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I have reviewed the Similar questions suggested after creating my post Title and none are direct or helpful just for my needs.

In Windows 10 Pro, v1909, build 18363.1316 clean installed in Nov. 2019 I am cleaning up files preparing to do deep file maintenance before doing a system image, all in preparation for Windows Update Feature to version 20H2.

I always manually empty Temp folders, but never found this one before today. I believe this could be impactful for overall system performance and stability. It doesn't appear to be indexed. Space used is minimal at 11.2MB and only 37 file BUT 19,709 folders! This cannot be good.

It's a temp folder and should be safe to delete, but popular opinions in other similar posts on the WinSxS directory warn of instability tampering with it. I posit that should not include the Temp folder, but am looking for advice and previous experience to affirm my opinion.

I have viewed considerable search results including a lot of dated TechNet, MS Community and others and read reports that file reporting may be inaccurate in WinSxS. Only one of the three Temp subfolders is not empty, Temp\Inflight, which has sub-folders. There are 141 most of which are empty as well with a handful only holding the balance of the thousands of other folders.

I can find no descriptive reasoning for leaving the Temp folder itself alone. I found many suggestions on using DISM and MS Safety Scanner broadly in relation to the WinSxS folder. I will run those with the suggested options to see what if any difference in the Temp contents but do not expect it to significantly alter the results.

Ultimately I may proceed without deleting the Temp contents but not without doing everything possible to determine the why and what of it. I am doing the work while in production so to speak, hoping in the next few days I can receive some feedback to help me decide the best course of action. "Leave it alone just to be safe" without evidence is not a good enough answer.

Added thought, since the three main sub-folders seem purposed, what if I left them alone in Temp and just delete the contents of Inflight which is the only one with any contents?

TIA for any time and effort contributing.

Willie
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  • Why wouldn’t you use use DISM component cleanup and/or disk cleanup? Allow Windows make the decision or don’t worry about since Windows will automatically take care of it – Ramhound Jan 28 '21 at 06:43
  • Don't manually replace winsxs files (or even touching winsxs). The supported mechanism is https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/Dn251565.aspx Definitely do not mess with winsxs. Some of the versions may be removable by running dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup. Anything that remains after that should be left alone. – Candy Jan 28 '21 at 07:41
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    @Ramhound thank you. I did run disk cleanup and as I already stated I will use DISM. Clearly it does not appear Windows is 'taking care of it'. – Willie Jan 28 '21 at 17:04
  • @Willie - Just because the files exist today does not mean that Windows won't get rid of them in 30 days. Given the files are using virtual no space at all, there is no benefit to manually getting rid of them, only huge downsides. I am not sure how you determine the disk usage, hopefully, that was done as an Administrator. Once you upgrade to 20H2 the WinSxS won't even contain those temporary files. – Ramhound Jan 28 '21 at 17:07
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    @Candy thank you for taking the time to respond. Your link is one of the resources I discovered and have open still, but it does not address the nature of the Temp folder itself. I know not to manually change WinSxS as it is system critical, BUT by the very nature of the TEMP files and folders only, that should not be the case. My stated intent to do file maintenance to efficiently manage performance in this instance is that almost 20,000 empty folders will impact disk utilization and performance. You made no mention of my Temp folder only, which is the problem I am trying to define and solve. – Willie Jan 28 '21 at 17:12
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    @Ramhound that was quick ;-) thank you. I listed the install date of the OS that might indicate that it took that long to build up this amount of items in Temp. As for the benefit to getting rid of them, please see me recent response to Candy. Your last comment that the temp files will disappear with the upgrade to 20H2 is interesting. Is this an assumption only? I cannot imagine why that would happen though it would be convenient. Why would the upgrade clear that Temp folder when other Windows utilities failed to do so? If able could you please provide links to resources that discuss it? TX! – Willie Jan 28 '21 at 17:19
  • @Willie - I don't make assumptions. When you upgrade to 20H2 Windows 10 will be installed, your existing profiles will be migrated, and your previous installation will exist within `Windows.old` (which includes anything that could not be migrated). Likewise, WinSxS will be replaced with a copy that is applicable to 20H2 instead of your current version, and the older version will be placed within `Windows.old`. It is at this time you can run Disk Cleanup to remove the previous installation (Windows.old) – Ramhound Jan 28 '21 at 17:31

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