Windows Doesn't Calculate App Sizes On 1709?


  1. Posts : 1,560
    Windows 10 Home 20H2 64-bit
       #1

    Windows Doesn't Calculate App Sizes On 1709?


    Hi. If you click Start, Settings (cog wheel), Apps, you will see a list of installed applications you have on your computer. On the previous Windows version it also told me how big they were. Now, on this Fall Creators Update, it's gone. All of my installed games through Steam that has been downloaded on this Windows version doesn't tell me how big they are, nor does my updated graphics drivers. Usually this would show up after a while if I've left my PC in idle, anything from a few hours to a couple of days. Now it's been over a month and none of these apps show the file size anymore. Only the apps that I installed previously before upgrading (aswell as Microsoft Store Apps) shows the correct size here. How can I turn this feature back on again? Thanks.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #2

    Don't think you can. According to here since Windows 7 the size is provided by the installer at install time. Windows doesn't try to crawl around and guess the size any more.

    You can see the in the registry - if the installer put in the EstimatedSize key it shows it. Here 629396 (kb) / 1024 = 615 MB

    Windows Doesn't Calculate App Sizes On 1709?-capture.png


    If the programmers didn't bother writing this key when they made the installer then size is shown blank.

    Windows Doesn't Calculate App Sizes On 1709?-capture2.png

    If you want to know the (real) size then you can use an app like TreeSize Free

    Windows Doesn't Calculate App Sizes On 1709?-capture3.png
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 1,560
    Windows 10 Home 20H2 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Since Windows 7? Uhm, both of my previous Windows 10 versions - Windows Anniversary Update and Creators Update - figured out the file sizes on all my apps automatically. Why did it work on the other Windows versions and not on this Fall Update? Why drop this feature? To me it seems like a bug, I can't believe that this was scrapped. Installing 3rd party software to do this for me is out of the question by the way.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 5,899
    Win 11 Pro (x64) 22H2
       #4

    Sorry but I'm a bit confused here because most of my apps show sizes while some don't. I don't think this is any different than it was in 1703.

    To clarify on my main rig I'm running 1709 (FCU), while on my backup rig I'm still running 1703 (Anniversary) and both are the same where showing info is concerned, some show while others don't.....

    And I've got the same behavior with Steam - though the Steam App shows, no size is listed, nor are the individual Steam games listed there. On the other hand I've also got EA's Origin game app and its size shows (329 MB) as well as each game installed along with its size (Well Mass Effect 3 doesn't show a size, but)....

    Windows Doesn't Calculate App Sizes On 1709?-app-sizes.png

    Anyway I can't see any difference between 1703 & 1709 here. And I agree with lx07 - if a coder didn't code the info/code it correctly, it won't show. I can't see Microsoft being at fault here.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 1,560
    Windows 10 Home 20H2 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    The difference is that 1703 and Creators Update automatically figured out the sizes on mostly everything (true, some were blank still), while on 1709, ALL my games installed through Steam - aswell as my Nvidia driver installations - doesn't show any file sizes, only blank. If the game is coded in the installation process with a reg key then it works just fine, but the fact remains: The previous Windows 10 versions did this automatically while this version doesn't. It's clearly a Microsoft issue (or I have something disabled) because it worked before, now it doesn't. Now I need to right click the folders on each game I have installed just to see how big games are. Much less convenient than opening a single setting menu to see everything installed.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 5,899
    Win 11 Pro (x64) 22H2
       #6

    Yeah, but what I also saying is this is really no different than what it did prior to this (FCU) update. I'm comparing this update (1709) to the Windows version on my backup system which is 1703. The behavior is the same, some show some don't.

    That said all my games are on my main rig which runs 1709, but even when I was running 1703 I didn't remember Steam being broken out like that where every game shows. I don't think it ever did but you say it did so...

    Anyway I don't see it being an issue for me so sorry I can't help.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #7

    I agree. This has acted the same for me since 7 when they gave up trying to guess the size of programs.

