I need more space on my SSD drive and I found that MSOCache is occupying 1.3 GB. I have Microsoft Office 2010 installed.
Can I safely delete MSOCache?
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Sign up to join this communityI need more space on my SSD drive and I found that MSOCache is occupying 1.3 GB. I have Microsoft Office 2010 installed.
Can I safely delete MSOCache?
Short answer: no. You would most likely no longer be able to perform a repair or install additional components.
I have tried it myself on a virtual machine running Windows 7 with Office 2007–I imagine it would have the same effect on Office 2010.
A safer option (as suggested here) is to burn the folder itself to DVD or move it to a USB drive, and change all references to it in the Windows registry.
From that page:
Solution, what I did recently:
- Burn that whole folder to a CD-R or DVD (the filesize of that folder depends upon your Office version).
- Delete that folder.
- Search the registry in RegEdit for C:\MSOCache and change all references to point to your CD/DVD drive, example: E:\MSOCache (will of course require the disc when something Office related needs those cache files.)
Way to go would be Junction Point.
For example, if you have 120 GB SSD Drive as C:
, and 3TB Drive (Magnetic) HDD as D:
:
D:
create sub folder named C
MSOCache
to subfolder C
located on drive D:
CMD
CD \
MKLINK /J MSOCache D:\C\MSOCache
EXIT
After this you will have entire content of MSOCache
folder in path C:\MSOCache
, but physically files would be located on D:\C\MSOCache
.
That was the answer about MSOCache
folder on C
drive.
Now let us talk about a real problem, the same one I experienced few hours ago.
NOT ENOUGH SPACE ON SSD DISK AS C:
DRIVE
The main problem here is Windows Installer, and their crappy system of caching all old installation files. Every old version of some software that once existed on your PC Windows Installer keeps in his cache folder. Stupid thing, don't you think (only because someone might Uninstall some application Windows Installer keeps all files so it could roll back to the previous state - in simplified version - believe me it's much more complicated, but accept this as is).
This wouldn't be much of problem if there aren't even bigger stupidness again from Microsoft, of course, called Windows Updates. That simply floods you with updates. And what are the Updates!? Nobody!? Updates == Installations == Bigger and bigger Windows Installation Cache.
My situation was I've installed literally base development PC with minimal Office + VS2005, VS2008, VS2010 - That is I must have. I had this on XP machine primary disk with 120 GB just fine and plenty of drive space left with all updates installed (~100GB). But Windows 7 == 30 GB free space (Imagine my face when I saw that). I know windows 7 is little bigger but not 70GB bigger.
... and now 2 hours later I am back to 70 GB ;) HOW you ask me!?
Simply performed same thing as above for following folders:
C:\Windows\Installer\
C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\
Commands are very similar:
D:\C\WINDOWS
CMD
elevated as an administratorCD C:\WINDOWS
MKLINK /J Installer D:\C\Windows\Installer
MKLINK /J SoftwareDistribution D:\C\Windows\SoftwareDistribution
EXIT
Notice only to stop Windows Update, Trusted Installer, and Windows Installer services before moving those folders, run them after if you wish or simply restart (10 seconds for a reboot on SSD).
I have reclaimed back 40GB of (100% uselessly taken space, since I will never uninstall anything I use). Haven't broken any windows rules, since they use for Documents and Settings
same Junction Point to Users
although on same drive...
Still poking around what else I could move to (Magnetic) HDD drive...
One thing to notice you will have winSxS
subfolder in Windows folder DO NOT MOVE this folder as it would defy the purpose of Solid State Disk (fast loading of applications). WinSxS
is a folder where all Side by Side dll's are located (and prety much every application uses something from there).
This is also Microsoft's solution for DLL version HELL, if you wonder why it exists.
The Local Install Source (Msocache) feature is installed so that you do not have to insert the CD during the following Setup operations:
You can use the Windows Cleanup Wizard to remove the Msocache folder. To do this, follow the steps in the related Microsoft article.
Warning: Never delete the MSOCACHE folder by using Microsoft Windows Explorer.
