Reduce the size of the Winsxs folder

For those who make every now and then an image of their harddisk:

http://www.jeroentie...r-in-windows-7/

Seesm it only applies when the user has installed one or more Service Packs.

More info:

http://blogs.technet...t-so-large.aspx

http://technet.micro...e/dd490958.aspx

Windows Vista has similar tool:

Compcln.exe

http://myitforum.com...ompcln-exe.aspx

Don't quite get it. Does this "Winsxs" folder constitute the OS itself or does it contain the archived files only. If the content of this folder constitutes the OS itself then why bother to put all those files in e.g. the "system32" or "syswow64" folders ?

And one should think (AT LEAST) twice before doing something that can't be reversed.

That folder across all Windows OSes that use it is like entering a hornets nest, I personally wouldn't mess with it myself because any damage done to it may not show up for awhile.