Install file clean up

[vipergts]

I installed Windows 7 RTM with a custom install over my vista os. Windows 7 works great but, it's taking up 40gb of space now, I can think of 2 ways to fix it.
The first way is to delete the unwanted files. How do I find those files?
The second way is to reformat the hd and re-install the iso os.

Thanks for your comment, they will be greatly appreciated

 

[Uber Philf]

Quickest way id say, just do a clean format, will get rid of those files

 

[zigzag3143]

I installed Windows 7 RTM with a custom install over my vista os. Windows 7 works great but, it's taking up 40gb of space now, I can think of 2 ways to fix it.
The first way is to delete the unwanted files. How do I find those files?
The second way is to reformat the hd and re-install the iso os.

Thanks for your comment, they will be greatly appreciated

Viper

Assuming you did an upgrade over a previous install there is a folder called windows.old. when you are sure the folder can be deleted. One of the easiest wyas is to use the disk cleanup to eliminate the windlws.old folder. typically a 32 bit windows install should be about 10 gigis. Smaller if it was a clean install. 64 bit are slightly larger.

if you are desperate for space and dont need to be able to hibernate , that can be turned off. If you have enough ram paging file can either be reduced or eliminate.

Make sure you have a backup first

Ken

 

[vipergts]

I installed Windows 7 RTM with a custom install over my vista os. Windows 7 works great but, it's taking up 40gb of space now, I can think of 2 ways to fix it.
The first way is to delete the unwanted files. How do I find those files?
The second way is to reformat the hd and re-install the iso os.

Thanks for your comment, they will be greatly appreciated

Viper

Assuming you did an upgrade over a previous install there is a folder called windows.old. when you are sure the folder can be deleted. One of the easiest wyas is to use the disk cleanup to eliminate the windlws.old folder. typically a 32 bit windows install should be about 10 gigis. Smaller if it was a clean install. 64 bit are slightly larger.

if you are desperate for space and dont need to be able to hibernate , that can be turned off. If you have enough ram paging file can either be reduced or eliminate.

Make sure you have a backup first

Ken

I'm running 64bit with a 250gb hd. I thought it was doing a clean install since it would not let me do an upgrade, so I did a custom install which I thought re-formats the partition. After the install, I removed the windows.old folder and there was over 40gb used on the partition. when I was on windows 7 rc on my vpc is was around 11gb. Is there a way to strip out these unwanted files?

Also in the windows folder there is a subfolder that has over 60k items in it.
There are 2 program files. one has an (x86) in the name.
Thanks - Joel

 

[DeaconFrost]

First, if you did a clean install you'd know because you would have deleted the partition(s) and recreated them. Since you had a windows.old folder, you probably didn't do a clean install. It's my personal opinion, but I never install an OS on an in use, formatted drive. I always wipe the drives clean using gdisk before I ever start the new OS install.

That being said, you should be able to track down where your storage spoace is going. If not, get something like WinDirStat to show you.

Don't go deleting folders without knowing what they are for. I'm guessing you are new to an x64 OS, because those two Program Files directories are both legit and both required.

 

[wallyinnc]

Also in the windows folder there is a subfolder that has over 60k items in it.
There are 2 program files. one has an (x86) in the name.
Thanks - Joel

Program Files = 64 bit applications
Program Files (x86) = 32 bit applications