3158 replies to this topic

[FreeRyde]

Winapp2.ini, on 13 May 2013 - 04:55 PM, said:

FileKey5=%Documents%\My RoboForm Data\*.*|mru.rfo;cache.rfo

Can someone confirm that should be \*.*| and not \*|

Both work.

[Winapp2.ini]

Thanks FreeRyde

I'll alphabetize the file.

[Andavari]

New:

[WinX YouTube Downloader*]
LangSecRef=3023
Detect=HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\WinX YouTube Downloader_is1
DetectFile=%ProgramFiles%\Digiarty\WinX_YouTube_Downloader\WinX_YouTube_Downloader.exe
Default=False
FileKey1=%AppData%\Digiarty\WinX YouTube Downloader|*.jpg

Edit: I updated the detection by also adding in "Detect="
That way if someone does a custom install not in the default location it can still clean the .jpg thumbnails.

Edited by Andavari, 15 May 2013 - 08:05 PM.
Added Detect=

[vBender]

Thank you guys, great work all around!

How useful is the winsxs folder? Can it be cleaned/deleted?

[mta]

WINSXS contains source files for Windows installations.  If you delete one that is later need by Windows to install something, you are in a world of hurt.
In fact, even that isn't the complete truth, they are just 'links' to the physical file which usually live in \windows\system32 (for example) and it you look at each entry in WINSXS they are only a few KB each.
your folder size is probably showing an over-inflated value due to these links being reported twice.

think of them as system files needed by the OS - leave them alone.
in the overall scheme of things, they don't use much space. (expect for SSD's maybe)

[Alan_B]

mta, on 17 May 2013 - 10:59 PM, said:

In fact, even that isn't the complete truth, they are just 'links' to the physical file which usually live in \windows\system32 (for example) and it you look at each entry in WINSXS they are only a few KB each.

Close, but not quite.

Using Defraggler - BUT NOT to defrag anything,
I can Search and specify CMD.EXE in "filename contains:"
and check "Include non-fragmented files"
and it shows me only 2 instances, each of different sizes, one in System32, and one in SysWOW64
It sees none at all in WinSXS because, as you said, WinSXS are only links.

Using Windows explorer these two large file are also shown at
C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-commandprompt_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_e932cc2c30fc13b0
and
C:\Windows\winsxs\wow64_microsoft-windows-commandprompt_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_f387767e655cd5ab
and Windows Explorer is fooled into seeing these as being the same sizes as the real things, i.e.
337 KB and 296 KB

Using Defraggler and Searching for *.exe takes a couple of seconds.
When I click on the "Path" Tab a couple of times the results are sorted in reverse sequence,
and fourth from the top is vbc.exe which is 1.11 MB (1,169,224 bytes) and is on the path
C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_netfx-vb_compiler_b03f5f7f11d50a3a_6.1.7601.17514_none_144b6bd462e4a41b

Searching for vbc.exe Defraggler finds instances at the above, plus 2.25 MB (2,361,160 bytes) on path
C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_netfx35linq-vb_compiler_orcas_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_f4285a06060032a9
plus 4 more instances of various large sizes under the parent
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\ etc. etc.

When I click on Sizes I see that Defraggler finds all 6 items have different sizes ranging from 1 MB to 3 MB
Windows Explorer on the other hand sees 10 such items, 8 of which are duplicates and the other 2 are unique.
The 2 unique files were modified and created on 30/01/2012 and exist only in .NET Framework but not in WinSXS,
the 8 other files all have date stamps of 21/11/2010

Conclusion :-
Originally there were 4 off VBC.EXE files of different sizes,
Two of which were scattered across .NET etc, and duplication links planted in WinSXS,
and two of which were scattered across WindSXS and duplication links planted in .NET etc.
Subsequently there were patch updates and SP1 and these added two files that were planted in .NET only,
but for some reason no confusing duplication links to/from WinSXS.

FINAL CONCLUSIONS :-
Windows XP was too good and users were able to understand it and use it and become self-supporting experts,
so Microsoft chose to confuse everyone with the needless complication of WinSXS which does nobody any good,
and to carefully hide the truth (from anything but Defraggler) as to which was physical and which was the link,
and just when a user figures out the truth in one instance the next instance is the other way round.

