How to Reduce the Size of the Component Store (WinSxS) Folder

The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool can be use to analyze the size of the component store and reduce the size of the component store (WinSxS folder). The WinSxS folder is located in the Windows folder, for example C:\Windows\WinSxS. It’s the location for Windows Component Store files. The Windows Component Store is used to support the functions needed for the customization and updating of Windows. Component store (WinSxS folder) contains all the components that make-up Windows to allow you operate your system. These components are kept to rollback any problematic change or to repair a file that becomes corrupted.

Applies to Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10.

A new option has been added to the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool for Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 to help determine how much disk space the WinSxS folder really uses.

Here's How:

Open the Command Prompt by typing cmd.exe into Start Screen or Start Menu, right-click on Cmd.exe, and open it as an administrator.

Analyze the size of the component store by typing:

Code:

Dism  /Online  /Cleanup-Image  /AnalyzeComponentStore


How to Reduce the Size of the Component Store (WinSxS folder) TmMfTio

The '/AnalyzeComponentStore' option isn’t recognized on Windows 8 and earlier versions of Windows OS.


If the component store cleanup was recommended in the displayed report, then you can reduce the size of the component store.

Reduce the size of the component store by typing following command:

Code:

Dism  /Online  /Cleanup-Image  /StartComponentCleanup


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You can reduce the size of the component store further by adding the /ResetBase switch.

Type following command:

Code:

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase


How to Reduce the Size of the Component Store (WinSxS folder) S70S4Bk

    Warning
The installed Windows Updates cannot be uninstalled after the '/StartComponentCleanup' with '/ResetBase' operation is completed.