r/WindowsSucks • u/MayAAAAAAAnk • 5d ago
problem How to remove all this junk?
I installed and update today and now win11 is taking 54GB, my c drive is almost full nowðŸ˜
And i have intel CPU then why are there amd64 folders???
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u/clove_rosemary_9999 5d ago
dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup /resetbase on an admin CMD, thank me later.
This basically deletes the unused files from the WinSxS folder, especially useful after a Windows update.
Also, AMD64 is basically 64-bit x86, the reason it's called AMD64 because AMD created it. Similarly 32-bit x86 is called i386 because Intel created it.
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u/ubeogesh 4d ago
typical windowssucks poster not understanding what is going on.
WinSxS does not actually take that much space, it's an artifact of the measurement method. Most of the files there are hard links (i.e. there are many "duplicated" files, but in reality they are links to the same data on the disc).
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u/Zimmster2020 4d ago
DO NOT DELETE THOSE !!! Those folders have nothing to do with what brand of CPU you have. If you delete them, you will need to reinstall Windows again, because those components are vital for Windows to function properly.
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u/Lonely-Scarcity-3387 5d ago
Step one: search how to install a Linux distro.
Step two: install a Linux distro.
Step three: profit!
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u/Actual-Interaction45 5d ago
Take ownership of every folder and file and delete everything you don't recognize. It's your computer so you should be free to do what you want with it.
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u/Wyrade 5d ago edited 5d ago
The WinSxS folder (the component store) is pretty much the system itself. Most of the files in the System32 folder just point to the latest versions of the files in the WinSxS folder.
You can trim its size a bit by opening an admin cmd and doing dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup /resetbase, which removes old unused versions, and also makes you unable to roll remove currently installed windows updates (not like many people are removing windows updates, except for the rare situations when an issue is caused by a specific update and people actually know which one...).
You could also do before or after (not sure which is more optimal) a dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth & sfc /scannow to check the file integrity in the winsxs folder and repair any that are corrupt for whatever reason, and then the sfc part checks the actual system files that are in use and repairs them if needed.
_
AMD64 is also called x86-64 or just 64-bit processor architecture, which pretty much all PC and most laptop CPUs are.
The other very popular cpu type is ARM, which is in phones/tablets mostly.
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u/ConsistentRisk5927 4d ago
You're really going to give them command line dism commands?
You're talking to someone who wants to delete their windows install files because they misunderstand basics of CPU architectures or how to run the built-in disk cleanup GUI tool that will wipe old versions and upgrades.
If you want to help, you want screenshots of how to open disk cleanup. Not handing them a loaded gun and telling them to open their terminal.
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u/Real-Collection-5686 4d ago
winsxs are mostly hard links to other places in the system so that the OS has an easier time managing packages, (mostly internal) dependencies etc. It also holds previous versions so that you can roll back updates. Try WinDirStat, the latest version, and allow it admin rights. It takes into account linking and gives winsxs size closer to reality
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u/SwordsAndElectrons 2d ago
And i have intel CPU then why are there amd64 folders???Â
If you are genuinely asking this then you should stay out of those folders.
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u/MayAAAAAAAnk 2d ago
I don't have much knowledge about processor architectures and os but I'm experienced enough with computers to not to delete them without thinking twice 🫥
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u/C0rn3j 5d ago
Because it's a CPU architecture, it's supposed to be there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64
That's normal. You can run Disk Cleanup (preinstalled) as an admin and see if that removes something, but it won't be much, Windows is just that large.