[winxp] GUIDE: Making your windows folder smaller!

[LeCastor]

Hi, I followed some stuff written on this guide, like removing some \windows\system32\*.nls files.

One day, Office 2003's updates no longer worked. I saw that, according to KB913754, some nls files are needed to update Office, so you may not want to delete them :)

[Bold_Fortune]

Cleaning Up Internet Explorer 7

[Bold_Fortune]

Trimming The Fat From Windows Media Player 11

[GreenShadow]

because most of what is answers is basic things I already know howto do :p

So i.e the netsh command? The help for this command in XP is far better than that in windows 2000. Actually, the help for netsh is almost the only one of windows help I need. Other console commands accept /? to show their help, that's enough for me.

[breakfastclub]

WIndows Installer Clean UP

This Proggy delete all the backups from the Windows-Installer ...

[Bold_Fortune]

Files and Folders I Delete Manually

[Gecko4]

I've had a look through this thread (first few pages, not all 34...) and I've decided to delete the stuff inside ServicePackFiles, dllcache and some of the drivers I don't/won't need.

However, nobody seems to mention the folder C:\Windows\i386. This one contains the original system files when you first install Windows. Windows File Protection first goes for the things in the dllcache, then ServicePackFiles and finally if those don't exist, it takes a copy from C:\Windows\i386.

Has anyone deleted the contents of this folder? The files within are the same as in the others, only the extensions are .EX_ instead of .EXE or .DL_ instead of .DLL and they are older if you've installed service packs.

[Gecko4]

Well, I can say that I did remove C:\Windows\I386 without any problems as well as PCHEALTH, SoftwareDistribution, RegisteredPackages, ServicePackFiles, dllcache and some other minor ones. Now to go through the DLLs in system32...

[SacrificialSoldier]

I enjoyed your tutorial and found it quite useful.

And to JimB

One of the very first things I do on a rebuild of my own pc is disable System Restore! Don't need it, Don't Want it

S2

[mherb1]

so, i have a question about my windows folder. i haven't noticed any of this stuff before and wanted to know what it was and what should i do? is it a virus or means that i have a virus on my computer? here's a link to a screenshot i took:

http://i14.tinypic.com/2ylrz4g.jpg

[Mailde]

so, i have a question about my windows folder. i haven't noticed any of this stuff before and wanted to know what it was and what should i do? is it a virus or means that i have a virus on my computer? here's a link to a screenshot i took:

http://i14.tinypic.com/2ylrz4g.jpg

All folder called $ntunin can be deleted - there are backups from the old windows-updates

Well, I can say that I did remove C:\Windows\I386 without any problems as well as PCHEALTH, SoftwareDistribution, RegisteredPackages, ServicePackFiles, dllcache and some other minor ones. Now to go through the DLLs in system32...

PCHEALTH ? Do you delete the folder or all files inside ?

[GerEuBaer]

1. Thanks a lot. Good hints.

2. What about the folder $hf_mig$ ? It is about 151 MB in my Windows XP. Can I delete the files in it or the whole folder itself?

Edited March 5, 2007 by GerEuBaer

[GerEuBaer]

Hi JimB,

... It's also important that you leave only 2 restore points. Use your standard Windows clean-up utilility to remove ALL but the LAST restore points.

Would you kindly name some "standard Windows clean-up utilility" for me, that can do that job? Up to now, I only manage to delete ALL restore points or none

[lautsprecher]

Any ideas on slimming down the "Assembly" and "Microsoft.NET" folders?

[Bold_Fortune]

Some years ago, here on Neowin, I took on the dreaded WinSxS folder and its files, and had great success with it. (My original post about it is probably back on page 3 or something of this very big thread. LOL.)

Since then, there have been some major updates to the WinSxS folder and its files. I recently took these on, too...

