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Installer Folder is HUGE... msizap no longer available from Microsoft.


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#1
MajorFaversham

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I've notice over the course of the past few months I kept getting error messages concerning failed updates to XP. I determined that these were failing due to low disk space. I have my Dell Vostro 1500 250 G HD partitioned into 20 G for C: drive and 230 G for D: drive (although properties of D: states it only has 210 G). All of my data files and programs that would allow me to install them on D: drive are there. I was comparing my Windows folder on C; drive is 16 G and further investigation reveals that the Installer folder is 10 G by itself.

Everything I've found concerning correcting this problem, including in this forum talks about how easy and wonderfully msizap corrects the problem. The only problem is that all links point to the msdownloads section which states that msizap is no longer available for download. MS apparently found that msizap zapped too much.

I tried going through the different resolution methods offered by MS to no avail. Any ideas on how I can clean out the orphans from my Installer folder now that msizap is no longer available?

TIA,
Major
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#2
SpywareDr

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MsiZap.exe is part of "Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1"
http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en

Here's a direct link to the download: http://download.micr.../winsdk_web.exe

Once I installed on this XP Pro box this morning, the MsiZap.exe file ended up in a folder named "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0\Bin":

Directory of C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0\Bin

07/14/2009  10:10 PM           111,936 MsiZap.Exe
               1 File(s)        111,936 bytes
               0 Dir(s)  157,814,419,456 bytes free


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#3
Macboatmaster

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The link below is still live, I have just checked.
My advice is DO NOT USE IT. - mzizap
I doubt very much that this is the cause of the problem
I would recommend:
1. A scan with Malwarebytes. Pls note I am not authorised for advice if Malwarebytes finds anything, but you can then of course go to the Malware Self Help and take it from there.
2. I would if Malwarebytes reports no infections, run a standard disk cleanup on XP, ATF cleaner, SuperAntispyware or similar.
3. Backup all possible and then increase the size of the partition on C drive
I strongly advise against even the restricted version of Msizap in the attached link to MajorGeeks, provided with the Microsoft Installer Cleanup Utility.



How to get it
Msizap is included with the install of the Microsoft Installer Cleanup Utility. It's a much smaller download than other things that contain it (developer kits, etc.) Install the Microsoft Installer Cleanup Utility after downloading it from a trusted source (at the time of this writing it has been taken down from www.microsoft.com/downloads).

http://majorgeeks.com/Windows_Installer_CleanUp_Utility_d4459.html


Open a command prompt and navigate to the installation directory under c:\Program Files (where msizap is located).

Don't run msizap without knowing what options you want to run it with (for a list of options run msizap /? first).

Edited by Macboatmaster, 06 October 2010 - 12:26 PM.

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#4
Macboatmaster

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Carrying on from that here is a copy and paste
""I'm being unnable to make a complete virus scan to my HD (160 GB, with around
50% of free space), because after more than 24 hours of scan, Norton Internet
Security 2007 is still counting files (more than 9.000.000 !!!). For example,
I've noticed that for the folder C:Windows\Installer, it counts more than
5.000.000 files!
Does anyone knows why is this? or what to do?""

I've also run into this problem myself on several of my customer's computers and found this folder( c:\windows\installer\*.*) to be infected.
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#5
MajorFaversham

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Macboatmaster --- sorry for the delay in acknowledging your posts. I will use the steps you've recommended. I consistently scan once a week with Spybot S&D and have yet to uncover any infections. I'll try the Malawarebytes route and post the results.

Thanks
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