Safe to delete empty folders from c:\windows\assembly?

Question

I noticed that after some programs are uninstalled, they leave empty folders in c:\windows\assembly\ (Windows 7).

Although there is no harm in keeping these folders, I want to keep things tidy and clean out unused junk.

Is is safe to delete these empty folders?

Solution

C:\Windows\Assembly folder is the Global Assembly Cache (GAC) used by .NET Run time.

Generally, it is advisable to use the .NET command gacutil ( https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/tools/gacutil-exe-gac-tool) to manage the contents of this folder.

However, if you think, it has any empty folder, you can delete that. If you delete any non-empty folder, it might create the problem to run .NET based program on your machine.

Please note, you will need administrator rights to delete any content in this folder (even if its an empty folder).

Comments

[Ravindra Bawane]

Your computer is capable of keeping itself as tidy and clean as it needs. Deleting folders inside the Windows directory is never a wise course of action unless directed to do so by knowledgeable documentation to resolve a specific issue. If you don't have problems, don't invite them by "cleaning" things up.

[Vomit IT - Chunky Mess Style]

You might find this answer helpful potentially but check it out when you get a chance. There's a script and also some dism commands you can run. You can modify the script accordingly for your needs if you feel it needs adjusted, it's just batch script logic. superuser.com/questions/1187299/…

[Frank Thomas]

c:\windows\assembly is where the .Net runtime GAC lives. Don't modify it. no good will come of it.

[RockPaperLz- Mask it or Casket]

Thank you for your answer! So it's safe to just use explorer from an admin account to delete those empty folders?