Windows 7 SP1 Disk Cleanup Tool

How Use the Windows 7 SP1 Disk Cleanup Tool​

   Information

This will show you how to run the Windows 7 SP1 cleanup tool to permanently remove the backed up files created during the installation of the Windows 7 SP1 to gain back more hard drive space, and remove the Service Pack for Microsoft Windows (KB976932) entry in Installed Updates.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this tutorial.

   Note

The Windows 7 SP1 disk cleanup tool gave me back around 1.5 GB on my hard drive. This amount may vary on your computer.

To see how much space you recovered, make a note of how much free space you have on the C:/ drive in Computer before and after you run the Windows 7 SP1 cleanup tool. Afterwards, please post and let us know how much space you have recovered.

   Warning

It is recommended to wait about a week after installing SP1 to see how your Windows 7 is running with SP1 installed before deleting the SP1 backups as in the tutorial below. This way if you discover a issue, you will still have the option to uninstall SP1 if need be.

Once you delete the SP1 backup files, you will no longer be able to uninstall the Windows 7 SP1 afterwards. The only option would be a clean install or custom install.

OPTION ONE

Delete Windows 7 SP1 Backup Files Using Disk Cleanup

1. Open Disk Cleanup.

2. Select the drive (ex: C: ) that your Windows 7 is installed on, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
3. Click on the Clean up system files button. (see screenshot below)
4. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

5. Select the drive (ex: C: ) that your Windows 7 is installed on, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
6. Check the Service Pack Backup Files box and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
7. Click on Delete Files. (see screenshot below)
8. The SP1 backup files will now be deleted. You will now no longer be able to uninstall the Windows 7 SP1, but have gained around 1 GB of hard drive space back.

OPTION TWO

Delete Windows 7 SP1 Backup Files Using a Elevated Command Prompt

1. Open a elevated command prompt (Run as administrator).

2. In the elevated command prompt, copy and paste the command below and press enter. (see screenshot below) dism /online /cleanup-image /spsuperseded /hidesp


3. After a few moments, you will see the The Operation completed successfully message. (see screenshot above)

4. Close the elevated command prompt. You will now no longer be able to uninstall the Windows 7 SP1, but have gained around 1 GB of hard drive space back.

OPTION THREE

Delete Windows 7 SP1 Backup Files Using a Command Prompt at Boot

NOTE: This option will also work on a slipstream Windows 7 SP1 installation at boot. 1. Open a command prompt at boot. (click on link for how)

2. To Verify the Windows 7 Drive Letter at Boot
NOTE: This needs to be done since the Windows 7 drive letter may not be C: if you have the 100 MB System Reserver partition created during installation, or if you multiboot with more than one operating system. A) In the command prompt, type diskpart and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

B) In the command prompt, type list volume and press Enter.

C) Make note of the drive letter (ex: D ) that you have Windows 7 installed on.
NOTE: It helps to look at the drive size and label to help ID the Windows 7 partition/drive.

D) In the command prompt, type exit and press Enter.
E) Continue on to step 3.
3. To Delete the Windows 7 SP1 Backup Files at Boot A) In the command prompt, type the command below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Substitute D: in the command below with the drive letter of your Windows 7 from step 2C above instead.

dism /image:[COLOR=red][B]D:[/B][/COLOR] /cleanup-image /spsuperseded /hidesp

B) After a few moments, you will see the The Operation completed successfully message. (see screenshot above)

C) Close the command prompt window, and restart the computer. You will now no longer be able to uninstall the Windows 7 SP1, but have gained around 1 GB of hard drive space back.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Uninstall Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Beta, RC, and RTM
• How to Free Up and Recover Hard Drive Space in Windows 7
• How to Slipstream Windows 7 SP1 and Updates to Create a Bootable USB, Installation DVD, or ISO File
• Windows 7 Service Pack 1 FAQs and helpful links
• How to Remove Outdated Windows Updates in Disk Cleanup in Windows 7

 

[Brink]

I just ran the removal on my Dell computer. Gained back almost 3GB. But it said removing windows Ultimate files. I have Home Premium installed. It said the same on my computer which has Professional installed.

