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; at the same time, previous versions are 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. BUT file managers of all stripes display the large size of the WinSxS folder, 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. Also, check storage size system components You can use 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 a 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 releasing 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, in the Scheduler Windows tasks 10 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 versions of Windows for a long time almost useless 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 simply be in use right now by the system), 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 a 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 with respect 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

The winsxs folder often causes a lot of negative reactions from users. Not everyone needs its functionality, but at the same time it takes up a huge amount of space on your hard drive. And the older Windows - the larger the size of the directory. Microsoft employees warn that you should never delete the directory, as this can lead to a complete breakdown. operating system. AT this manual considered the winsxs folder and the correct cleaning of this directory in Windows 7.

What does it contain

The winsxs folder contains information about all versions of all updates that were installed on your Personal Computer. Accordingly, the longer Windows served and the more often you installed updates, the more data will be stored here.

This was done in order to restore the system in case of an unsuccessful or unwanted update. Let's assume that during the installation process, you had a power outage, and the computer was urgently shut down. The wizard has already managed to write some of the data in the registry, as a result of which Windows thinks that the update is installed. But many files are missing, and attempts to access them lead to a system crash.

Or the update was installed successfully, but you are not satisfied with the changes that it brought. For example, it disrupted the activator, and your OS began to issue messages about the need to purchase licensed version. In these cases, you can simply uninstall the update and roll back the failed system change to an acceptable state.

Training

First of all, it is worth noting that simply deleting the entire directory or some of its internal elements is strongly discouraged. This will certainly lead to unstable operation of Windows. This applies to how standard way by moving to the trash, and using third party applications like CCleaner.

So how can you clean up this directory? To do this, you will need to install the optional update KB2852386 released by Microsoft in 2013. It is suitable for both x64 and x86. bit systems. You can connect this update through the standard Windows interface:

Cleaning Windows

Now you can enjoy the features brought by the OS changes:

Modern storage media have a significant volume (by the standards of system Windows files). Even on a very ancient and long-suffering OS with x64 architecture, the size of the described directory will not exceed 20 gigabytes. In other words, winsxs takes up very little space by today's standards.

Therefore, it is recommended to resort to the manipulations described in this manual only in the most extreme situations, when system disk packed to the bone, and there is absolutely nothing more to remove. In this case, the extra 10-20 gigabytes that you free up may be worth the ability to roll back Windows updates. And on young systems, under the age of two years, even 1 GB of records is unlikely to accumulate.

Many users, when detected on the computer windows folder winsxs, wondered what it is 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 you can only delete using this folder last option updates. "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. Moreover, in 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 Windows Recovery.

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 delete the directory completely, then the system will not find the necessary file at some point, and will not boot.

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 in the phrase Command line, as a result the same window will open;
• A window will open with a black background, this is the Command Prompt window;

<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.

Interesting characteristic feature 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 next 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 up this system folder. It, like the very first described method, involves the use of the command line. Proceed according to the following instructions:

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.

Often, when the free space on the hard drive runs out, users start looking for unnecessary files and folders on the computer in order to delete them. Some people's searches lead to C:\Windows\winsxs and the question arises how to clear the winsxs folder.

It is extremely important to know what is stored in this folder and what consequences can follow if you take its cleaning lightly.

Introduction

To begin with, it is worth understanding what it is for. We will talk about solving the problem on Windows 7, since newer versions of Windows have the system cleanup function by default.

winsxs is system folder, intended for storage earlier installed versions programs and components. Thanks to it, you can roll back to an older version of the update. On the one hand, this is very useful, on the other hand, the longer you use your OS, the larger the size of this folder will be.

CLEANING WINSXS

So is it possible to delete the winsxs folder? It is worth starting with the fact that it is strongly not recommended to delete this folder. Otherwise, you are provided with unstable system operation, errors, the computer may not boot and you will not be able to update the OS.

First of all, you need to install service pack 1 and KB2852386. This update will add to windows function disk cleanup. It is quite easy to do this and in several ways; The easiest way is to go to the official website microsoft.com, enter "update KB2852386" in the search bar of the site.

1. In the "Downloads" section, select "Update for Windows 7 (KB2852386)" and click download. After downloading, install it and go to step #2.

2. If you have not updated the OS for a long time, then you can use the "Windows Update7". After entering it, search for updates, then click on the text that shows how many updates were found, then click "Install updates".

• In the start bar search bar (or command prompt), type cleanmgr and run the application;
• Select drive C, and then in the window select "Windows Update Cleanup" (will only be available if there is something to delete).
• Click "OK", wait.
• Restart your computer.

The WinSxS folder has been annoying computer users for a very long time with its huge size and ever-increasing size. However, until recently, there were no safe ways to reduce its size. Attempts to remove some of its contents usually ended in computer instability or complete collapse systems. Now a safe way to reduce the WinSxS folder in Windows 7 has appeared. It is very simple and accessible even to a novice computer user.

Remove the checkmarks from all checkboxes except for the "Windows Update Cleanup" item and click the "OK" button. The WinSxS folder will be cleaned up after which you need to be sure to reboot. When the system boots up again, you can call up the disk properties again and see how much free space has become. The difference in readings before and after cleaning allows you to find out how much space has actually been freed up on your computer's hard drive.

