[winxp] GUIDE: Making your windows folder smaller!

[NeoMayhem]

9. c:\windows\downloaded installations\

that dir contains google toolbar for ie, some flash/shockwave plugin dlls and some quicktime files, i don't recommend deleting that.

I think your mixing up that folder with the Downloaded Program Files folder.

I think so to, Downloaded Program Files has an IE icon, and is where downloaded/installed ActiveX controls are saved (ie, the Google Toolbar), you can delete this if you want, but it isnt part of the guide because most people will want it :p

thanks to NeoMayhem for making this guide, in recognition it has now been made sticky

Sweet, thanks ;)

[SuperJediMedia]

C:\windows\system32\dllcache is "Windows XP File Protection", delete if you want, but know this!

If you delete it, your file system is basically like Windows 95, 98, ME, its WITHOUT protection against incorrect file replacements, system file deletions, etc.

If u R deleting this folder to save space, you should buy a NEW Hard Drive instead! They are NOT expensive these days!

Keep those files there CAN help eliminate a lot of DLLHELL problems, think back how suck it was with Win9x systems, DLLs can be overwritten with OLD ones easily. This is the very thing that Makes Windows XP better! Why you want to take it off?

Edited May 26, 2003 by JediXAngel

[SuperJediMedia]

I would like to know how much speed can you actually gain by removing these?

Give a Concrete # please.

A lot of these folder CAN BE deleted, you are right, but it's really NOT RECOMMENDED, unless you back up and like to reformat often.

Once you delete many folders listed here, you are WITHOUT protection. So once your computer begins to not work properly, not booting into Windows XP, etc... you'll be reaching a DEADEND.

You can NOT restore backups from the cache, you Can NOT restore from "System Restore". And for some folders, if you trying to install a hardware, you'll likely get some error screens.

Is it really worth it??? I doubt it myself!

If I delete those, it wouldn't be for Space reasons, cuz I have a pretty BIG HD! And, I work! so I CAN afford another.

It would be for SPEED reasons, so I'd like to hear how much speed do you really gain.

I NEED HARD Proofs, I don't just want estimates!!!

[PF Prophet]

lol dllcache being gone dosnt dissable the windows file protection it just makes it so ya might have to pull out ur windows cd from time to time

i dont see the point of removing the inf folder not really worth the time IMHO

i remove my dllcache folder just after install never have any problems

corse system restore IMHO is for people to stupid to fix there owen fukups i mean if you dont know enuf to fix windows without system restore doing it for you maby you should get a mac

and i dont get rid of dllcache becouse it speeds the system up i do it becouse i dont need extra copys of aprox 600mb worth of ****

also makes changing windows more work

windows will still prompt you wether you wana replace new dll's with old ones if you dont know that you shouldnt even be reading this

have fun im off to tweak some more on windows :D

[prozak]

it worked for me so far but i havent restarted my ciomputer

[SuperJediMedia]

have to pull out ur windows cd from time to time

Argh! That alone is a annoying ENOUGH!!

? corse system restore IMHO is for people to stupid to fix there owen fukups?? i mean if you dont know enuf to fix windows without? system restore doing it for you maby you should get a mac

What the hell is that suppose to mean, you are awesome at Window, and I am not?

Totally Irrevelant, I know A LOT about computers myself too, but 1st I like to be SAFER than risk things. What you doing (Know how to fix windows W/O System restore) is certainly alright, but the risk is on you.

It's like Young people today drive over 20MHZ than the Speed limits, and a lot of times Cops don't catch them, but once a while, some cops pulls them over! And, people drive 1-5 MHZ over(More Careful, does that mean they Can't drive 20MHZ over? Hell No!!), usually Never gets ticketed for speeding.

It's all Perspective!

Second, don't ever forget a lot of computer users are not at technically like you maybe! They want to know what folderABSOLUTLY<safe to delete, safe being the keyword. And system restore folder is definately not very safest to remove!

I am just trying to let them know that.

windows will still prompt you wether you wana replace new dll's with old ones? if you dont know that you shouldnt even be reading this

I don't like your tone:crazy:razy:

i do it becouse i dont need extra copys of aprox 600mb worth of ****?

Screw extra disk space, it really DOESN'T concern me, not because I am NOT good with computers! I'd like a Great Speed gain, but if not much **** it! I ain't gonna bother put my time into this!

Edited May 27, 2003 by JediXAngel

[ToastGodSupreme]

Fight! Fight! Fight! :devil:

[SuperJediMedia]

I am not trying to fight or whatever LOL, but it pi**es me off when people assume they know more about computers than others.

When this is totally a Perspective issue when others do ALSO KNOW how to do this and recover computer disasters (like myself), but just feels some of these folders are very important to get rid of!

