperseded

Note the size of the folder again and see how much space you saved!

How to do this ? By Connecting Internet or not connecting the internet ?

 

[Chuck]

How to do this ? By Connecting Internet or not connecting the internet ?

WinSxS is a Windows system folder on your PC. It's got nothing to do with the internet. You should be able to find it using Windows Explorer.

WinSxS is probably a system folder and may be hidden on your PC. If you can't see it then make sure that Windows Explorer is configured to show both system and hidden files.

If you don't understand what I just wrote, or you have never used the command promt, then I don't think that you know enough about Windows to be doing this. It is possible that you will do more harm than good.

 

[canardo]

very nice !
is that your only OS (i mean did you build a custom win7 or 10 ?)

Yes, the only OS I make only for personal use.

 

[djblake]

Thank you for sharing this information as it was exactly what I was looking for.