Ctrl Alt Del
Premium
join:2002-02-18
| [XP] Trimming Windows XP
A member asked me about this in an IM and figured others might like to experiment, so here's my writeup.
Trimming Windows XP
If you want to trim Windows XP’s size from its default install size of around 1.5 GB to nearly 800 MB (or less) and are willing to accept certain consequences, then read on.
The first and most important step is to disable Windows File Protection, or WPA. WPA is a feature in Windows XP that makes sure Windows files are not modified or altered. WPA is a self-protecting feature that helps maintain the integrity of Windows. While this is good in the long run because it protects Windows from getting screwed up, it also prevents us from deleting basically any file in the C:\WINDOWS folder to free up space.
It is safe to disable WPA, Windows XP will function and work fine without it, you will just have one less layer of protection. The easiest way to turn WPA off is to use XP-Lite.
Once you disable WPA, its deleting time! The first and foremost folder to delete is C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache which is the folder WPA uses to keep copies of Windows files. This should clean up about 250 to 300 MB right there.
Other folders you can delete are...
• C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles if you have it, to free up about another 270 MB.
• C:\WINDOWS\Help, which is a collection of Help files, to free up about 50 MB.
• C:\WINDOWS\PCHEALTH, which is Windows XP’s Help and Support, to free to about 30 MB. CAUTION: the file msconfig.exe is in the folder C:\WINDOWS\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\Binaries, which is a nice tool to control certain aspects of your computer like what programs run on startup, so you may want to move this file to C:\WINDOWS so you can still use it.
Of course, you might want to clean out your Temporary folders...
• C:\WINDOWS\Temp
• C:\Documents and Settings\User Account\Local Settings\Temp
And alter your Temporary Internet Files to use less hard drive space. Go Start > Control Panel > Internet Options > Settings button > adjust disk space usage to something like 50 MB.
There may be other folders/files you could delete, but then you could really screw up Windows.
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I wanna fsck you like an animal. |
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Maven
Premium
join:2002-03-12
Canada
| This works indeed, my XP installation is down to ~500MB.
I just wish I hadn't deleted the contents of Windows\Inf, as it contains Windows' driver database. I figured I didn't it since all my hardware is installed, but ran into problem when I tried to run Daemon Tools. But other than that, trimming XP down works quite nicely. |
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shwing
A Sphincter Says What ?
join:2002-11-14 | reply to Ctrl Alt Del
where can we d/l XP-Lite? |
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Curley
join:2002-04-10
Michigan | »www.litepc.com/xplite.html |
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MSeng
Premium,Ex-Mod 2001-08
join:2000-07-13
Ork
clubs:
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| reply to Ctrl Alt Del
I would argue against disabling Windows File Protection and deleting the dll cache. With disk sizes on the increase, this extra layer of protection is worth having and really isn't taking that much space.
FWIW:
WFP = Windows File Protection
WPA = Windows Product Activation
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FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION. It comes bundled with the software.
[text was edited by author 2003-10-08 07:54:29] |
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MacGyver
Bell Sucks
Premium,ExMod 2003-05
join:2001-10-14
Orleans, ON
·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Bell Sympatico
| Agree wholeheartedly with MSeng. Today's hard disks are going over 100Gig, and Windows occupies a scant 1-2% of that. What is a fraction of a percentage point going to help, anyway?
I can remember scrounging for disk space with a 540MB drive, but come on now - those days are over Praise God and frankly I have better things to do with my time.
And while I'm at it, I'll throw in a good word for System Restore. Why anyone would disable this is really beyond me. System restore has saved my bacon during a couple of failed Detonator driver installs. |
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JOBE2
Remember The 50's??
Premium
join:2001-03-26
Payne, OH
clubs: | reply to Ctrl Alt Del
Does "trimming" Windows speed it up any? If not, like others said about having plenty of disk space now, there really wouldn't be any point in it.
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Been there, Done that, Seen that; Old Sarge, retired US Army |
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Shootist
Premium
join:2003-02-10
Decatur, GA
| reply to MacGyver
Well as far as "Trimming" Windows down I agree. Most people, not all mind you, will never use there whole HDD space whether they have a 40GB or a 100+GB HDD. You have to save a whole lot of junk to fill up a 40GB drive and that much more to fill up a 100GB. So pairing the OS down to 500MB it not that important.
As far as SysRestore I find no need for it. When I first install XP Pro on my Desktop and when I got my laptop with Xp Home I could not figure out what it was saving and why. If you look at the files/folders it saves and the size of these files/folders there is NO way you could do a complete roll back to a previous time. Yes some are 2-3 hundred MB but most are 30-60MB and then some are as small as 10MB. And if you have some concern about a program you are about to install you can use SysRestore to create a restore point before you install the program, that's if you haven't stopped the service. So to have it running all the time makes no sense to ME. just my 2 cents.
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Are You Ready--Stand By BEEP ******** |
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JOBE2
Remember The 50's??
Premium
join:2001-03-26
Payne, OH
clubs:
| SysRestore is exactly that, a "system" restore, not a back up of your drive. I always let mine run and have had to use it on many occasions. It doesn't restore anything that has been installed since the restore point you use. I always say "better safe than sorry".
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Been there, Done that, Seen that; Old Sarge, retired US Army |
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DSmithLady
Premium,MVM
join:2002-04-23
Deep South
clubs:
| reply to Ctrl Alt Del
The file sizes are different for the restore points because they are incremental.(I think it's a very useful feature)
QUOTE:
Q. Can I make System Restore permanently retain a restore point?
A. No. System Restore is change base tracking tool, not an imaging or backup tool. Each restore point only stores changes to the system since the creation of the previous restore point to minimize space usage and improve performance, and all restore points are associated. Therefore, restoring the computer from the current state to a previous state requires the availability of all restore points. For example, if a user wants to restore the computer from point D to point A, System Restore will evaluate the system change logs for points C, B, and A.
