Reinstalling Windows 7 to save space

Question

If I install windows 7 SP1 over an existing windows 7 (not sp1) installation, will it use less diskspace?

I'm saying that because all the updates over windows 7 created a very big /windows/installer/$patchcache + /windows/winsxs folders.

So i'm wondering if reinstalling sp1 (which have all patches) would make this smaller.

Also, what kind of settings i lose if i perform this kind of installation.

Answer 1

I don't think you gain much if anything, besides you can purge the SP1 cached files by using disk cleanup.

Run disk cleanup on the C drive, then click "clean up system files", then tick "Service Pack backup files" in the list, hit OK.

Or do it from an elevated command prompt http://everythingsysadmin.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/cleanup-winsxs-after-windows-7-sp1-install/

.

.

Source of Information

Answer 2

Surely whenever you do a clean install, you're deleting existing data, so there will be a significant difference: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows-7

Answer 3

The usual space-waster is the Winsxs folder. Here are some tips for shrinking it:

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/itdojo/reduce-the-size-of-the-winsxs-folder-with-vsp1clnexe-and-compclnexe/1060