xp pro takes too much disk space!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rajiv
  • Start date Start date
R

Rajiv

Hello,
I've noticed this, I installed WinXP professional and
installed Service Pack1 and all the windows updates. It
takes more than 4 GB of disk space which I think is
ridiculous. I partitioned my hard disk into two
c: with 6 GB
E: with 14 GB
rest for linux OS
I installed WinXP pro in C: and SP1 and updates.
I dint install any application in my C:
yet itoccupies more than 4 GB
At this rate with more updates I guess I will run out of
disk space.
(Note: I did not even enable archiving when I installed
SP1)
Any clue why Win XP does this?
Rajiv
 
Every time you do a update the files that will be replaced are saved so you can remove the update.
These files are stored in the
%systemroot%\Windows folder. They will be a blue color because they are compressed. Just delete
these files and empty the recycling bin then go to Add Remove programs and highlight the updates and
click remove. You will get a message box that says something like this has already been removed do
you want to remove it from Add Remove, click yes. This is also true for SP1. XP should not take up
more than 2.5GB of space.


| Hello,
| I've noticed this, I installed WinXP professional and
| installed Service Pack1 and all the windows updates. It
| takes more than 4 GB of disk space which I think is
| ridiculous. I partitioned my hard disk into two
| c: with 6 GB
| E: with 14 GB
| rest for linux OS
| I installed WinXP pro in C: and SP1 and updates.
| I dint install any application in my C:
| yet itoccupies more than 4 GB
| At this rate with more updates I guess I will run out of
| disk space.
| (Note: I did not even enable archiving when I installed
| SP1)
| Any clue why Win XP does this?
| Rajiv
 
Rajiv said:
I've noticed this, I installed WinXP professional and
installed Service Pack1 and all the windows updates. It
takes more than 4 GB of disk space which I think is
ridiculous. I partitioned my hard disk into two
c: with 6 GB
Click to expand...

have Folder Options - View set to show Hidden files, and *not* Hide
Protected mode ones and take a look:

System Volume information is probably packed with restore points made as
you installed fixes. Use Start - All Programs - Accessories - System
Tools - Disk Cleanup and its More Options to reduce to the most recent
one.

Pagefile.sys may be larger than needed - though it needs a potential of
getting big, a much smaller initial size can be appropriate. See
discussion and tools at www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm

Hiberfil.sys is used to dump RAM if you hibernate - if you do not, turn
it off in Control Panel - Power Options - Hibernate

The Temp Internet files folder may be set to allow a very large amount
of space, which will be full of all the actual downloads for those
updates. Use Control Panel - Internet Options for its Settings, and I
suggest View Files; you might then want to copy out the downloaded .exe
files for burning to CD or something, against a possible need after a
re-install. The empty the folder (Delete files at the outer level) and
reduce the space allowed - say 50 MB for day to day needs

In C:\Windows - all individual fixes have a folder $NTUninstallQnnnnnn$
of files needed to install fix described at
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;nnnnnn
If you are sure you will not want to, delete them., Same for the
$NTServicePAckUninstall.

The ServicePackFiles folder contains the service pack file versions for
use in preference to ones from the original CD if needed by File
Protection/SFC/New Hardware etc. On an NTFS drive a useful amount of
space can be saved by compressing it. 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 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
 
Alex Nichol said:
The ServicePackFiles folder contains the service pack file versions for
use in preference to ones from the original CD if needed by File
Protection/SFC/New Hardware etc. On an NTFS drive a useful amount of
space can be saved by compressing it. 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 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
Click to expand...

So I can burn the folder to a CD-ROM and then change the registry key value to
D:\ServicePackFiles
(or whatever path is appropriate for the CD-ROM)?
There's also a key called ServicePackCache.

And can I do the CD-ROM trick for the $NtUninstall... files and so forth?

TIA,

sjfromm
 
Stephen said:
So I can burn the folder to a CD-ROM and then change the registry key value to
D:\ServicePackFiles
(or whatever path is appropriate for the CD-ROM)?
There's also a key called ServicePackCache.

And can I do the CD-ROM trick for the $NtUninstall... files and so forth?
Click to expand...

You *could* provided you do not try using the Remove in Add/remove
programs before putting them back. But they are the files for
*removing* an update - not the ones for creating it, so once you are
satisfied the update is not giving trouble, you might as well just be
rid of them. The ServicePackFIles folder is different - these are the
files that are taking over from ones on the CD, when there is need to
restore a file that has been damaged
 
Alex Nichol said:
forth?

You *could* provided you do not try using the Remove in Add/remove
programs before putting them back. But they are the files for
*removing* an update - not the ones for creating it, so once you are
satisfied the update is not giving trouble, you might as well just be
rid of them.
Click to expand...

OK. Should I delete them with Add/Remove, or by deleting the folders?
The ServicePackFIles folder is different - these are the
files that are taking over from ones on the CD, when there is need to
restore a file that has been damaged
Click to expand...

Right. But is it OK to delete the folder and contents and then burn
to a CD, or are there risks associated with that?

Thanks for your comments,

sjfromm
 
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