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updated on 2016-08-06
Move WinSxS folder to another driver will cause windows update failure, it will complain the error 0x80070011，means the system cannot write files to another driver.
The largest folder on my windows is C:\Windows\Installer, it takes more than 40GB!
And the second one maybe C:\Windows\WinSxS.
I want my space back, but I don’t wanna take the risk to delete all the contents.
So my solution is moving them to the other driver and make a soft link to the new target, just like we used to do on Unix-like system.
1. Enter Safe Mode
Restart to Command prompt with safe mode.
My PC is Windows 10, It can enter the mode by Settings -> Update & security -> Recovery -> Advanced startup -> Restart now,
then following the prompt to start command line window.
2. Move Files
the driver label maybe not the same as they in normal mode. you need to use dir command to locate the correct folder.
for example:
[JUST this time]:
F:(safe mode) maps the C:(normal mode)
G:(safe mode) maps the E:(normal mode)
we should enter the follow command to move the files:
1 | X:\Windows\System32> robocopy F:\Windows\Installer G:\Windows\Installer /MOVE /e |
3. Make Link
Make soft link to the new target to make the files can be used as it lay on the old location.
the target location of mklink is a simple string, so we need to use the path on normal mode.
Just like last sample:
F:(safe mode) maps the C:(normal mode)
G:(safe mode) maps the E:(normal mode)
1 | X:\Windows\System32> mklink /J F:\Windows\Installer E:\Windows\Installer |
this time we must use the path relative to the nomal mode.(Driver G: in safe mode is driver E: in normal mode)