Can I delete the file C:\Windows\winsxs\ManifestCache to increase disk space?

Question

Original title: problem with hard drive memory reducing rapidlyH

i there

My Laptop Hard Drive has a 60GB memory and since about March this year it has been filling up.In march I had used only 18GB of the Hard Drive now I have used 50GB plus.I have found a file on my hard drive that takes up 30GB and it is C:\Windows\winsxs\ManifestCache.What I would like to know is can this file be deleted or reduced somehow.

Answer 1

Hi,

All the necessary files for specific additions, roles, applications will be contained in the %windir%\Winsxs directory. The %windir%\winsxs folder (also referred to as the component store) is used to store all the installation source files that are needed for Windows to service itself and its optional components, which takes the place of the traditional flat from media.

To achieve saving some space there is a workaround – to manually delete some folders from WINSXS. Take great care what folders you can delete, because you may break the functionality of your Windows installation and render your product unsupported.

a. Click on start and type cmd in the search bar and right click on cmd.exe in the search pane and click Run as administrator.

n. Navigate to folder C:\Windows\Winsxs

c. Run this command:

   Net stop trustedinstaller

NOTE: Wait for this service to stop and ensure it stops successfully. If you are unable to stop the service, you must restart your machine. Do not attempt the next step if you are unable to stop the trustedinstaller service.

d. Then execute these commands:

   Takeown /f %windir%\winsxs\ManifestCache\*

e. You should now have available, some more free disk space.Hope this helps.   Del /q %windir%\winsxs\ManifestCache\*   Icacls %windir%\winsxs\ManifestCache\ /GRANT administrators:F*

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Thanks and Regards:

Shekhar S - Microsoft Support. Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.

Answer 2

Hi Shekhar / Robert,

My manifest files are in 'Manifest' folder and not 'ManifestCache'. There are currently 24K + files in the manifest folder. Also when I run the above command in ManifestCache folder, I get the Invalid Switch - "GRANT" error.

I guess their is some problem in my Manifest folder as all my antivirus scan hangs up after coming in this folder... Please suggest.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,

Mayur

Answer 3

Hi,

All the necessary files for specific additions, roles, applications will be contained in the %windir%\Winsxs directory. The %windir%\winsxs folder (also referred to as the component store) is used to store all the installation source files that are needed for Windows to service itself and its optional components, which takes the place of the traditional flat from media.

To achieve saving some space there is a workaround – to manually delete some folders from WINSXS. Take great care what folders you can delete, because you may break the functionality of your Windows installation and render your product unsupported.

a. Click on start and type cmd in the search bar and right click on cmd.exe in the search pane and click Run as administrator.

n. Navigate to folder C:\Windows\Winsxs

c. Run this command:

   Net stop trustedinstaller

NOTE: Wait for this service to stop and ensure it stops successfully. If you are unable to stop the service, you must restart your machine. Do not attempt the next step if you are unable to stop the trustedinstaller service.

d. Then execute these commands:

   Takeown /f %windir%\winsxs\ManifestCache\*

e. You should now have available, some more free disk space.Hope this helps.   Del /q %windir%\winsxs\ManifestCache\*   Icacls %windir%\winsxs\ManifestCache\ /GRANT administrators:F*

---

Thanks and Regards:

Shekhar S - Microsoft Support. Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.

Hi, Had a couple of questions.

1. Is step "b" labeled "n" for some strange reason?
2. Does step "e" also include typing in the command: "Del /q %windir%\winsxs\ManifestCache\*   Icacls %windir%\winsxs\ManifestCache\ /GRANT administrators:F" ?*

Answer 4

help please! my command prompt  shows C:\Users\Username>

then i  put in   n. and it does nothing but say 'it is not recognized as internal or external command'

Answer 5

did you execute the following:

Navigate to folder C:\Windows\Winsxs

c. Run this command:

   Net stop trustedinstaller

NOTE: Wait for this service to stop and ensure it stops successfully. If you are unable to stop the service, you must restart your machine. Do not attempt the next step if you are unable to stop the trustedinstaller service.

If you get no response in the command window you can go to the windows "Services.msc" look for Windows Module Installer Service which is the TrustedInstaller Service" and stop it manually.

It may already be stopped.

Then  finish the commands stated by Shekhar:

execute these commands:

   Takeown /f %windir%\winsxs\ManifestCache\* e. You should now have available, some more free disk space.Hope this helps.   Del /q %windir%\winsxs\ManifestCache\*   Icacls %windir%\winsxs\ManifestCache\ /GRANT administrators:F*

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