Folders still present in WinSxS after component removal

G

garson

Member
I noticed that after some component was removed folder was still present in WinSxS, thought kinda empty.
For example I removed 1394 driver but folder amd64_1394.inf.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.17763.1_en-us_5380d7967a090394 is still there with 1394.inf_loc file inside (sys file was removed).
But situation is bit worse for Adobe Flash since folder is almost 30MB with these files inside:
activex.vch
Flash.ocx
FlashUtil_ActiveX.dll
FlashUtil_ActiveX.exe

Are these dirs safe to delete? Is there any method that can delete those?
 
Do you keep Servicing Stack compatibility enabled? In this case some files in WinSxS are kept for compatibility with Windows Update. When removing drivers in this situation the reduction in size is almost or equal to zero depending on the Windows build used. And removing components in some of them also barely reduces the size of the image due to this.

This started in version 1809 with the adherence of the PSFX format for updates.
 
I, too, would be thrilled if those packages, especially the smaller ones, could be deleted.

Does the Windows Store work with Servicing Stack compatibility disabled?
 
garson Probably yes :) but to be sure only with tests. I believe that at least the files and folders related to flash should be deleted.

tharri I believe so as long as you keep Windows Update, Delivery Optimization and some other necessary components for the Store.
 
i wouldnt lose sleep after a few empty folders, that can easily be sorted during capture or live with Everything+PowerRun. or just ignore it/them and Keep Calm n Carry On.
 
AeonX I disabled Servicing Stack compatibility, and new NTLite run with Custom cleanup, it did remove solid number of files, reported around 300MBs of files removed, but still I see adobe flash folder with files inside, as well as folders that belong to drivers I removed. :confused:
So, not sure what it actually removed.
 
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I have to correct myself. I've just run NTLite with Custom cleanup from fresh iso image (with updates integrated), disabled Servicing Stack compatibility, and all those folders (around 4k :oops:) are deleted from WinSxS. install.wim is more than 2 times smaller now.
I noticed though that now in Installed updates I see "No updates are installed on this computer". Is this expected?
 
garson said:
I have to correct myself. I've just run NTLite with Custom cleanup from fresh iso image (with updates integrated), disabled Servicing Stack compatibility, and all those folders (around 4k :oops:) are deleted from WinSxS. install.wim is more than 2 times smaller now.
Click to expand...
see my w7(w/3125574/.net4.8) non lited/not cleaned up install.

garson said:
I noticed though that now in Installed updates I see "No updates are installed on this computer". Is this expected?
Click to expand...
that might be because ntlited cleaned the update history files.
 

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We have several threads regarding Component and Folder leftovers so please use the link in my signature below as we only need 1 active topic.
 
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