Clean up WinSxS Directory in WS2008-R2 with new update

[hackerman1]

Hi !

Clean up WinSxS Directory in Windows Server 2008 R2 with new Update

“The WinSxS folder seems to be one stop solution for storing files added to your OS via Windows Update.
The Winsxs folder, stores multiple copies of dll‘s in order to let multiple applications run in Windows without any compatibility problem. Microsoft releases dozens of updates every month to keep at bay the problems pertaining to certain incompatible applications, newly discovered bugs and security related issues.
To ensure the updates don’t cause compatibility trouble, duplicate files by default gets stored in the WinSxS folder.
Furthermore, some Windows updates are designed such that they can be uninstalled readily,
should any instance of incompatibility be found.
This may help in reverting back a computer to its previous state.

Thus, the WinSxS folder can grow large to take up substantial amount of hard disk space.
The problem gets compounded when it starts storing files of updates that are no longer required, but still take up the hard disk space.
Here the role of the Windows Update Cleanup feature come into play.
The tool is designed to help you regain valuable hard disk space by removing bits of old Windows updates that are no longer seem valid.”

More info on The Windows Club (TWC): http://www.thewindowsclub.com/clean-winsxs-directory-windows-server-2008-r2-new-update

Disk Cleanup Wizard addon lets users delete outdated Windows updates on Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

“The Windows Update Cleanup option is available only when the Disk Cleanup wizard detects Windows updates that you do not need on the computer.
To let you roll back to previous updates, updates are stored in the WinSxS store even after they are superseded by later updates.
Therefore, after you run the Disk Cleanup wizard, you may be unable to roll back to a superseded update.
If you want to roll back to a superseded update that the Disk Cleanup wizard deletes, you can manually install the update.
The feature update was already released for Windows 7 SP1 in October in 2013, and there is no revision for the Windows 7 bundles.”

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2852386

This update is available from Windows Update, but here is a directlink in case you want it for an “offline” installation:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=3c2805f2-0867-4c5e-addf-9379efa99829

Finally we get the same update for WS2008-R2.
Nice !
Time to clean up the O/S and get more speed….

[Author]

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