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November 23rd, 2024 18:33
Program Data is huge; something's wrong
c:\programdata\dell\saremediation\systemrepair\snapshots is huge and is creating hundreds of new files every day.
This folder contained files for 15 years ago! This can't be right!
Well over 1,400 .dll files were created just today
I'm trying to manage space on my drive and these files are taking, in total around 24 GBytes.
No Events found!
lmacri
3 Apprentice
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1.6K Posts
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November 25th, 2024 16:19
Hi newmarket2:
They are separate programs, although I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery depends on files in the Windows Recovery API to function correctly.
Turning off System Repair in my SupportAssist settings had no apparent effect on the behavior of my built-in Windows System Restore feature (Settings | System | About | System Protection or search for "create a restore point" from the taskbar) or my Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) when I tested back in Feb/March 2023.
Before I uninstalled Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery v5.5.5 in March 2023 I completely disabled that program by turning OFF System Repair in my SupportAssist settings, changing the Startup Type of my Dell SupportAssist Remediation service to DISABLED (see my old image below from 17-Feb-2023), and then re-booting my system . I then monitored my system for about a week or two using the System Restore tool in my CCleaner utility to confirm that my built-in Windows System Restore feature continued to create new system restore points in C:\System Volume Information (see my new CCleaner image below captured today), which typically uses ~ 15 to 20 GB of disk space on my Win 10 machine.
I also ran a few simple tests with my WinRE (e.g. ensuring I could launch a command prompt after booting up in my Windows Recovery Environment) but I never attempted a major repair (e.g., using Reset My PC to reinstall my Win 10 OS) during my testing.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: If you turn OFF System Repair in your SupportAssist settings to purge you Dell system repair points (snapshots) in C:\ProgramData\Dell\SARemediation\Snapshots and don't turn System Repair back on then ensure you have an alternate emergency recovery plan in place.
I uninstalled all SupportAssist-related programs in March 2023, including Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery v5.5.5 (a.k.a Dell SupportAssist Remediation / System Repair). The final paragraphs in my 22-Mar-2023 post in my topic Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Plugin for Dell Update Rolled Back to v5.5.4.16189 documents some of the changes I made to my system to replace the functionality in those SupportAssist-related programs.
For example, to replace Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery I now use Macrium Reflect Free v8.0 imaging software (unsupported since Jan 2024 but still fully functional) to create emergency recovery media (a bootable USB stick) and the occasional full disk image of my entire hard drive just in case I ever have to perform an emergency system recovery. As an extra precaution, and since I have lots of free disk space on my hard drive, I also ensure that my built-in Windows System Restore feature (normally disabled by default on both Win 10 and Win 11) is ENABLED and automatically creating Windows system restore points in C:\System Volume Information - see instructions <here> for Win 10 or <here> for Win 11 on the Windows Central site.
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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5131 * Firefox v132.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24090.11-1.1.24090.11 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.2.154-1.0.5101 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.4.0 * My Dell v2.2.6.0 * Fusion Service 2.2.14.0 * CCleaner Free Portable v6.30.11385
lmacri
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1.6K Posts
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November 24th, 2024 03:02
Hi newmarket2:
On occasion, older system repair points (snapshots) created by Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery that are saved in the hidden C:\ProgramData\Dell\SARemediation\Snapshots folder will stop being automatically purged as newer repair points are created, and that Snapshots subfolder will start using excessive disk space.
However, you can force SupportAssist OS Recovery to purge all your system repairs points if you temporarily turn off System Repair in either the SupportAssist v4.x settings [see the instructions <here> in the SupportAssist for Home PCs User’s Guide] or in the SupportAssist OS Recovery settings manager (Control Panel | System and Security | SupportAssist OS Recovery | Settings | System Repair) and then re-boot your system. See my 29-Jun-2022 post in alanchown1's Support Assist Using SSD space?? for further details.
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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5131 * Firefox v132.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24090.11-1.1.24090.11 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.2.154-1.0.5101 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.4.0 * My Dell v2.2.6.0 * Fusion Service 2.2.14.0
lmacri
3 Apprentice
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1.6K Posts
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November 24th, 2024 14:42
Hi newmarket2:
... and just to follow up to my previous post, it's not unusual for the hidden and protected C:\ProgramData\Dell\SARemediation\Snapshots folder to grow to ~ 20 to 25 GB, even when the maximum allocated disk space is set to 12 or 15 GB in your SupportAssist settings. I no longer have any SupportAssist-related software installed on my Inspiron 5584, but here's an old image I captured on 03-May-2021 with Tree Size Free Portable (run with Administrator rights after enabling the option to view Hidden Items enabled in File Explorer) when System Repair was turned ON and the maximum allocated disk space was set to 15 GB in my SupportAssist settings.
I know very little about the inner workings of Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery, but it's possible you're seeing files with older dates in your system repair points (snapshots) because Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery is finding older files when it takes an inventory of the software installed on your system. I suspect you'll see dozens, if not hundreds, of "Successful Application Reconfiguration" events logged in your Windows Reliability Monitor each time Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery collects information about your installed software and creates a new snapshot of your system (i.e., about 30 min after you re-boot and/or log into Windows). See my 04-May-2024 post in DELLKaren's "Successful Application Reconfiguration" and SupportAssist for more information about these events.
Here's an old image I captured on 26-Apr-2021 when Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery v5.4.x was still installed on my Inspiron 5584 :
NOTE: These "Successful Application Reconfiguration" events are logged for "Information Only" and are not errors. If logging is not causing a real problem (e.g., if the high CPU activity during your snapshot creation does not freeze your computer or cause your CPU to overheat) then these events are just an annoyance and can be safely ignored.
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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5131 * Firefox v132.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24090.11-1.1.24090.11 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.2.154-1.0.5101 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.4.0 * My Dell v2.2.6.0 * Fusion Service 2.2.14.0
newmarket2
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7 Posts
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November 25th, 2024 14:00
@lmacri
Very helpful, but I have a basic question before I go any further....
Is Dell's OSRecovery different from Windows' recovery? I know several Dell SupportAssist utilities are just nice user interfaces and are actually running a Windows utility.
If,, by turning Dell OSRecovery off, I'm turning off any/all Windows recovery, I may need to find other ways to clear out my c: drive