It's SAFER (regardless how much you know about computer) to have them, that's ALL I am trying to say!

Edited May 27, 2003 by JediXAngel

[DaNIsH]

EDIT: Gogo clicking QUOTE instead of reply by accident. *has images disabled in IE*

8. c:\windows\srchasst

This folder is the XP Search assistant, if you delete it, windows will just use the classic 2k style search instead, which is more functional and easier to use.

I did this, now my "Search Files And Folders" doesnt work. Just comes up with a search companion error and displays nothing.

Any fix? Or can someone upload the contents of this directory somewhere? :p

Edited May 27, 2003 by DaNIsH

[shudson2]

This is what makes acommunity - people who have taken the time and effort to let others know what is permissable when modding, streamlining, improving, windows.

All I say is thanks DaNisH... if I use this tutorial, then good, if not, then still thanks for your time and effort.... :yes:

[SuperJediMedia]

Btw, 20MHZ = 20MPH, Duh for that mistake :p

[Robbie Khan Reviews]

cheers, went from 3.12GB to 1.65GB windows folder :p

[.fury]

ive got an internet logs folder in C:/windows....seems to have been created by zonealarm, which i have uninstalled quite a while ago - i suppose its safe to delete this? all the files are showing non access since september last year( must have been then i uninstalled)

[PureEdit]

ive got an internet logs folder in C:/windows....seems to have been created by zonealarm, which i have uninstalled quite a while ago - i suppose its safe to delete this? all the files are showing non access since september last year( must have been then i uninstalled)

Yeah, you can delete those ;)

[ToastGodSupreme]

My ability to search was broken after deleting those files. Seems this happened to other people as well.

Here is the fix. It worked for me. I didn't even have to reinstall all the files. Near the end of the install of the files, it asked me for my SP1 cd and I told it to bugger off. Search works perfectly.

Method 3: Reinstall the Search Companion Files

To resolve this problem without obtaining the hotfix or installing Windows XP SP1, follow these steps:

Log on to the computer by using an account with administrator permissions.

Click Start, click Run, type %systemroot%\inf, and then click OK.

Locate the Srchasst.inf file.

Right-click the Srchasst.inf file, and then click Install. This reinstalls the files that Search Companion uses.

NOTE: You may need your Windows XP CD-ROM to finish installing Search Companion. This issue may occur again if you have Search Companion open when you connect to your ISP.

[DaNIsH]

Oh, sorry, I forgot about this thread.

I ended up fixing my file searching by deleting some registry keys.

Actually pretty much all registry keys relating to search companion. (Id go into detail but im at tafe)

[Bold_Fortune]

I do have a question. A friend at another tweaking site showed me this thread because he knows I am very much interested in this subject of deleting files. So few forums will even discuss this topic, so I'm very happy to see this.

I have a very very long list of file I delete....so long, that it cannot be posted here as I get an error that my post is to long. (I really get into deleting files...lol).

Anyway, here's my question:

9. c:\windows\downloaded installations\

This folder holds the installers for some programs you download and install, for example, Tweak UI puts its installer in this folder, and so you can repair it or update its components later. Deleting this folder won?t harm any programs I have ever seen, but you should look inside this and see what you are deleting first.

Why do you delete these files and not those msi files in C:\WINDOWS\Installer? Is there a basic difference in these files?

[404]

yeh! good guide! made my xp pro down to 610 MB!

[Joel]

It's like Young people today drive over 20MHZ than the Speed limits, and a lot of times Cops don't catch them, but once a while, some cops pulls them over! And, people drive 1-5 MHZ over(More Careful, does that mean they Can't drive 20MHZ over? Hell No!!), usually Never gets ticketed for speeding.

How do you drive in MHz? :blink: ;)

[Evolution]

Great Guide :) BTW does anyone have a lastgood directory in their windows folder? Should I keep it(it's not related to restore or backup)?

[Evolution]

How do you drive in MHz? :blink: ;)

he's talking about the overclocking police :p What did you think he was talking about....miles per hour for a road....nah :D

[CyberKewl]

I think the guide is ok, but it's better to just use NTFS compression instead to be on the safer side. You may save space by deleting some of those stuff, but you're definitely going to lose some functionality and this may lead to some potential, unforseen problems in the future. But if you're ok with that, go ahead ;)

[AaronMT]

My XP is down to 413 megs from 1.51 gigs

cheers!

[Hypoxiaicon]

Mine is till pretty large 797 MB (836,583,424 bytes) but it was around 1.5GB

[Evolution]

Can anyone tell me if I should keep lastgood and lastgood.tmp or whether I should just delete them like I did the dllcache and the drivers folder? Is it essential to the system or only helpful? Did you delete it or keep it?