The good news is that by 30/01/2012 the developers became so confused they could no longer cope with WinSXS,
hence the latest VBC.EXE files only exist in .NET etc and there are no additional lying deceitful links in WinSXS.

[mta]

So Alan_B, to answer vBender's question, would you agree to leave them alone or go for broke at your own peril?

[Alan_B]

For every item that Windows Explorer and other "File Finders" can discover in WinSXS :-

There is a 50 % chance that deleting that item will actually delete a link and merely increase total free space by a few KB,
(unless that deleting that link also deletes the multi-megabyte target file from System32 or wherever, as happened in the past when reparse points were deleted);
OR there is a 50% chance that you are deleting the real thing and the links in System32, .NET etc. are broken

There is a 100% certainty that you either make no space savings at all, or this is another Death of a thousand cuts to Windows.

It might be an amusing experiment to totally delete WinSXS and see if you can still boot into Windows and run SFC

[Nergal]

Quote

It might be an amusing experiment to totally delete WinSXS and see if you can still boot into Windows and run SFC  

please note: management does not endorse this DO, if you really want to, at your OWN RISK (don't come back here crying that now your computer is broken nor crowing that "nothing bad" happened

[JDPower]

Alan_B, on 18 May 2013 - 06:45 AM, said:

Close, but not quite.

Using Defraggler - BUT NOT to defrag anything,
I can Search and specify CMD.EXE in "filename contains:"
and check "Include non-fragmented files"
and it shows me only 2 instances, each of different sizes, one in System32, and one in SysWOW64
It sees none at all in WinSXS because, as you said, WinSXS are only links.

Using Windows explorer these two large file are also shown at
C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-commandprompt_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_e932cc2c30fc13b0
and
C:\Windows\winsxs\wow64_microsoft-windows-commandprompt_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_f387767e655cd5ab
and Windows Explorer is fooled into seeing these as being the same sizes as the real things, i.e.
337 KB and 296 KB

Using Defraggler and Searching for *.exe takes a couple of seconds.
When I click on the "Path" Tab a couple of times the results are sorted in reverse sequence,
and fourth from the top is vbc.exe which is 1.11 MB (1,169,224 bytes) and is on the path
C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_netfx-vb_compiler_b03f5f7f11d50a3a_6.1.7601.17514_none_144b6bd462e4a41b

Searching for vbc.exe Defraggler finds instances at the above, plus 2.25 MB (2,361,160 bytes) on path
C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_netfx35linq-vb_compiler_orcas_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_f4285a06060032a9
plus 4 more instances of various large sizes under the parent
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\ etc. etc.

When I click on Sizes I see that Defraggler finds all 6 items have different sizes ranging from 1 MB to 3 MB
Windows Explorer on the other hand sees 10 such items, 8 of which are duplicates and the other 2 are unique.
The 2 unique files were modified and created on 30/01/2012 and exist only in .NET Framework but not in WinSXS,
the 8 other files all have date stamps of 21/11/2010

Conclusion :-
Originally there were 4 off VBC.EXE files of different sizes,
Two of which were scattered across .NET etc, and duplication links planted in WinSXS,
and two of which were scattered across WindSXS and duplication links planted in .NET etc.
Subsequently there were patch updates and SP1 and these added two files that were planted in .NET only,
but for some reason no confusing duplication links to/from WinSXS.

FINAL CONCLUSIONS :-
Windows XP was too good and users were able to understand it and use it and become self-supporting experts,
so Microsoft chose to confuse everyone with the needless complication of WinSXS which does nobody any good,
and to carefully hide the truth (from anything but Defraggler) as to which was physical and which was the link,
and just when a user figures out the truth in one instance the next instance is the other way round.

The good news is that by 30/01/2012 the developers became so confused they could no longer cope with WinSXS,
hence the latest VBC.EXE files only exist in .NET etc and there are no additional lying deceitful links in WinSXS.

Is it just me experiencing serious deja vu here? I'm sure we had this exact conversation just a few weeks ago

[JDPower]

Yup, we have, and it was vbender that asked and had it answered (my marbles ARE still intact. well relatively ):

http://forum.pirifor...880#entry231209

[Alan_B]

JDPower, on 18 May 2013 - 12:26 PM, said:

Is it just me experiencing serious deja vu here? I'm sure we had this exact conversation just a few weeks ago

Yes we did.
I remembered the topic but not the link,
so I chose to re-explore and found new horrors that I had not previously seen.

