We remove excess computer junk manually. How to clear the delete folder on

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The programs that we regularly install on the computer, during their operation, create temporary files in it designed to extract data or archive them, simple distribution kits of programs, and even step-by-step saves work text editors. To prevent them from hanging around in confusion all over the computer, the programs that create them determine the location of such files in the Temp folder.

Theoretically, after work on programs is completed, such files should be deleted on their own, but this does not always happen. Remember how often, in an attempt to resurrect a frozen system, you pulled the plug from the socket or incorrectly disabled a running program?

Such actions in relation to our computer cannot take place without a trace: temporary files are “collected” in it constantly and overload the Temp folder, which is already filled to the top.

And since we all know that free space- one of the keys to success efficient work PC, then the Temp folder overloaded with “garbage”, accordingly, constantly slows down operational processes. Therefore, we will consider the question - how to clean the Temp folder?

Step One: Search for Temp Folders

There may be several similar file storages on a PC, but most often we have only two Temp folders. One is located in the Windows folder, namely: in system partition PC, the second one can be easily found in the user profile by turning on hidden displays folders. So, in Windows 7 you need to follow the path: Drive C: Users folder— Username — AppData — Local

If for some reason you do not find the Temp folder here, seek help from your trusty friend “Search” and the “Run” command. In the window that appears, simply enter the command %TEMP%, and it will automatically open before your eyes.

Stage two: making it more convenient

If there is a need to make working with folders more convenient, then both Temps with the temporary files stored in them can be combined into one or a completely new one can be created in another place convenient for you. Go to the Start menu, click on Computer and open system settings.

In the window that opens, change the path to the entered TEMP and TMP addresses to the created or selected folder. This is easy to do: left-click on each variable, then use the “Change” function and enter a new folder path.

Confirm your selection with the "OK" key. As a result, you will get one folder storing temporary files in a place convenient for you.

Stage three: cleaning the Temp folder without harming the system

If you still have a question: “Is it possible to delete the Temp folder?”, We hasten to warn you that this is absolutely forbidden. But it must be cleaned regularly to free up disk space for work.

The easiest way to do this is to select the entire contents of the folder and delete it manually. However, if some of the files in it are involved in work (the system will warn you about this using pop-up windows), you will not be able to delete such files.

You can get rid of the “indigenous residents” only by calling for help from special utilities, such as: Ccleaner. However, if there are few such files in the folder, then the easiest way would be to leave them alone and not touch them for the time being. Keep in mind: such robot assistants can also remove files from your computer that should not be removed under any circumstances. That is why developers include in cleaning programs the ability to create backup copy files.

Now let's look at the second method of cleaning the Temp folder, which is not inferior to the first in either efficiency or simplicity. So, in Windows 7 you will find special service called “Disk Cleanup”: it is located in the Start Utilities and allows you to delete those temporary files that have not been used by the system for more than a week.

To do this you need to follow a few simple steps.

First, go: From the Start menu to Computer.

Right-click the system drive (usually the C:\ drive) and check “Properties”.

Place a checkmark next to the “Temporary files” item. After clicking Ok, a small window will appear that will “ask” you if you really want to do this. Just confirm your intentions.

If you want to try manually deleting temporary files, you will first need to find them yourself.

We remind you that if you have not previously combined the Temp folders into one, then they are located either here:

And here: drive C:\Users\Name account\AppData\Local\Temp

There is another way to find Temp folders. Press the hot keys “Win + R”, open the “Run” window, enter the command “%TEMP%” and click Ok. The folder C:\Users\Account Name\AppData\Local\Temp will open

There is another option that allows you to clear the Temp folder.

Go to notepad and write there next command: rmdir /s /q %temp% Save the document under some name. For example clean.bat

When you run this shortcut, the Temp folder will be cleaned up on its own. You can even customize it automatic cleaning, which will start immediately when you turn on the computer. To do this, simply add the file to startup.

Now temporary files will not clog the system drive “C” and interfere with its operation. And this is, in fact, what we achieved, and you don’t have to manually clean out the Temp folders

Many users, when the windows winsxs folder was discovered on their computer, wondered what it was 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 kind of folder is this, what is it for and what files does it contain? Is it possible to clean it completely? After all, do this by simply pressing Delete button impossible.

This folder stores 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 independently eliminates and restores them. The data that is stored in it is the data before the latest update was installed.

That is, every time the user updates the system, data about file updates is written to the folder in question. These files themselves are saved there in their original form. Thanks to this phenomenon, it is possible to delete the changes made.

This preserves 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. It is not possible to “roll back” the program to its original version. This can only be done by reinstalling.

