Windows 10: DeliveryOptimization, WindowsApps and SpSystem folders suddenly appearing in root of...

I have a secondary drive D: in my PC - it's a hard disk but it's not the system drive which is the C: drive. All of a sudden, after years of using Windows 10 on this computer, new system folders are appearing in the root of this secondary drive. The folders are DeliveryOptimization, WindowsApps and SpSystem.


There were also Program Files and Program Files x86 folders there too up until yesterday, until I took a chance and deleted them well, I moved them to a subfolder to see if anything broke. I know very well what the Program Files folders are for, but have no idea why duplicates suddenly appeared in the D: drive - the main versions are still where they should be on C:.


When I moved the DeliveryOptimization, WindowsApps and SpSystemfolders to the same subfolder as a test, but they just reappeared in the root of the drive again within hours.


Obviously some Windows system perhaps the Windows Store? has decided to target the root of my D: drive, for some reason, but I don't know what system, why or, most importantly how to fix it! Can anyone help?

:)

 

DeliveryOptimization folder - why is it there?

Hi,

I noticed a couple of weeks back that a DeliveryOptimization folder appeared in the root of my data drive. I've made no changes to my Windows Update configuration and don't use the Delivery Optimization feature.

I can delete the folder but it reappears with seemingly no pattern.

Why is this folder appearing? Can I remove it permanently?

If not - can I move it to another drive?

Many thanks,

Sean

 

WindowsApps folder says permissions are corrupted and need to be deleted, is this normal or critical?

According to your description, I suggest you try the following steps:

1. Navigate to the location C:\Program Files.
   
2. Right-click on the WindowsApps folder, and select Properties.
   
3. Turn to Security tab and click on Advanced.
   
4. Click on Change and then type Users in Enter the object name to select area.
   
5. Click on OK, then click Apply > OK. You can also add the TrustedInstaller to the users list and check if it takes effect.
   

However, you might be still not able to access the files. The workaround is to go inside the C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\, and repeat the same way with the Microsoft.WindowsStore* folders.

 

Remove Extra WindowsApps Folder

I can't recreate your issue as I only have one hard drive.

But I would suggest searching the registry for the path to the folder (D:\WindowsApps?)

I found values containing "Program Files\WindowsApps in values under these keys, so it may be around there.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Appx

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Appx\CodeIntegrity\Roots\1

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Appx\PackageVolumes\1

Good Luck,

Keith