[drhoo]

Winapp2.ini, on 10 May 2013 - 02:23 PM, said:

This will take care of many traces from things like flash, but websites can see your IP and MAC addresses, so they'll still know it's you

i'm sorry but this is wrong... mac address aren't visible to websites. unless you're on the same local network.

[ricktendo64]

Couple new Win8 apps

[Twitter*]
Section=Windows 8 Apps
DetectFile=%LocalAppData%\Packages\9E2F88E3.Twitter_wgeqdkkx372wm
Default=True
FileKey1=%LocalAppData%\Packages\*Twitter_*\AC\Microsoft\CLR_v4.0\UsageLogs|*.*|RECURSE
FileKey2=%LocalAppData%\Packages\*Twitter_*\AC\Microsoft\CryptnetUrlCache\Content|*.*
FileKey3=%LocalAppData%\Packages\*Twitter_*\AC\Microsoft\CryptnetUrlCache\MetaData|*.*
FileKey4=%LocalAppData%\Packages\*Twitter_*\AC\Microsoft\*|*.LOG|RECURSE
FileKey5=%LocalAppData%\Packages\*Twitter_*\AC\PRICache|*.*
FileKey6=%LocalAppData%\Packages\*Twitter_*\AC\Temp|*.*
FileKey7=%LocalAppData%\Packages\*Twitter_*\LocalState|*.*|RECURSE
FileKey8=%LocalAppData%\Packages\*Twitter_*\TempState|*.*|RECURSE
RegKey1=HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModel\SystemAppData\9E2F88E3.Twitter_wgeqdkkx372wm\SearchHistory

[Skype*]
Section=Windows 8 Apps
DetectFile=%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.SkypeApp_kzf8qxf38zg5c
Default=True
FileKey1=%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.SkypeApp_*\AC\Microsoft\CryptnetUrlCache\Content|*.*
FileKey2=%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.SkypeApp_*\AC\Microsoft\CryptnetUrlCache\MetaData|*.*
FileKey3=%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.SkypeApp_*\AC\PRICache|*.*
FileKey4=%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.SkypeApp_*\AC\Temp|*.*
FileKey5=%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.SkypeApp_*\LocalState|*.*|RECURSE
FileKey6=%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.SkypeApp_*\TempState|*.*|RECURSE
RegKey1=HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModel\SystemAppData\Microsoft.SkypeApp_kzf8qxf38zg5c\SearchHistory

[Winapp2.ini]

drhoo, on 19 May 2013 - 05:44 AM, said:

i'm sorry but this is wrong... mac address aren't visible to websites. unless you're on the same local network.

True enough, MAC addresses can only be seen on the next hop, so your router can see your mac, and your isp can see your router's mac, but nothing after that can see your mac addresses. Sorry for the slight misinformation

[Alan_B]

We see your router's MAC - We know where you live

[drhoo]

first of all, i don't have a router, perhaps you see my isp's router's mac?

and second, for the things i mentioned - i use mobile internet with usb gsm modems and a sim card and the way i understand it, this is not an ethernet device and hence does not have a mac address (is uses broadband dial up connection i believe). i checked because i wanted to spoof it and this is what i learned.

anyways, i have this taken care of, i just need to clear all traces websites leave behind.

thanks for help.

[Alan_B]

Sorry - I was simply joking with WinApp2.ini that I knew where he lived.

[Winapp2.ini]

drhoo, on 20 May 2013 - 06:47 AM, said:

first of all, i don't have a router, perhaps you see my isp's router's mac?

and second, for the things i mentioned - i use mobile internet with usb gsm modems and a sim card and the way i understand it, this is not an ethernet device and hence does not have a mac address (is uses broadband dial up connection i believe). i checked because i wanted to spoof it and this is what i learned.

anyways, i have this taken care of, i just need to clear all traces websites leave behind.

thanks for help.

Vanilla CCleaner should go a long way to killing off most of what websites leave behind, Doctor. Winapp2.ini will provide some extra coverage (namely in killing some left over flash bits)