If not all, then very many usersrepeatedly noticed that after installing the MS Visual Studio software package, the Package Cache directory appears on the system disk. What is this folder? What is it for? Can I get rid of it to clear the free space? All this we will tell in the article.
Many users are skeptical about its removal, which can lead to unpredictable consequences in terms of performance of the main application.
Package Cache: what is this folder?
Let's start with the simplest. Let's look at the Package Cache directory itself. What is this folder, it is easy to understand, if you turn to the main program Visual Studio.
If anyone knows, this application is requiredto install when using powerful graphics packages or demanding games on computers (without this, they simply won't work). But why then in Windows the Package Cache folder appears immediately after the installation of the main program? The answer is simple: the application automatically backs up space in the system partition to fit your needs, which boil down to creating and storing backup copies of the working program and for the timely installation of service packs. It is not possible to change the location of the created directory in the installation process, since all this happens in the background.
For earlier versions of Visual Studio, sizefolders should not exceed 50 MB. In later versions, the free space is reserved at the level of 2.5 GB, provided that the main installation distribution of the application, for example, in 2015, is 6.15 GB.
What is the Package Cache folder for Windows 7?Roughly speaking, in its main purpose it serves to quickly restore Visual Studio's work from a backup copy by the way it is done for the whole system in case of sudden failures. It is clear that keeping a distribution kit that occupies three times more free disk space than a directory of cached data is completely inappropriate, because it is possible to recover the program from a folder with copies.
Can I delete the Package Cache folder from the system partition?
Now a few words about the removal.What is this folder (Package Cache), a little sorted out. But to solve further problems, it is necessary to build on the recommendations of the developers of Visual Studio from Microsoft Corporation. They do not recommend deleting this directory in any way.
If the user is intentional or accidentaldeleted this directory, when starting the download of program updates, it will receive a message that it is impossible to determine the source of updates. The same notification will also appear in the situation where the failure occurred. This is understandable: since there is no backup, the application cannot be restored.
Moving a folder to another logical partition
Но не все так плохо.At least, it is considered (and this is confirmed by all specialists) that if you cannot delete the Package Cache directory, it can be simply transferred to another disk or to a logical partition with more free space. To do this, first run the command line (required as administrator) either via the Run console (cmd), or through the start menu, or by opening the cmd.exe executable object in System32 location via PCM.
Now it's up to you.Before entering movement commands in the logical partition (for example, on the “D” disk), you need to create the C_DRIVE directory, in it the ProgramData folder, and in this folder, the Package Cache directory. After that, you should copy the contents of the original directory from the location ProgramDataPackage Cache on the disk "C" to a new location. When copying is completed, the initial directory in the system partition is deleted.
Note: by default, the ProgramData folder on the system disk is hidden, so in the "Explorer" you must enable the display of the corresponding files and folders through the view menu.
After that, the program determinesthe location of the cached data, in the command console, first write the string C:> rmdir / s / q "C: ProgramDataPackage Cache", and then another one - C:> mklink / D "C: ProgramDataPackage Cache" "D: C_DRIVEProgramDataPackage Cache". The successful completion of the operation will be indicated by the appearance of a message about assigning a symbolic link to the new directory. Commands are entered with quotes and spaces, as shown above.
Instead of the total
That's all for the Packager Cache directory.What kind of folder it is, and what actions can be taken with it so as not to violate the functionality of the Visual Studio program, it seems, is already clear. In any case, it is not recommended to simply dispose of this object (without using copying the contents of the original directory and entering additional commands). Otherwise, not only the updates will not be installed, but the program itself will have to be completely reinstalled.