PART 5 WINDOWS Folders

Scroll down to C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS and then a little further down to UPDATES For The C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS Folder:

[Bold_Fortune]

I have completely updated these two supplements to Slimming Down Windows XP: The Complete Guide. You may find them helpful if you recently deleted some files and are now finding that something isn't working quite right.

350 system32 Files I Do Not Delete...By Feature

350 system32 Files I Do Not Delete...Alphabetically

Also, should you have a question about a certain system32 file, you can check here: The System32 File Indexer

[lautsprecher]

"For you yourself to do this, you must be willing to look inside the Layout.ini located in C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch. You'll need to spot, and single out, the particular files and folders your system needs."

What do i do if i don't have a Prefetch folder?

Oh, and my previous question still stands. 'Assembly' and 'Microsoft.NET' are still big space-wasters.

[TheTempestSonata]

This is the greatest thread in existence.

[Bold_Fortune]

Someone on another forum was asking how to do this. He was told to enable a bunch of Services so it could be done. Well, that isn't necessary.

How to create a Log-on Password (when your computer first boots to Windows) with as few additional files as necessary. You actually don't need any additional files (or Services) to do this...at least, you won't be needing them after you create a Log-on Password.

To do this, (if you delete these three files as I normally do), place these three files in your system32 folder:

credui.dll

nusrmgr.cpl

mshta.exe

Then go to your Control Panel and open "User Accounts".

Click on your account.

And then "Create a password".

Then create a password for yourself per the instructions.

When you're done, delete those three files above, because you don't need to keep them.

Reboot, and Log-on using your new password.

To remove your password, put those three files back in the system32 folder. And in User Accounts delete your password. Then you can delete those three files again.

[Bold_Fortune]

Most of you are aware that Slimming Down Windows XP: The Complete Guide is here on my site...

http://www.bold-fortune.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=229

Through the years, Neowin has always been good about allowing me to work on my guide on its site. I tried posting my complete guide on Neowin, because I felt I owned Neowin that. However, I discovered that I could not edit the different parts of the guide here, only PART 1. So I had to abandon the project.

https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=316422

They have never contacted me about it, but should the Administrators of Neowin want a copy of my guide to post, this I will gladly do.

If something should happen to my site. Should it go down, or should it get hit by a bus, you can always find a complete, and edited, copy of Slimming Down Windows XP: The Complete Guide here on Jan's site, where she has it preserved for safe keeping.

http://www.graphixanstuff.com/Forum/index.php?showtopic=4958

The guide on my site, and the one on Jan's site, are the only two, up-to-date, authorized, copies of Slimming Down Windows XP: The Complete Guide on the Internet. Any others you may bump into, are older, unedited versions, which I did not give my permission to have copied and pasted.

[iraqfly]

It is a lot better, but I never have needed to look at it, because most of what is answers is basic things I already know howto do :p

very great guide

[ET2008]

It is a lot better, but I never have needed to look at it, because most of what is answers is basic things I already know howto do :p

why no to use this software XPlite

[lethal industry]

Is there a new guide on how do this for Service Pack 2?

My windows folder is 4.96 GB at the moment.

[David3k]

Is there a reason why I can't access safe mode after following this guide!?

[Bold_Fortune]

My site is down, and will remain down. It was never really "my" site, it belonged to Sadie, a lady who lives in England. She gave it to me to support my work on Slimming Down Windows XP: The Complete Guide. You can read more about it here...

http://www.graphixanstuff.com/Forum/index.php?showtopic=9354

....Jan has hosted the guide for you in the event of something like this happening. Jan's copy of my guide is the only copy that I have granted permission to host, and it is the only copy posted on the Internet I keep updated. It's there for you when you need it.

The guide was always for you. That's why I created it. It is my gift to those who always wanted to know which files they can delete from Windows XP, but couldn't find their answers...my site was only an after thought.

The guide is here for you when you need it...

http://www.graphixanstuff.com/Forum/index.php?showforum=68

....Sincerely,

Bold_Fortune