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Is "windows" folder supposed to be so huge?


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#1
tarinbansal

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Hi,
I have XP on one of my comps. It has 40 GB hard disk of which Windows folder alone occupies 21 GB. Is it supposed to occupy that much?? My vista's windows folder is only 6.1 GB, how can XP windows folder be so big? Can anyone tell me how to resolve this problem?
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#2
DragonMaster Jay

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Yes it can grow that large. When Windows Updates install updates for your computer, a growth in the Windows folder will occur.

How long have you had the computer? The longer you have the computer, the more space the Windows folder will occupy.
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#3
diabillic

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Windows Updates should not be taking up that much space.

Download WinDirStat here http://windirstat.in...rrent_setup.exe

This will give a graphical breakdown on what files are taking up the most space on your drive. Please post your results back here.
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#4
DragonMaster Jay

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Windows updates never appear huge, but when downloaded and installed, the files are expanded, and user data get applied.
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#5
DragonMaster Jay

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Guide to large folders in Windows XP
  • c:\windows\system32\dllcache\ -- DLL Cache
  • c:\windows\servicepackfiles\i386\ -- Service Pack Files
  • c:\windows\$Uninstall----$ -- Windows Update uninstall files
  • c:\windows\driver cache\i386\ -- Driver cache
  • c:\windows\help\ -- Windows Help Files (set amount)
  • c:\windows\inf\ -- Driver information files
  • c:\windows\srchasst -- Windows Search Assistant
  • c:\windows\downloaded installations\ -- Installer files for programs. Files inside can be deleted to save space
  • c:\windows\media\
  • c:\windows\system32\restore\ -- System Restore. Biggest folder, main reason why a lot of Windows folders appear huge. Clearing old restore points in Disk Cleanup will help out.
  • c:\windows\system32\usmt\
  • c:\windows\java

Running disk cleanup daily will help to keep free space high, and used space lower than average.
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#6
Broni

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21 GB in XP looks abnormal.
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#7
diabillic

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21 GB in XP looks abnormal.


I agree.

Awaiting results of WinDirStat, that will give us a solid understanding of what's eating up the disk space.
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#8
DragonMaster Jay

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right click My Computer > Properties > System Restore.

How much space is being used for System Restore?

I have saw System restore files total up to 30 GB before. Due to the amount of Windows Updates, and setting of Restore points, it may be overloaded. The setting in System Restore for space it is allowed to use should be set at 3 GB.
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#9
Broni

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WinDirStat will tell us, as soon, as the OP comes back.
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#10
diabillic

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right click My Computer > Properties > System Restore.

How much space is being used for System Restore?

I have saw System restore files total up to 30 GB before. Due to the amount of Windows Updates, and setting of Restore points, it may be overloaded. The setting in System Restore for space it is allowed to use should be set at 3 GB.


The default and recommended size is 12% of total disk space, not a set amount.
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#11
tarinbansal

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@cilix,
thanx for the software. Its really useful.
Installer folder in Windows folder is eating up my space. It contains 22.1 GB of .msp (windows installer patch) files. Is it supposed to contain such large space occupying files? Are they important for the comp? Can I delete them?
I also used this software on my another comp having vista. It has pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys files of 3.3 GB and 3 GB respectively. Are these supposed to be so big? Are they important for the comp?
Waiting for you reply.
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#12
Broni

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Those msp files are uninstallation files for various Windows updates, hotfixes, etc.
You can safely delete at least some of them.
Sort them by date, and delete all older then, say, 3 months.

As for the other computer...
pagefile.sys is the computer Virtual Memory (usually set to 1.5 times your RAM), and you need this file.
hiberfil.sys is hibernation file; its size, by default equals RAM size; if this is desktop, the file can be safely removed; how to: http://www.helpwithw...dows_Vista.html
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