Tips to Slim Down Vista
Windows Vista, whether the source setup files and after installation system files, took up a lot of hard disk drive space. Just try to imagine from the fact that Windows XP fits into a CD (maximum 700 MB), while Windows Vista requires a DVD (max 4.7 GB). Windows Vista is fat and obese, but that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to ’slim’ down the Vista to make it uses less disk space and reclaim some storage for larger and larger media and date files. The tips below suggests several not system critical files that can be safely deleted and removed from the system without causing instability.
%SystemDrive%\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository
The directory stores backup copy of the built-in drivers in Windows Vista. You probably won’t need most of the drivers, unless you plan to install new hardware. Even if there is new hardware, it should comes with a Vista-compliant driver. So the folder can be removed. Depending on which edition of your Vista, deleting “FileRepository” folder can reclaim at least 1 GB of disk space,
To delete “FileRepository” directory, users must first take ownership and grant full control permissions to users’ account for the directories and all sub-folders recursively. Use TakeControlOf command script or add a Take Ownership in right click menu to easily do the task.
%SystemDrive%\Boot
“Boot” folder stores Windows Vista boot screen for different language editions. If you’re using only a single language of Vista, such as “en-US” (for American English) or “de-DE” (for German) or another other localized langauge, the others not in use can be removed to save about 13.3 MB disk space.
To remove “Boot” folder, users also required to claim ownership and assume full control access on the directory and all its subdirectories as per instruction above.
%SystemDrive%\perflogs\System\Diagnostics
“perflogs” folder is created by Performance Information and Tools, and Reliability and Performance Monitor that tests and measures Vista system score rating and performance to save the recorded files. The data is saved in “perflogs\System\Diagnostics” according to folders named by date. If you no longer need the performance data, delete the folder. Vista will slim down by about 10 MB.
%SystemDrive%\Windows\Downloaded Installations
Some programs such as Adobe (Macromedia) Dreamweaver will extract and unpack the setup files into this folder during installation. After installed, the files are unused and can be erased.
%SystemDrive%\ProgramData
Some installers such as iTunes will unpack and extract setup files to this directory, which can safely removed. In the example, iTunes will C:\ProgramData\Apple Computer\Installer Cache\iTunes which stores installation files. However, note that most files and folders here are needed for proper execution of applications. So delete with care.
%SystemDrive%\Windows\Help
Not really recommended, but if you feel that you already master Vista, and really running out of disk space acutely, removing the Help files will free up around 105 MB space.
%SystemDrive%\Windows\IME
Input Method Editor (IME) provides a way for users to type and enter text in Windows system. If you have installed a few IMEs, but no longer use them, delete the correct corresponding folders to free disk space. Warning though, it’s hard to determine which folder should match with which IME, and any wrong deletion will render system unstable. Each IME may takes up tens of megabytes.
%SystemDrive%\Windows\Installer
The uninstallation programs for installed programs are stored here. If you confirm and sure that yuo won’t uninstall a program after installation, it’s possible to remove the uninstaller for the program. Depending on the number of apps installed, the storage space recovered can add up hundreds of MB.
%SystemDrive%\Windows\Web\Wallpaper
The free wallpaper graphics and images that come packaged with Vista. Remove and delete or move the unused or not needed wallpapers to another drive. Mind you, the wallpapers are high resolution and big in size. Deleting all of them will free up 45 MB.
%SystemDrive%\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
The contents inside “SoftwareDistribution” folder are record date about the system updates installed, and cannot be removed or deleted. However, it’s possible to delete files inside “Download” folder which are the source setup files downloaded.
%SystemDrive%\Users\Public
The public document folders for all users. Vista populates the public folders with several media files such as pictures and videos of about 220 MB in size, which can be deleted if not used. For example, “C:\Users\Public\Recorded TV\Sample Media” folder is the sample recorded video clips of Windows Media Center and eats up 143 MB disk space, while “C:\Users\Public\Music\Sample Music” contains 59 MB of free .wma music, “C:\Users\Public\Pictures\Sample Pictures” has about 5 MB of sample photos, and “C:\Users\Public\Videos” has about 10 MB of sample videos.
Last but not least, always use the Vista Cleaner script to remove unwanted and unneeded files in the PC, and it’s also possible to delete the hiberfil.sys of GBs in size from the system.
There are more ways to recover space and fix shrinking disk space issue.