By the way, with this functionality and under this name, this folder is available only in the operating systems Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10. Moreover, in latest version operating system, this folder also contains the files necessary to reinstall the entire OS. That is, it is from it that the data for automatic recovery Windows.

Every time after updating Windows, information about modified files, 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 begins to take up a lot of disk space and the user may want to delete it.

Is it worth doing? That's a moot point. If after latest updates the computer is working normally, all programs have been checked and no bugs were found in them, then a system “rollback” 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 storage. And you also don’t need to do this until you are sure that absolutely all updated programs are working properly. Otherwise, errors may appear 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 tools preinstalled in the operating system. Download special utilities there is no need for this. Thus, if the computer is working normally. 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, if you install special utilities and request special permissions (reminiscent of TrustedInstaller), it can still be removed.

If it is removed in this way, then operating system won't load anymore. This is due to the fact that some files from this folder are almost always used during loading. If you deleted the directory completely, then the system will not detect at some point required file, and won't load.

How to reduce the size of the WinSxS folder in Windows. How to clean winsxs.

Why is the WinSxS folder growing? Every time after updating Windows, information about changed files is saved in this folder, so that, if necessary, it is possible to roll back the changes made

Cleaning using the command line

Deleting files and cleaning folders using the algorithm given below is safe for your computer. They will not cause significant harm. So in this case, only unnecessary backups are deleted, but not system files to boot.

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;
Enter the combination msconfig;
Press Enter on your keyboard or Run in the input box:
In Windows 10, you can click on the Start button and enter the phrase Command Prompt, which will open the same window;
A window with a black background will open, 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 an analysis of the data store, that is, the directory that you want to clean;
A notification will appear on a black background indicating that the storage needs to be cleaned (this always happens);
Enter the combination exe /online /cleanup-image /StartComponentCleanup;
Click on the Enter button on your keyboard;
The system has now started automatic cleaning desired storage from all unnecessary backup files, while all necessary boot data is saved;
As soon as the process is completed, the system will notify you about it.

<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 unnecessary files left.

Interesting characteristic feature This approach is that this method cannot be used too often. Otherwise, it may increase slightly in “weight” if there are no backup copies of updates in it. That is, cleaning is necessary only when the contents of the directory are very significant (the content volume within 7 GB is considered normal and does not have a negative impact on the operation of the system).

Cleaning using the utility

Cleaning this directory in this version of the operating system has some special features. In order to do this, you need to install update KB2852386. It is not mandatory, therefore it is missing for many users, but it is what adds required function to the disk cleanup utility.

Downloading the update

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

Open the control panel;
Go to the System Updates item (you can do this by simply finding such an item through a search engine in Explorer; you can also find it through a search in the Start menu);
Having opened the System Update Center in one way or another, click on the Search for updates button in the window that opens;
Wait a moment until the search is completed;

<Рис. 3 Центр обновлений>

Click on the item Optional Updates;
Scroll the list to the side to see the endings in the names of updates (this is where their numeric and letter designations are located);
Find the update with the corresponding number;

<Рис. 4 Выбор обновлений>

Click on it and install the update;
As soon as the system notifies you that the download and installation is complete, close all windows.

After this, you need to restart your computer. Now the changes have taken effect and you can proceed to removing unnecessary data from the catalog.

Cleaning 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 system files in this OS are performed.

Do the following:

Open a program to clean your hard drive (to launch it, use the search in the Start menu);
Find the Clean up system files button and click on it;
A small menu will open in which you need to click on the section Cleaning updates (depending on the characteristics of the system, this item may have another name - Update backup files);

<Рис. 5 Работа в Windows 7>

Click OK 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 by half.

Cleaning in Windows 8, 8.1

In these versions of the operating system, the cleaning utility is included in the standard update package that is required for installation. That is, you don’t need to download anything additional. To clear the data storage, use the following instructions:

Open the Start menu;
Start typing “disk cleanup”;
As soon as the corresponding utility appears in the list of search results, launch it by clicking the mouse button;
Find the Cleaning up system files section in the window that opens;
Click on it and in the list that opens, select the section Cleaning operating system updates;

<Рис. 6 Манипуляции в Виндовс 8>

Wait until the OS notifies the user that the wipe is complete, and then restart the device for the changes to take effect.

As in 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, just like the very first described method, involves the use command line. Act according to following instructions:

Log in to the system under the Administrator account (otherwise the method will not work);
Launch the Command Prompt using one of the methods described above, or by simultaneously pressing the Win and X keys;
In the menu that opens, find the Command Prompt (Administrator) item and click on it;
In the Command Line input field, enter the combination dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase;
If you type the combination dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore, you can find out exactly how many megabytes the “problem” directory occupies, that is, how big it is;

<Рис. 7 Работа в Виндовс 8.1>

Next, press the Enter button on your keyboard.

