Reducing the size of your Windows 7 install

tim · 30th of June 2012 (Sat)

I just found this command, which cleans up the files kept around in case you want to roll back your service pack update. Run it from a command prompt started as administrator (ie hit start, type cmd, right click on command prompt, choose "run as administrator")

dism /online /cleanup-image /spsuperseded

There's also the disk cleanup tool, which is you right click on your drive, choose properties, then choose disk cleanup.

Turning off hibernate if you don't use it saves a heap of disk space. You can move the swap file to another disk too.

Does anyone have any other tips to save disk space under Windows 7?

marzel · 30th of June 2012 (Sat)

With HDD prices going down and sizes going up, why do you need to shave off space like back in the Windows 95 days?

tim · 30th of June 2012 (Sat)

SSDs are still a bit expensive, and it takes up space when I do backups. Why keep files you don't need?

Bob_A · 30th of June 2012 (Sat)

Thanks for posting this Tim.

Hen3Ry · 2nd of July 2012 (Mon)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim

Does anyone have any other tips to save disk space under Windows 7?

Click Start, type Windows features on or off and hit Enter, and the Windows Features dialogue box will be displayed. Once it's open, you can turn all kinds of features off - this may free up some space. I doubt you need your games, for example.

tim · 2nd of July 2012 (Mon)

I don't think turning services off saves space, just a little processing time.

Hen3Ry · 2nd of July 2012 (Mon)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim

I don't think turning services off saves space, just a little processing time.

If I remember correctly, a similar feature in XP actually removes the stuff.

PixelMagic · 2nd of July 2012 (Mon)

Turn on Hibernate and you'll recover space equal to the amount of installed RAM
Since I make a daily mirror of my system drive I have no need for System Restore. You can turn it off entirely by going to Control Panel > System and Security > System > System Protection, click on the Configure button and move the disk usage slider to 0%.
Alternatively, click the Delete button to remove existing System Restore files but this does not turn off System Restore. (Most people would be surprised by how much space the recover the first time doing this).
Open Windows Explorer and type %TEMP% in the menu bar to go to the Temp folder. You can safely delete everything in the Temp folder except the FXSAPIDebugLogFile.txt file.
If you use the Transfer to Photoshop function in Digital Photo Pro, go to C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Canon\Genzo\PStemp and delete the TIFF files that accumulate there.

digirebelva · 2nd of July 2012 (Mon)

Remove installed Windows features like "Tablet PC Componets", XPS Services/Viewer, Gadget Platform etc...

D Thompson · 2nd of July 2012 (Mon)

Other Windows 7 tweaks - click for tweaks

silvrr · 2nd of July 2012 (Mon)

I have used this guide for a couple of installs, saves a bunch of room and they both run great. I think my last Win 7 install was in the 15-20 GB range. 16 comes to mind but I'm not 100% sure.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1156654/s...-for-ssds-hdds

DarK_MischieF · 2nd of July 2012 (Mon)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim

I just found this command, which cleans up the files kept around in case you want to roll back your service pack update. Run it from a command prompt started as administrator (ie hit start, type cmd, right click on command prompt, choose "run as administrator")

dism /online /cleanup-image /spsuperseded

There's also the disk cleanup tool, which is you right click on your drive, choose properties, then choose disk cleanup.

Turning off hibernate if you don't use it saves a heap of disk space. You can move the swap file to another disk too.

Does anyone have any other tips to save disk space under Windows 7?

This command actually removes the Wndows 7 Service Pack 1 backup files and should return 1.5-3GB of space. Naturally it only works if you have SP1 installed. You will not be able to remove SP1 after, but this shouldn't be a big problem.

Turning off hibernation (powercfg -h off) helps, as well as turning off System Restore.

isoMorphic · 3rd of July 2012 (Tue)

I use CCleaner to tweak and clean up most everything including removing redundant restore points.

