windows 7 pro 64 bit - how to reduce the datastore.edb file [answered]

ANSWER: defrag the database using esentutl.exe

Here's what I did

stop windows update service

C:\Windows\system32>esentutl /d C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\DataStore.edb

Extensible Storage Engine Utilities for Microsoft(R) Windows(R)
Version 6.1
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Initiating DEFRAGMENTATION mode...

            Database: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\DataStore.edb


                  Defragmentation Status (% complete)

          0    10   20   30   40   50   60   70   80   90  100
          |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
          ...................................................


Moving 'TEMPDFRG4872.EDB' to 'C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\DataStore.edb'..

Note:
  It is recommended that you immediately perform a full backup
  of this database. If you restore a backup made before the
  defragmentation, the database will be rolled back to the state
  it was in at the time of that backup.

Operation completed successfully in 100.875 seconds.



Now i have an extra 400MB free - makes the difference on windows 7 with an ssd!

if you get the following error, make sure windows update service is stopped...

Error: Access to source database 'C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\Data
Store.edb' failed with Jet error -1032.

Operation terminated with error -1032 (JET_errFileAccessDenied, Cannot access fi
le, the file is locked or in use) after 20.30 seconds.

reduce size of datastore.edb