winsxs Files

[5er driver]

My W7 winsxs folder is 15 GB. About half of the files are amd64_......... What are these files for? Are they for AMD 64 bit processing systems? If my system uses an Intel processor can I delete these amd64_ files? I could save about 7.5 GB space if they aren't used by my system.

 

[Bill2]

Winsxs contains all the OS files, think of it as the equivalent of the i386 folder in XP. Winsxs is the only complete store of all versions of all files of the OS. Thats what lets you run things like sfc or install additional features without having to use the dvd.

Also, it really doesn't use as much extra disk space as it appears to because most stuff in other Windows folders and subfolders are just hard links to the winsxs files.

As for the "amd64"- AMD came out with 64-bit extensions to x86 before Intel did and so labelled it AMD64, 64 bit Intel CPUs run the AMD64 instruction set. So "amd64" is just another name for "x64".

In short, let winsxs alone.

 

[5er driver]

Got it, Thanks.

 

[pparks1]

I wrote up a writeup about how Windows explorer and other tools are pretty misleading when it comes to WinSXS as that folder is mostly hardlinks to files elsewhere on the OS.

If you are curious, go here;
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-...folder-not-actually-consuming-lots-space.html

 

[5er driver]

Thanks parks.