30th of June 2012 (Sat)	#1
tim Light Bringer Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 47,917 IMAGE EDITING OK	Reducing the size of your Windows 7 install I just found this command, which cleans up the files kept around in case you want to roll back your service pack update. Run it from a command prompt started as administrator (ie hit start, type cmd, right click on command prompt, choose "run as administrator") dism /online /cleanup-image /spsuperseded There's also the disk cleanup tool, which is you right click on your drive, choose properties, then choose disk cleanup. Turning off hibernate if you don't use it saves a heap of disk space. You can move the swap file to another disk too. Does anyone have any other tips to save disk space under Windows 7? __________________ NZIPP Qualified Professional wedding photographer. Camera and Lens Reviews ~ Wellington Wedding Photographer Wellington Wedding Photographer (site2) ~ Wellington Wedding Photographer (site3) Read all my FAQs (wedding, printing, lighting, books, etc)

30th of June 2012 (Sat)	#2
marzel Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Northern California Posts: 231 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Reducing the size of your Windows 7 install With HDD prices going down and sizes going up, why do you need to shave off space like back in the Windows 95 days?

30th of June 2012 (Sat)	#3
tim Light Bringer Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 47,917 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Reducing the size of your Windows 7 install SSDs are still a bit expensive, and it takes up space when I do backups. Why keep files you don't need? __________________ NZIPP Qualified Professional wedding photographer. Camera and Lens Reviews ~ Wellington Wedding Photographer Wellington Wedding Photographer (site2) ~ Wellington Wedding Photographer (site3) Read all my FAQs (wedding, printing, lighting, books, etc)

30th of June 2012 (Sat)	#4
Bob_A Cream of the Crop Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 7,371 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Reducing the size of your Windows 7 install Thanks for posting this Tim. __________________ Bob

2nd of July 2012 (Mon)	#6
tim Light Bringer Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 47,917 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Reducing the size of your Windows 7 install I don't think turning services off saves space, just a little processing time. __________________ NZIPP Qualified Professional wedding photographer. Camera and Lens Reviews ~ Wellington Wedding Photographer Wellington Wedding Photographer (site2) ~ Wellington Wedding Photographer (site3) Read all my FAQs (wedding, printing, lighting, books, etc)

2nd of July 2012 (Mon)	#8
PixelMagic Cream of the Crop Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Racine, WI Posts: 5,120 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Reducing the size of your Windows 7 install Turn on Hibernate and you'll recover space equal to the amount of installed RAM Since I make a daily mirror of my system drive I have no need for System Restore. You can turn it off entirely by going to Control Panel > System and Security > System > System Protection, click on the Configure button and move the disk usage slider to 0%. Alternatively, click the Delete button to remove existing System Restore files but this does not turn off System Restore. (Most people would be surprised by how much space the recover the first time doing this). Open Windows Explorer and type %TEMP% in the menu bar to go to the Temp folder. You can safely delete everything in the Temp folder except the FXSAPIDebugLogFile.txt file. If you use the Transfer to Photoshop function in Digital Photo Pro, go to C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Canon\Genzo\PStemp and delete the TIFF files that accumulate there. __________________ Gear List

2nd of July 2012 (Mon)	#9
digirebelva Goldmember Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Henrico, Virginia Posts: 2,371 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Reducing the size of your Windows 7 install Remove installed Windows features like "Tablet PC Componets", XPS Services/Viewer, Gadget Platform etc... __________________ EOS 7d, 50d, Tokina 11-16, Sigma 70-200mm F/2.8, Sigma 17-50 F/2.8, Canon 24-70mm F/2.8L, Canon 70-200 F/2.8L, 580EX Speedlites When it ceases to be fun, it will be time to walk away http://www.tawilsonphotography.com

2nd of July 2012 (Mon)	#10
D Thompson Goldmember Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Georgetown, Ky Posts: 2,836	Re: Reducing the size of your Windows 7 install Other Windows 7 tweaks - click for tweaks __________________ Dennis Canon 5D 20D l Dennis Thompson Photography I have not yet begun to procrastinate! We'll be friends until we are old and senile. Then, we'll be new friends every day thereafter.

2nd of July 2012 (Mon)	#11
silvrr Goldmember Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Chicago,IL Posts: 2,486 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Reducing the size of your Windows 7 install I have used this guide for a couple of installs, saves a bunch of room and they both run great. I think my last Win 7 install was in the 15-20 GB range. 16 comes to mind but I'm not 100% sure. http://www.overclock.net/t/1156654/s...-for-ssds-hdds __________________ l 60D l 24-105 F4L IS l 100L Macro l 430EX l 430EX II l Sigma 50mm 1.4 l Kenko Extension Tubes l Flickr Feedback

3rd of July 2012 (Tue)	#13
isoMorphic Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,984	Re: Reducing the size of your Windows 7 install I use CCleaner to tweak and clean up most everything including removing redundant restore points.

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