Naturally, the WinSxS folder will remain, and only the old versions of the files will be deleted. And all versions are deleted except the penultimate one. This implies the conclusion that miracles should not be expected, some may not have anything to delete at all, someone will have several hundred megabytes deleted, but if the system has been installed for a long time and has been updated frequently, then most likely you can count on several gigabytes. By the way, in Windows 8, the ability to clear the WinSxS folder from old versions of updates has existed for a long time. Also users with a shortage free space on the disk it will be useful to familiarize yourself with this material.

If this method does not work for you, then we recommend that you read the comments to the article, you can also try installing update KB3185278, which promises improvements in the cleaning algorithm.

The drive that hosts the operating system must have enough free space for it to function well. The trend is to abandon hard drives and install low-volume solid-state drives, specifically for the operating system. SSD drives they cost a lot, and after installing Windows and a couple of programs on them, the place may come to an end. In such a situation, the user may stumble upon the WinSxS folder, which is located in the Windows directory. Its size can vary from a couple to tens of gigabytes. The question arises, is it possible to remove WinSxS and all its contents from the computer, and how to do this? In this article, we will try to figure it out and give detailed instructions.

WinSxS: what is this folder and why is it needed

Before deleting one of the folders located in Windows directory, it is necessary to understand its purpose. The WinSxS folder is present in any version of the operating system, higher than Windows 7. Its task is to store backup files of the operating system. Every time Windows is updated, backup files are saved to the WinSxS folder.

If Windows on the computer is not reinstalled for several years, the WinSxS folder can seriously “grow” in volume. Each operating system update adds several hundred megabytes of files to the folder. After a couple of months of running Windows, the size of WinSxS begins to exceed gigabytes, and after a year it can reach 5 gigabytes or more, depending on the frequency of updating the operating system.

The answer to the question "Can I remove WinSxS?" pretty basic. Files stored inside this folder should be deleted if the Windows operating system is stable after the update is installed. These files in Windows 10 may be needed not only to “roll back” to the version of Windows before the update, but also for.

Before proceeding with the process of deleting the contents of the WinSxS folder, you should be warned that you can only delete some data, and not the entire folder. That is why, to remove unnecessary information from WinSxS, you must use special Windows tools, which differ depending on the versions of the operating system.

Important: Under no circumstances should you try to delete the entire WinSxS folder, having previously obtained permission to change it from TrustedInstaller. If Windows does not detect the WinSxS folder when booting, the operating system runs the risk of not working.

On the Windows 10 operating system, deleting files from the WinSxS folder should be done with the utmost care, because, as noted above, some of them may be needed to reset the system to its original state. Based on this, it is necessary to determine which files can be deleted from WinSxS, and which ones are better not to be touched. In Windows 10, there is a special tool for these tasks that allows you to remove unnecessary backups from a folder, but without touching the system restore files to their original state.

Cleaning WinSxS in Windows 10 is done as follows:

Note: operating room Windows system 10 recommends cleaning up WinSxS when the folder size approaches or exceeds 10 gigabytes. If a folder is 5 gigabytes or less, in some cases, running a command to clear it may, on the contrary, increase its size.

In terms of deleting files from the WinSxS folder, the Windows 8 operating system is the most "friendly" to users. It can delete extra recovery copies using the method described above for Windows 10, but it also provides a special program for cleaning the system disk.

To remove unnecessary files from the WinSxS folder in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, you must:

This method of deleting extra backup files from the WinSxS folder is the most convenient, and it can be performed with any amount of extra information for restoring Windows and not worry that important items will be deleted.

The Windows 7 operating system out of the box does not provide for the ability to remove unnecessary information from the WinSxS folder. At the same time, it allows you to install a special program on your computer, identical to the one used to clean up temporary files in Windows 8 by default. The installation of the application is carried out automatically, but the user needs to give the appropriate command for this.

To install the WinSxS cleaner on Windows 7, you should:

When the Disk Cleanup program is installed, it remains to use it to remove unnecessary files from the WinSxS folder. Above, in the paragraph on considering the process of cleaning a computer on the Windows 8 operating system, it was described how to use this utility.

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

Often the data in it is large enough, because users want it. 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 operating systems. Moreover, in the latest version of the operating system, this folder also contains the files necessary to reinstall the entire OS. That is, it is from it that data is taken for.

Every time after , information about the changed files is saved 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 the latest updates the computer is working normally, all programs have been checked and no bugs have been 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. You do not need to download special utilities 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 is prohibited. 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 find the necessary file at some point, and will not boot.

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;
• Run 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 the combination msconfig in it;
• Press Enter on the keyboard or Run in the input box:
• In Windows 10, you can click on the Start button and type in the phrase, as a result, the same window will open;
• A window will open with a black background, this window command line;

• 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 has started to automatically clean up 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.

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 unnecessary files have been removed.

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 it is missing from many users, but it is it that adds the necessary function to the disk cleanup utility. By the way, on our website you can read detailed material on cleaning your computer:

Downloading the update

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

1. Open the control panel;
2. Go to item System updates(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 System Update Center 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;

1. Click on the item;
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;

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 hard disk cleanup programs. 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. Find the key, click on it;
3. A small menu will open in which you need to click on the section Purge updates(depending on the features of the system, this item may have a different name -);

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 section in the window that opens. Cleaning up system files;
5. Click on it and select a section from the list that opens. Clean up operating system updates;

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.