'winsxs' folder on a new install of Vista

[JDee]

Hi guys,

I have been partitioning my drive quite frequently over and over again and reinstalling Vista because I have a major problem.

I can't install Vista and use it properly because everytime I partition it, to say, 10GB, a folder in the 'Windows' folder called 'winsxs' holds about 3 GB of stuff. Even when I just install it, ( and I've used Vista Ultimate 32 + 64 bit and Home Premium 32 bit) it takes up over 3 GB and when I install a bit of software it jumps even higher.

Apparently it stores important old cache and DLL histories, but it was my first install and I don't need any of the crap inside the folder.

Please help someone.

Thanks.

 

[balamw]

I don't need any of the crap inside the folder.

Yes you do.

WinSxS (side by side) is Microsoft's answer to dll hell. If you can't handle the space it takes on your HDD your only option is to run Win2K that doesn't support it. It'll also be smaller on 32 bit systems than 64, 'cause 64 will often require both 32 and 64 bit versions of DLLs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Side-by-side_assembly

If you upgrade to Vista SP2 and use cmpcln it will clean out any orphaned SxS files that your apps really don't need. http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/itdojo/?p=1060

B