If a restore point is permanent, space usage for storing the complete chain of restore points since the creation of the permanent restore point would become very large and impractical. System Restore also provides a space management feature to purge old restore points to make room for new ones, creating a rolling safety net. Restore points over 90 days are purged automatically by default.
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steven506
Premium
join:2003-06-11
Frankfort, KY
| reply to Ctrl Alt Del
I would just opt to purchase a larger drive.
If you are wanting to install XP onto a system with a 4GB drive (for example) then chances are it's an outdated system anyhow.
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Bush/Cheney 2004 |
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beck
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-29
On The Road
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| reply to Ctrl Alt Del
Ctrl Alt Del didn't say everyone should do this. But there are going to be systems where this helps. Doesn't matter if the system is outdated. I've donated outdated systems with small drives and they are still in use. Sometimes $50 or $100 for a new drive is not something you can do.
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Ctrl Alt Del
Premium
join:2002-02-18
| reply to Ctrl Alt Del
No, this is not for everyone to do. This is only for those adventurous enough or those who really want hard drive space back. DO NOT TRY THIS ON YOUR MAIN COMPUTER, this is to try out on your spare computer with a small (~2 GB) hard drive. If you have a large hard drive, leave Windows alone.
I did this to trim my Windows XP down to 700 MB on a 3 GB hard drive that I use to put in computers with a busted OS to get user documents off of.
EDIT: What an idiot... I used WPA when I should have used WFP. Thanks MSeng.
[text was edited by author 2003-10-08 14:57:04] |
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insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN
| said by Ctrl Alt Del  :
DO NOT TRY THIS ON YOUR MAIN COMPUTER, this is to try out on your spare computer with a small (~2 GB) hard drive. If you have a large hard drive, leave Windows alone.
Do whatever you want, a fix is only a windows repair away. But if you don't want to risk ruining something then let xplite do all the removing. |
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elias
Premium,VIP
join:2000-07-24
Miami, FL
clubs:
| reply to Ctrl Alt Del
Add/Remove Components
Well, another way to do this:
•Go to Control Panel.
•Go to Add/Remove Programs.
•Click on Add/Remove Windows Components.
This will bring-up the Windows Components Wizard.
I personally believe that this is the safest way to first alleviate some space.
Here you can actually add/remove Windows components without the risk of breaking anything; opposed to just deleting folders.
I would recommend this strategy first.
Afterward, if you still would like to save more space by removing more stuff, then follow ctrlaltdel8 's advice.
Ctrl, why don't you add these steps first, then yours? What do you think?
-- Elias
--
NetCoalition | DSLi Forum | Crunching the Midnight Oil |
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Maven
Premium
join:2002-03-12
Canada
| reply to Ctrl Alt Del
Re: [XP] Trimming Windows XP
In my case, trimming down XP has it's advantages. I have a 20GB hard-disk, and trust me, that fills up quickly. That extra 500MB is nice to have. I could go buy a bigger hard-disk, but I'm too cheap for that.  I always look for free solutions before forking out money.
As for the speed, can't really say whether it's faster or not. I would imagine it helps, what with fragmentation and all.
Besides all that, I enjoy tweaking Windows. I always want the most I can get out of my system. I'm still running a 800Mhz Duron with a G4MX yet still manage to play the latest games. |
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elias
Premium,VIP
join:2000-07-24
Miami, FL
clubs:
| said by Maven :
I'm still running a 800Mhz Duron with a G4MX yet still manage to play the latest games.
Yeah, my brother's running a D800 as well... but hopefully he'll get his Athlon XP soon.
-- Elias
--
NetCoalition | DSLi Forum | Crunching the Midnight Oil
[text was edited by author 2003-10-08 20:20:20] |
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Ctrl Alt Del
Premium
join:2002-02-18
| reply to elias
Re: Add/Remove Components
said by elias :
Well, another way to do this:
•Go to Control Panel.
•Go to Add/Remove Programs.
•Click on Add/Remove Windows Components.
This will bring-up the Windows Components Wizard.
I personally believe that this is the safest way to first alleviate some space.
Here you can actually add/remove Windows components without the risk of breaking anything; opposed to just deleting folders.
I would recommend this strategy first.
Afterward, if you still would like to save more space by removing more stuff, then follow ctrlaltdel8 's advice.
Ctrl, why don't you add these steps first, then yours? What do you think?
-- Elias
Your method works fine for most components of Windows, but you cannot delete/remove WFP (and the dllcache folder) that way, which is the biggest space consumer. Also, some of the things listed in there, like IE, OE, WMP and Win Messenger, are not really removed, just hidden, so they still take up space.
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I wanna fsck you like an animal. |
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rfhar
The World Sport, Played In Every Country
Premium
join:2001-03-26
Buicktown,Mi
clubs: | reply to Ctrl Alt Del
Re: [XP] Trimming Windows XP
Thanks you brought up a few ideas for me on my granddaughter's Win95 800meg HD antique. |
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OZO
Premium
join:2003-01-17
| reply to Ctrl Alt Del
If you successfully installed hot-fixes you may remove corresponding folders from C:\WINDOWS directory ("$NtUninstallKB821253$" is an example). At the moment I have 28 post SP1 folders and lot of them have more then 1MB of data inside. |
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