The cleaning program has started. Since as soon as it is finished, 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 cleaning is complete. Now you can close this window and restart your computer.

After checking the directory properties, it turns out that its weight has decreased significantly. 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 storage volume from increasing uncontrollably, it is recommended to set up a self-cleaning function for unnecessary documents, files and data. To configure this feature, you will need the operating system's task scheduler.

Find the Task Scheduler application using the Start menu searcher. Launch the application. In the list on the right side of the window, select the Create section simple task.

<Рис. 8 Автоматическая очистка>

Generate the StartComponentCleanup task in the Microsoft\Windows\Servicing branch. Set the time interval as desired, but not too often. Click OK and restart the device for the changes to take effect.

<Рис. 9 Создание задачи>

Cleaning the #WinSxS folder

Most frequently asked question on Windows 10: How to #clean up the WinSxS folder. The fact is that during the update process, Windows does not remove the component previous versions. This is necessary so that, if necessary, it would be possible to roll back updated components. Because of this, the disk fills up quickly and needs to be cleaned periodically. Under no circumstances should you delete the WinSxS folder! In the video I talk about two ways to clean the Windows WinSxS folder.

Cleaning the WinSxS folder in Windows 7 correctly

Folder WinSxS Annoys computer users with its size. Attempts to delete its contents usually resulted in computer instability or complete collapse systems. Now safe way Shrinking the WinSxS folder in Windows 7 has appeared.

As a rule, the hard drive capacity allows you to ignore a folder of several gigabytes. But for perfectionists or owners of relatively small SSD drives, you might still want to make room. The WinSxS folder is located in C:\Windows\winsxs. This is the operating room service folder Windows systems previously used for storage installed versions system components. Thanks to its presence, it is possible to roll back to a more old version updates if necessary.

Why is the WinSxS folder so large and constantly growing in size?
Where does the gigantic size of this folder come from? The fact is that the vast majority of the contents of the WinSxS folder are “hard links” (a file may have several hard links: in this case it will appear on the disk simultaneously in different directories and/or under different names. The number of file hard links is kept at file system in meta information. Files with zero references cease to exist for the system and, over time, will be physically overwritten), and Explorer and many file managers this is not taken into account. The actual weight of this folder is much less than what is written in its properties. Therefore, an attempt to delete part of the contents of the WinSxS folder manually or using programs will almost certainly lead to errors in the operation of the operating system or to a complete loss of functionality.

Following from the purpose of this folder, it has one more property: it is constantly growing in size. Since when updating the system in WinSxS, old versions of the updated files are saved, so that you can roll back to the old version in case of problems. This significantly increases the reliability and fault tolerance of the entire system, but it requires extra bed on your hard drive. Accordingly, the size of this folder is different for everyone. It depends on when the system was installed and how often it was updated system components. The longer the operating system is installed and the more regular updates occur, the larger the size of the WinSxS folder.

How to empty the WinSxS folder in Windows 7

Using this method prerequisite is the presence of SP1 installed on the system. On October 8, 2013, Microsoft released the recommended update KB2852386, which adds the ability to clean up this folder. You can install it using Windows Update or download the package using Internet Explorer from the Microsoft website. If you are wondering how much space will actually be freed up, you need to compare free place on everything system disk before and after cleaning. To do this, click right click mouse over the system drive in Explorer and select “Properties” from the menu. We remember how much free space is on the disk.

Now you can perform the procedure to clean the WinSxS folder. To do this, you need to run the Disk Cleanup utility with administrative rights. There are two ways to do this. Click the “Disk Cleanup” button in the above screenshot, and then in the window that appears, the “Clean up system files” button.

The second method is to use the command line running as administrator. Run the cleanmgr command in it. In the window that appears, select the system drive and click “OK”.

Uncheck all the checkboxes except the “Clean up Windows updates” item and click the “OK” button. The WinSxS folder will be cleaned; after completion, you need to reboot the computer. When the system boots, you can call up the disk properties again and see how much free space there is. 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 old versions of files will be deleted. Moreover, all versions except the penultimate one are deleted. This leads to the conclusion that you shouldn’t expect miracles, for some people there may be nothing to delete at all, for others several hundred megabytes will be deleted, but if the system was installed a long time ago and was frequently updated, then most likely you can count on several gigabytes. By the way, in Windows 8, the ability to clean the WinSxS folder from old versions of updates has existed for a long time.

An optional Disk Cleanup Wizard allows users to remove outdated Windows updates on Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 --

For all supported 64-bit Windows versions 7
(downloads: 2421)

For all supported (x32) 86-bit versions of Windows 7
(downloads: 515)

Reducing folder sizes WinVista & Win7 WinSxS (10/14/09):