SP2 bloat: analyzed

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeremy Stanley
  • Start date Start date
J

Jeremy Stanley

Okay, I've done a little digging and found out where that 1.5GB of
disk space went after installing XP SP2.

(Some of this information comes from
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=329260, which refers to SP1, but
this information appears to apply to SP2 as well.)

---
First bloat folder:

C:\Windows\$NtServicePackUninstall$ : 2,486 files, 361MB (compressed:
226MB on disk)

You can safely delete this folder, but then you won't be able to
uninstall SP2. (Through Add/Remove Programs, anyway. I presume you
could still do it through System Restore, if it's enabled.)

If you're installing from the command line, you may be able to use the
/n switch to avoid backuing up uninstall information in the first
place (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=262839 refers to Windows
2000, but maybe the switch is still there).

---
Second bloat folder:

C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles : 2,453 files, 497MB (uncompressed: 501MB
on disk)

Microsoft says deleting this folder will break Windows File
Protection. (But I thought that's what System32\DllCache was for?)
In any case, you can save about 200MB by compressing it...

---
Third bloat folder:

System Restore point : 3,573 files, 801 MB (some contents compressed,
total 708MB on disk)

(See http://www.theeldergeek.com/system_volume_information_folder1.htm
for how to gain access to C:\System Volume Information, which is where
restore points are stored.)

I don't suppose you can safely delete this folder per se, but you can
reduce the total amount of space System Restore is allowed to consume
in System Properties. Or turn off System Restore.
 
Jeremy Stanley said:
Okay, I've done a little digging and found out where that 1.5GB of
disk space went after installing XP SP2.

(Some of this information comes from
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=329260, which refers to SP1, but
this information appears to apply to SP2 as well.)

---
First bloat folder:

C:\Windows\$NtServicePackUninstall$ : 2,486 files, 361MB (compressed:
226MB on disk)
Click to expand...

440 MB on my system.
You can safely delete this folder, but then you won't be able to
uninstall SP2. (Through Add/Remove Programs, anyway. I presume you
could still do it through System Restore, if it's enabled.)

If you're installing from the command line, you may be able to use the
/n switch to avoid backuing up uninstall information in the first
place (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=262839 refers to Windows
2000, but maybe the switch is still there).
Click to expand...

Probably should hold onto this directory for awhile, at least until you
are convinced that there are no major bugs in SP2.
---
Second bloat folder:

C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles : 2,453 files, 497MB (uncompressed: 501MB
on disk)

Microsoft says deleting this folder will break Windows File
Protection. (But I thought that's what System32\DllCache was for?)
In any case, you can save about 200MB by compressing it...
Click to expand...

Sounds like belt and suspenders.

There are some installs, like some Windows components and probably
some drivers that need the files here. Possibly if you slipstream SP2 and
your Windows XP install disk you wouldn't need the files in this directory
for
this purpose, but then you would need that cd. Slipstreaming the SP is
a good idea anyway.

There have been lots of questions on this newsgroup about Windows
asking for the SP1 install disk. The files in this folder are generally what
Windows was looking for in those cases.
---
Third bloat folder:

System Restore point : 3,573 files, 801 MB (some contents compressed,
total 708MB on disk)
Click to expand...

Could be more depending on what you have the System Restore Storage slider
set for.
(See http://www.theeldergeek.com/system_volume_information_folder1.htm
for how to gain access to C:\System Volume Information, which is where
restore points are stored.)

I don't suppose you can safely delete this folder per se, but you can
reduce the total amount of space System Restore is allowed to consume
in System Properties. Or turn off System Restore.
Click to expand...

You should consider whether you need System Restore at all(or mainly
only for Service Packs). Windows ME definitely needed it, but XP
probably doesn't. My install is over a year old, I haven't gotten close
to a system restore yet, and I install lots of "junk" on my system. However,
who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Good info in this post. I particularly need this disk space on my Laptop,
which has a small HD and if anything serious happens, I would rebuild from
scratch anyhow.

Dick Kistler
 
"Dick Kistler" <[email protected]> squirted these wordjisms
deep inside the bumtube of the newstwat in

You should consider whether you need System Restore at all(or mainly
only for Service Packs). Windows ME definitely needed it, but XP
probably doesn't. My install is over a year old, I haven't gotten
close to a system restore yet, and I install lots of "junk" on my
system. However, who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Good info in this post. I particularly need this disk space on my
Laptop, which has a small HD and if anything serious happens, I would
rebuild from scratch anyhow.