The best way to prevent this folder from being placed on your drive in the first place, is by selecting the Delete installation files check-box during the installation of Office.
From this thread :
If you delete it this is what will happen:
- MS Office's repair function won't work from the hard disk cache anymore - will require the CD to fix it.
- Microsoft Updates for Office that require the cache won't work from the hard disk cache anymore - will require the CD to install them.
Solution, what I did recently:
- Burn that whole folder to a CD-R or DVD (the filesize of that folder depends upon your Office version).
- Delete that folder.
- Search the registry in regEdit for C:\MSOCache and change all references to point to your CD/DVD drive, example: E:\MSOCache (will of course require the disc when something Office-related needs those cache files.)
I wonder if anyone who's against deletion of this folder have actually met any problems after that in the real life.
I've been shift+deleting this MSOCache since I've seen it for the very first time back in 2003 or so, and have never had any problems with updating or using Microsoft Office after that.
My answer is yes, you may safely delete C:\MSOCache folder with no regrets in case you have installation media you may use later in case it is required.
I have a 64GB SSD and LOADS of programs. I regularly move space gluttons to a HDD. Many programs now use 500MB-1.3GB for garbage like page borders and all sorts of small image files.
Don't screw with the registry. Sooner or later it'll bite you in the butt bigtime. Create a junction, as mentioned in SoLaR's answer.
HOWEVER -- SOME CAVEATS.
Don't delete the original folder. Rename it with a minus sign, i.e.,
rename MSOCache to -MSOCache.
MSOCache is an anomaly in that it is in a root folder. Normally you are moving something in a subfolder. So you'll have to modify the following where it says "put in the parent folder".
In the PARENT folder of the subfolder you are moving, create a TEXT file called JUNCTION LIST.txt with the contents shown below. So if you are moving C:\Program Files\Adobe\Spacehog you would put the "JUNCTION LIST.txt" file in C:\Program Files\Adobe\
CONTENTS OF JUNCTION LIST.txt (of course, modified to your particular case):
SSD Win 7
C:\ProgramData\Adobe\CameraRaw
was replaced with a junction to
S:\Program_Data\Adobe\CameraRaw
mklink /j CameraRaw "S:\Program_Data\Adobe\CameraRaw"
(Add any others, as needed.)
The JUNCTION LIST.txt should document EXACTLY what you did.
Open a command prompt in the PARENT folder of the subfolder you are moving.
COPY the "mklink ..." line from the DOCUMENTATION file. This means highlight and press Ctrl-C.
PASTE the command at the prompt, and press enter.
If it doesn't work, DO NOT make ANY corrections to the command line. Correct the DOCUMENTATION file and repeat the copy and paste.
You should now have the original folder name with a minus sign and a junction with the original filename.
Move everything from the "minus" folder to the junction.
Copy the JUNCTION LIST.txt folder to the PARENT folder of the TARGET folder on the other drive. The idea is to have documentation all over the place.
Now, except that you have an actual folder with a "minus" name, everything should look the same as before you started.
DO NOT rename the target folder. That destroys the junction. If you need to rename the target folder, delete the junction, correct the JUNCTION LIST.txt file, and create a new junction.
Very similar to previous answers - the twist is I moved C:\MSOCache
to my second HD, D:\MSOCache
and then all I had to do is use regedit
to change all references from C:\MSOCache
to D:\MSOCache
for an overall quick and painless way to free-up a sizable chunk of space on the C: drive.
Yes, you can delete the MSOCache folder, if when you install MS Office, you select the option to "Run all from My Computer".
Check that option under Microsoft Office, then check Not Available for the components you don't need. I've installed only Excel (tons faster than LibreCalc), Word and PowerPoint, then I've renamed MSOCache to "junk.MSOCache.deleteme". I don't plan to install any other Office components.
So far, no problems. Haven't tried installing any Office updates because I don't need any security patches (the only Office files I use are my own), but if you want the updates, install them first and delete/rename MSOCache after.
UPDATE: I've also deleted the MSOCache folder from a Wine installation of Office on Linux, and Excel works just fine.