The Winsxs Folder Explained
Windows users who have run a disk space analyzer like TreeSize in the last days may have stumbled for the first time upon the Winsxs folder in the Windows directory. The folder usually has a size of about 5 to 8 Gigabytes on Windows Vista and Windows 7, there are however reports of bigger folders, up to 16 Gigaybtes. Especially Windows XP users who recently switched to Windows 7 may have asked themselves why the size of the folder increased from a few Megabytes to Gigabytes.
The Internet search engines and message boards are full with questions about the folder, many users want to know if it is safe to delete the Winsxs folder, if it needs to be included in operating system backups or why it has such an enormous size compared to other Windows folders.
Windows users who have run a disk space analyzer like TreeSize in the last days may have stumbled for the first time upon the Winsxs folder in the Windows directory. The folder usually has a size of about 5 to 8 Gigabytes on Windows Vista and Windows 7, there are however reports of bigger folders, up to 16 Gigaybtes. Especially Windows XP users who recently switched to Windows 7 may have asked themselves why the size of the folder increased from a few Megabytes to Gigabytes.
The Internet search engines and message boards are full with questions about the folder, many users want to know if it is safe to delete the Winsxs folder, if it needs to be included in operating system backups or why it has such an enormous size compared to other Windows folders.