Reduce WinSxS folder size in Windows 8 or 8.1

On my machine I reduced the WinSxS folder size with 1183 mb (1.241.054.572 bytes) using a new feature called delta compression.

Note: If you are using Windows 8.0, first install KB2821895 “A servicing stack update is available for Windows RT and Windows 8: June 2013”

Note 2: Current installed Windows Updates can not be uninstalled after following the steps listed below.

 

Open an elevated command prompt and enter this command:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

Wait patiently, this will take a while. On my machine it took close to an hour to complete.

image    image  

Before & after (make sure to look at the Size on disk).

Consult the cbs.log file if you experience any errors.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    link to this KB instead: A servicing stack update is available for Windows RT, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2012: September 2013 support.microsoft.com/.../en-us the update you mentioned caused some issues

  • Anonymous
    September 19, 2013
    Too bad it doesn't recover ever more space and nothing available for Windows 7.

  • Anonymous
    March 26, 2014
    no free space, not even a little ! took 0.5 seconds !

  • Anonymous
    November 17, 2014
    My role has previously primarily focused on Microsoft Intune, nowadays it’s more towards our whole Enterprise