Clearing out large files in Windows 7

[stockhausen]

I am trying to make some space on someone's Windows 7 system. I started by looking for "Huge" files and cleared out lots of rubbish. I wondered what the following files were and whether I can safely delete any or all of them?

• DataStore.edb C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution (1.2 GB)
  
• NetFX_Full.mzz C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\SetupCache (200 MB)
  
• nuimbers@lettersea_blobs.bin C:\Windows\winsxs (190 MB)
  
• ed4d7 C:\Windows (185 MB)
  
• Data1 C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Setup (167MB)

Also . . .

• What are the 1.4GB of files in the (hidden) directory "Installer" under C:\Windows\. Many of the sub-directory names start with "MSI" and end up with ".tmp-"?
• What are the various MRT files?
• What are all the AMD64 sub-directories?
• How do I clean up the WinSXS (Component Store) folder in Windows 7?

Dear merciful God, Windows does like disk space,why can't it "clear up"? . . .

 

[stockhausen]

Have you run the Windows Disk Cleanup (with or without the 'Clean up system files' option)?

Unless you're desperate it's not worth worrying about folders that only contain a few hundred Megabytes of files.

The questions you've asked can mostly be answered by typing them into Google verbatim or typing something like 'can I delete <insert filename here>'.

I have run Piriform's CCleaner which is considered to be superior to Disk Cleanup but I will give the latter a go.
I am not talking about just "a few hundred Megabytes of files" and either way, I don't see why they should hang about unless they are needed.
I have Googled most of my original questions but the majority of answers seem to relate to Windows 10, and/or are not entirely convincing.

I will have a look for nVidia files.
The user doesn't use Spotify.
I will stop Windows Update and rename the Software Distribution stuff - if that works, I will delete it.

Thanks anyhow for the suggestions.


ps - Incidentally, I have now tried "Disk Cleanup" of system files, it has made almost zero difference

 

[stockhausen]

Why don't you download the app called WinDirStat ? It will tell you where the space is been used.

Knowing what files are using space doesn't help me to know whether they are either essential or even useful . . . and I am well aware of WinDirStat but thanks for the suggestion anyhow

 

[stockhausen]

It might not help you but post it here for some of the biggest files and let us see it.

Have you actually read the very first (opening) post in this thread?

 

[stockhausen]

I did a quick Google and turned up these results within 2 mins.

• https://www.morgantechspace.com/2016/02/what-is-datastore-edb-and-is-safe-to-delete.html
• https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...zz-files/786ddb05-a390-4a12-b7eb-ac0a7d728729
• https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/joscon/2010/04/19/what-is-blobs-bin-and-why-does-it-grow/

also....

• https://www.howtogeek.com/174705/how-to-reduce-the-size-of-your-winsxs-folder-on-windows-7-or-8/

Yep but I did a Google. There might be more files than this that can be got rid of.

Yes, I tried Google before posting here and I have looked at the links you kindly provided. I can't say that I found anything either particularly conclusive or convincing.

To be honest, I am only really interested in the files and directories I listed and Windows 7 in general, I have dealt with others.