Dick Kistler
Click to expand...

I have disabled System Restore because I use Drive Image to back up my
system partition before any major install. That way I'm not concerned how
much space is being used/wasted - because a clean, working backup that I
can use to be back up and running within 20 minutes is located on 5 CD-Rs
on the shelf above my cranial head.



--
*********************************
David Qunt
Click to expand...
****************************************************
 
David Qunt said:
I have disabled System Restore because I use Drive Image to back up my
system partition before any major install. That way I'm not concerned how
much space is being used/wasted - because a clean, working backup that I
can use to be back up and running within 20 minutes is located on 5 CD-Rs
on the shelf above my cranial head.
Click to expand...

I usually "jump all over" anyone who advocates disabling system
restore, because of the possibility of new users seeing that and
assuming that it is good advice for general use.

Your comments however clearly indicates that you only do so because
you have an alternative in place that provides, for your situation
anyway, an equivalent degree of recovery ability.


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."
 
Ron Martell <[email protected]> squirted these wordjisms deep inside
the bumtube of the newstwat in
I usually "jump all over" anyone who advocates disabling system
restore, because of the possibility of new users seeing that and
assuming that it is good advice for general use.

Your comments however clearly indicates that you only do so because
you have an alternative in place that provides, for your situation
anyway, an equivalent degree of recovery ability.


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
Click to expand...


Thank you, Ron.

I would agree with what you say generally about anyone else that doesn't
perhaps have the gumption to find a better alternative to bundled half-
heartedness :)

--
*********************************
David Qunt
Click to expand...
****************************************************
 
David said:
"Dick Kistler" <[email protected]> squirted these wordjisms
deep inside the bumtube of the newstwat in





I have disabled System Restore because I use Drive Image to back up my
system partition before any major install. That way I'm not concerned how
much space is being used/wasted - because a clean, working backup that I
can use to be back up and running within 20 minutes is located on 5 CD-Rs
on the shelf above my cranial head.
Click to expand...
I use DI too, but System restore is a good fall back for when things go
ooops in between full backups which are done twice weekly.
 
Jeremy said:
Second bloat folder:

C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles : 2,453 files, 497MB (uncompressed: 501MB
on disk)

Microsoft says deleting this folder will break Windows File
Protection. (But I thought that's what System32\DllCache was for?)
In any case, you can save about 200MB by compressing it...
Click to expand...

It takes over from the dllcache, in getting searched first. What you
can do if you have a CD burner is burn the complete folder to a CD, then
run regedit.exe and at

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup

Change the value of ServicePackSourcePath and ServicePackCachePath in
the right pane to reflect the drive. Best if you have 2 drives, and can
have the original SourcePath on one and this on the other. But you will
need to put the CD in the drive fairly often if WFP wants a file
System Restore point : 3,573 files, 801 MB (some contents compressed,
total 708MB on disk)

(See http://www.theeldergeek.com/system_volume_information_folder1.htm
for how to gain access to C:\System Volume Information, which is where
restore points are stored.)

I don't suppose you can safely delete this folder per se, but you can
reduce the total amount of space System Restore is allowed to consume
in System Properties. Or turn off System Restore.
Click to expand...

Wait until a new, regular restore point has been made, then run
Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Disk Cleanup
and use the 'more options' page bottom button to delete all but the most
recent restore point
 
Ron said:
I usually "jump all over" anyone who advocates disabling system
restore, because of the possibility of new users seeing that and
assuming that it is good advice for general use.

Your comments however clearly indicates that you only do so because
you have an alternative in place that provides, for your situation
anyway, an equivalent degree of recovery ability.
Click to expand...

I still wouldn't disable SR . I have regular images, and also restore
points, and use hem about equally - restore mainly where I want to
unwind some registry settings without affecting other things that might
have changed since the most recent image. In this case, and similar
ones, the trick is the Disk Cleanup 'More Option' to remove all but the
most recent restore point, once a new regular one has been made

The two facilities are complementary - a point that the critics of SR
seem incapable of learning
 
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