    Even if you look in the old control panel it shows exactly the same numbers from the registry. I don't use Steam - I get games through GOG and their estimates are often off by a power of 10,000. DOS EE is more like 30 GB than 3 MB for example.

    Windows Doesn't Calculate App Sizes On 1709?-capture.png

    Windows Doesn't Calculate App Sizes On 1709?-capture2.png

    The thing is it isn't obvious how big a program is - it may have stuff in its own directory (Program Files/Steam whatever) and then it may have extra stuff stored in Documents, appdata or whatever. Some of these may be compressed or not. That is why MS stopped guessing and left the developers to make a stab at estimating it for themselves. Some do, some don't.

    Faith said:
    Installing 3rd party software to do this for me is out of the question by the way.
    That is up to you of course but if you don't like it then complain to the developer of the program as this is documented behavior - see MS comment here:

    Search No More

    In Windows 7, the last of the disk searching disappeared. If an application doesn’t register an install date, Windows infers it from the date the registration information was created. If an application doesn’t register an estimated size, Windows simply leaves the column blank.
    Windows Confidential: The Legend of Uninstall | TechNet Magazine

    The best way to manage disk space is to use an app to look at disk space.

    Relying on the developers guess the amount (even if they bother) is clearly useless - just see the GOG example above where powers of 10 clearly got the better of them.

    Faith said:
    It's clearly a Microsoft issue (or I have something disabled) because it worked before, now it doesn't.
    Assuming you remembered correctly the only way this would happen is if the upgrade deleted the EstimatedSize key from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

    That is possible of course but it didn't happen to me - you can see in the DOS EE example above it was installed before the FCU - in April actually.

    In any case there is no setting to repopulate it so you can either add the key yourself in regedit (size is in KB), reinstall and see if it is re-added or just not worry about it. Can't think of another solution I'm afraid.
    Last edited by lx07; 22 Nov 2017 at 18:00.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 1,560
    Windows 10 Home 20H2 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #8

    I which I could just not worry about it. I have obsessive compulsive disorder (ocd) which is why I'm getting all worked on my small matters like this, but I think I'm going to call Microsoft and hear what they have to say tomorrow. All I know is: Windows 10 1607 and 1703 found 98% of my installed Steam games and Nvidia driver installations and calculated the file sizes for me after hours to a few days (depending) during the idle period (because of my mental disorder I feel the compulsion to check this a couple of times a day to see if the sizes changes.) On 1709, this percentage is at 0 on new games installed through Steam, aswell as 0 on updated Nvidia drivers. They all are blank and it's messing things up for me. I think it would be easier for me to know if this is indeed an intended change for 1709 or if it's a bug. I could install a precise app that will tell me, and I'm actually re-considering it, but I need to go through a whole mental routine for me to get that in check, because for years I've been on a very strict install policy.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #9

    Could be Steam perhaps? According to this thread Size of Steam on Harddrive :: Help and Tips "Another thing that happens: If you reinstall windows and run steam again, it isnt even showing in the list"; (They are talking about the list of installed programs).

    As an upgrade is like an install (in that is replaces Windows directory) perhaps that could be it. I can't say for sure though (or even if it is true) as I don't use Steam.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 5,899
    Win 11 Pro (x64) 22H2
       #10

    lx07 said:
    Could be Steam perhaps? According to this thread Size of Steam on Harddrive :: Help and Tips "Another thing that happens: If you reinstall windows and run steam again, it isnt even showing in the list"; (They are talking about the list of installed programs).

    As an upgrade is like an install (in that is replaces Windows directory) perhaps that could be it. I can't say for sure though (or even if it is true) as I don't use Steam.
    There's nothing wrong with Steam as is. It's footprint will be as large as the games install folder at X:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps (where X is your game drive). The app itself does not list a size in either Programs and Features or App & features. And I can't say it did in prior versions, but again, I never paid attention to it.

    I honestly think the OP is worrying about nothing in this instance.
      My Computers


 

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