How to remove duplicate system DLL's?

[Peter Wilkins]

I'm running XP Pro and, when trying out the Ashampoo WinOptimizer
Suite dll cleaner, found that I had many duplicate dll's (same version
same size) located in C:\windows\system and in C:\windows\system32, as
well as some in other folders. The dll cleaner said not to delete the
ones in C:\windows\system32 but that it was OK to delete the ones in
C:\windows\system and the other folders.

I deleted all the redundant dll's (except those in reinstallbackups,
dllcache etc) and they all duly appeared in the recycle bin, but the
ones deleted from C:\windows\system magically reappeared back in
C:\windows\system, as did all those in any other sub folders under
C:\windows\ - presumably they are protected and XP's Windows File
Protection system reinserted them. Duplicate dll's in the other
folders outside C:\windows\ were successfully deleted by the dll
cleaner and were not reinserted by XP. Now that's very clever of XP
to protect critical dll's, but I really don't think XP needs duplicate
dll's in the system folders, and I'd like to remove the duplicates!

Is there any way to permanently delete these duplicate dll's from the
C:\windows\ sub folders and leave the dll's only in the system 32
folder? Perhaps somehow turn off the Windows File Protection and then
turn it on again after deleting the redundant dll's?
Any advice appreciated.

TIA

 

[Rich Barry]

Peter, one of my favorite sites has a good tutorial.
http://www.arstechnica.com/tweak/win2k/others/disable_sfp-1.html


I'm running XP Pro and, when trying out the Ashampoo WinOptimizer
Suite dll cleaner, found that I had many duplicate dll's (same version
same size) located in C:\windows\system and in C:\windows\system32, as
well as some in other folders. The dll cleaner said not to delete the
ones in C:\windows\system32 but that it was OK to delete the ones in
C:\windows\system and the other folders.

I deleted all the redundant dll's (except those in reinstallbackups,
dllcache etc) and they all duly appeared in the recycle bin, but the
ones deleted from C:\windows\system magically reappeared back in
C:\windows\system, as did all those in any other sub folders under
C:\windows\ - presumably they are protected and XP's Windows File
Protection system reinserted them. Duplicate dll's in the other
folders outside C:\windows\ were successfully deleted by the dll
cleaner and were not reinserted by XP. Now that's very clever of XP
to protect critical dll's, but I really don't think XP needs duplicate
dll's in the system folders, and I'd like to remove the duplicates!

Is there any way to permanently delete these duplicate dll's from the
C:\windows\ sub folders and leave the dll's only in the system 32
folder? Perhaps somehow turn off the Windows File Protection and then
turn it on again after deleting the redundant dll's?
Any advice appreciated.

TIA

 

[Peter Wilkins]

Peter, one of my favorite sites has a good tutorial.
http://www.arstechnica.com/tweak/win2k/others/disable_sfp-1.html

news:[email protected]...

Is there any way to permanently delete these duplicate dll's from the
C:\windows\ sub folders and leave the dll's only in the system 32
folder? Perhaps somehow turn off the Windows File Protection and then
turn it on again after deleting the redundant dll's?
Any advice appreciated.

Wow!
That was a quick response!
And it answers my query perfectly - I can delete those duplicates now!

Thanks a lot.