Related Articles
- Windows Vista Tips & Tricks and Team Blog
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- Windows Vista Ultimate Helpful Hints (Tips and Tricks) PDF eBook Free Download
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- Windows Vista System Junk Cleaner
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- Hide and Remove Public Folders Shortcuts and Favorite Links in Vista Explorer Shell
- Recover and Reclaim ‘Lost’ Disk Space After Installing Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)
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Entries (RSS)
October 30th, 2009 08:36
Just do a system restore and it will be ok. I had problems with plug and play too, but after a system restore it restored the repository folder.
August 20th, 2009 03:55
http://forums.logitech.com/logitech/board/message?board.id=bluetooth&message.id=4357
Try this to recover your filerepository folder deletion!
February 28th, 2009 23:37
[...] files and directories, especially in the C:Windows directory. I searched Google, when I found a very interesting article about how to free-up your Vista partition including directories that you remove, to reach a [...]
December 10th, 2008 00:31
There should a BIG WARNING on top of this article mentioning that “Deleting FileRepository will mess up plug&play devices”.
I deleted it and read the comments later to find out. It is too late now.
Please do people a favor. Put the warning sign!
September 3rd, 2008 22:04
Cleaning FileRepository really messed up all plug & play devices, especially USB thumb drives!!
Refer to the last entries of the setupapi.dev.log file in c:\windows\inf and you will see the failed entries which are caused by the missing inf files, which can also be found in the same folder.
They will need to be recreated with the same folder name and then it’ll be fixed.
August 7th, 2008 11:39
[...] *oops* i mean many of windows built-in drivers.. i’ve tried few tips and tricks from this site: Tips to Slim Down Vista
July 27th, 2008 02:31
Ups – sorry, this was only Germna
Here the same in english (i’ll try my best
):
thanks for your tips, but..
Big Warning for deleting the “Downloaded Installations” – now i can’t remove Applications like VMware – becouse the create a *.msi file under this Folder – and if they can’t find this *.msi – they can’t remove or new install!
Second Warning: for deleting the FileRepository Folder – now i have Problems to install usb-sticks!
Best regards,
Fabian
July 27th, 2008 02:26
Vielen Dank für die zahlreichen tipps.
Aber ich muss auch dringend ein paar Warnungen aussprechen – nachdem ich die genannten Verzeichnisse löschte, bekam ich beim De- bzw. Neuinstallieren von diversen Anwendungen mächtige Probelem – Bestes Beispiel: VmWare Workstation. Diese legt eine *.msi Datei unter “% SystemDrive% \ Windows \ Downloaded Installationen” ab. Wenn diese gelöscht werden – ist es nicht mehr möglich die Anwendung zu deinstallieren!! Vom “drüberinstallieren” garnicht zu sprechen.
Die nächste Warnun muss ich – wie ein paar meiner Vorredner – auf den ersten Tipp – dem löschen des “% SystemDrive% \ Windows \ System32 \ DriverStore \ FileRepository” Verzeichnisses, aussprechen. Nadem ich den gelöschte – kann ich nun keine neuen USB-Sticks mehr installieren. (Auch nach löschen und neuerstellen der ICACHE.1). Ganz ehrlich: mein Vista ist nach all den optimierungen nur noch 2000 MB “schwer” und verbraucht nur noch 400mb RAM (nach diversen optimierungen) – aber wenn ich keine USB-Sticks mehr installieren kann….weiß nicht..
Schönen Gruß,
Fabian
January 19th, 2008 08:10
OK.. I figured it out.
Used 7zip and explored the vista dvd. ..
open the folder SOURCES
then the file INSTALL.WIM
the numbered directories are the different versions of vista.. ie basic, home, home premium, ultimate and a few for foreign markets like the EU that block the install of things like media player. ..
search out the directory and copy the folder somewhere safe… then work your a#* off trying to take ownership of the directory (there is a script if you don’t want to do it the hard way)…
THEN you can copy the files over…
GOOD LUCK …
January 19th, 2008 07:04
HELP!!!
I uninstalled the drivers in vista and now I want them back. I can’t seem to find a way to reinstall them without reinstalling all of vista. Please help or link me to a website that hosts the default drivers.
Thanks.
January 5th, 2008 06:41
Most new hardware designed to be used with Vista does NOT come with it’s own drivers because they’re expecting the driver to already exist within vista’s file repository. Do yourself a favor, avoid a huge headache, and don’t delete the file repository!!!
December 20th, 2007 00:38
After using “TakeOwnership” for FileRepository, still all files are write-protected. That cannot be changed.
Neither is it possible to grant full control permissions to users nor to delete any of the files in the folder.
In Vista64, the folder reclaims 2 GB.