Moving winsxs folder

After windows sucessfully installed I found how fast system disk free space flows. And once I detected there is not free space to install required application. Investigating windows folder I noticed the winsxs folder is too big 14Gb ( sometimes it can be to 20Gb ) on operating systems starting from Windows Vista and onwards. Of course I want to reduce this folder, remove full or at least partly.

There are a lot information describes winsxs folder across internet, e.g.
What is the WINSXS directory in Windows 2008 and Windows Vista and why is it so large?
http://blogs.technet.com/askcore/archive/2008/09/17/what-is-the-winsxs-directory-in-windows-2008-and-windows-vista-and-why-is-it-so-large.aspx
But how reduce winsxs folder size?

Let's start

I found three ways to get free space on system drive, first and second are reducing winsxs folder and third moving it away from windows folder.

1. Remove previous Service Packs that take up much space.

2. To achieve saving some space there is a workaround - to manually remove some files from WINSXS subfolders.
Take great care what subfolders you can remove, because you may break your Windows installation and all future windows startup will be finished with "blue screen". Usually you can remove content of folder %windir%\winsxs\ManifestCache (%windir% - path to windows folder, by default it is C:\\Windows). To make it empty you need change this folder owner to Administrators and provide full access permissions to this folder also. Deleting this folder content allows save about 5% of winsxs size.

3. I moved winsxs to another drive where I had required free space using selfcreated WinSXSLinker application. Of course you can make the same manually with creating required symbol links and modifying windows registery.

Before run this application I need change winsxs folder and all subfolders/files owner to Administrators and grant full access permissions.

Using windows explorer: open windows folder content then right mouse click on the winsxs folder and open "Security" tab

Click on "Advanced" button and open tab "Owner"

Click on "Edit" button



Select "Administrators", check "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" and click "Ok"
Windows changes winsxs owner, it takes few minutes... When process is finished you get previous window

Click on the tab "Permissions" then button "Edit" and select "Administrators" to get this window

Click on the button "Edit", check "Full control", select "This folder, subfolders and files" in the drop-down list



Click "Ok"

Select "Administrators", check "Replace all child object permissions....." checkbox and click "Apply"



Windows changes winsxs permissions, it takes few minutes...

That's all.
As result winsxs folder is moved from your WINDOWS folder to another drive you selected and system drive has 10Gb-20Gb free disk space.
You can still find winsxs folder inside WINDOWS folder with a lot subfolders but it is just link to moved winsxs folder. Physically is winsxs located on the your defined folder.

For advanced users:
After windows restarts you get winsxs.linker folder in the chosen destination and have full access to modify winsxs folder content as you want. Pay attention removing any files from winsxs or winsxs.linker folder can get windows bluescreen. I do not recomend make you it. If you sure to remove then at least make backup of files you will remove to have a chance restore them.

Contact universal@vitana-group.com if you have any questions or found a bug.

Application you can get here.

P.S.: inform us if you need a tool to physical SAFE moving files/folders without moving theirs pointer.
Other words... A tool to move folder Vitana from C:\Users to any another location but still see it in the C:\Users and come into Vitana from C:\Users. Physical folder Vitana will be located in the chosen location.