View attachment 140622​

Hello Essenbe,

That edition may have also been included in the SP1, and removed since that is not what you had installed.

 

[xxxdannyxxx]

I just ran the removal on my Dell computer. Gained back almost 3GB. But it said removing windows Ultimate files. I have Home Premium installed. It said the same on my computer which has Professional installed.

View attachment 140622​

Mine was the same.

Danny

 

[hemphill]

After Disk Cleanup this kind of folder appears in temp folder 1E226330-84E2-4D21-8013-FE258AB25D62 (name changes every time). Folder includes files from c:\windows\system32\dism folder and this folder copy happens every time when disk cleanup tool calculates space it can recover. Microsoft SP1 support person noticed this too when i ask about it, so if you wonder strange folders in your temp folder, those are sp1 related. Microsoft supports person doesn't have clue why this happens.

 

[Brink]

Hello Hemphill, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Interesting. Thank you for lettings us know about this.

 

[bubblebobble]

Hi!
I was asking myself if method 2 is correct...:

dism /online /cleanup-image /spsuperseded /hidesp

I think there's no need of the /hidesp setting, because it seems to be in excess. In fact, if you look here:
Deployment Guide for Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 and Windows 7 with SP1

at section "Removing backup files" they say:

To remove service pack backup files

1. To remove the files online, run the following command:

DISM.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /spsuperseded

2. To remove the files from an offline image, run the following command:

DISM.exe /Image:<path_to_offline_image> /Cleanup-Image /spsuperseded

The /spsuperseded option removes the backup files created during installation.
You can use the /hidesp option to hide the service pack from the list of installed updates without removing the files.

...so who is right? :huh:

 

[Brink]

Hello Bubblebobble, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Technically, we are both right since both commands below will remove the SP1 backup files.
DISM.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /spsuperseded

dism /online /cleanup-image /spsuperseded /hidesp
However, adding /hidesp at the end of the command will also remove the Service Pack for Microsoft Windows (KB76932) entry in Installed Updates. Theres's no since in having the SP1 uninstall entry there anymore since you cannot uninstall it after deleting the SP1 backup files anyway.

 

[Brink]

Tutorial update:

It took a liitle bit of working with it, but you can now use OPTION THREE in this tutorial on the first page to remove the Windows 7 SP1 backup files from a installed slipstream Windows 7 SP1 installation.

 

[Dave76]

Thanks Shaun, got 2.7GB back

Installed SP1 from the Windows update.

sfc /scannow didn't find anything.

 

[Brink]

Hello Dave,

Wow, that's a nice amount to get back. :shock:

 

[shaft311]

Where specifically are the Windows 7 SP1 uninstaller files located?

 

[Dave76]

Hi Shaun, got 2.8 GB back from my laptop.

No problems.
Going to add the 40GB SSD now.

 

[kado897]

Thank's Shawn. it ran for about 5 mins on 25% CPU but I got nearly a gig back. It was even kind enough to do an RP first so there is a way back for a time.

 

[Brink]

Nice amounts you guys got back.

 

[Stealth3si]

I regained 2.46 GB!

 

[Brink]

Nice Stealth3si, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[Belgarionbg]

That command "dism /online /cleanup-image /spsuperseded" give me back 7.6GB!
Time to complete - around 5min.

 

[Dave76]

That is a very nice return.

 

[mpringle]

Works fine in Bootcamp

FYI, this tip worked just fine after a clean install of Win 7 and Sp1 under bootcamp.

Diskcleaner said 380 MB, but clearly freed 1.5 GB in my "BOOTCAMP C:" partition.

(Macbook Air 13 inch 2011, obviously OS X Lion)

Great tip, and good instructions, for freeing up memory on SSDs.

Thanx!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Mpringle, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[huge]

I know I'm a few months late to the party, but I got 3.5G back on my main desktop! Now to try on my HTPC where space is even more valuable...