Windows CBS Persist Cab Log Archives (CbsPersist_*.cab)

Bottom Line: It is 100% safe to delete CbsPersist_*.cab files. Deleting old compressed CBS log archives will NOT delete Windows system files or break Windows Updates.

What are CbsPersist_*.cab Files?

Located at C:\Windows\Logs\CBS, these compressed .cab files are generated by the Component Based Servicing-packages)-packages)-packages)-packages)-packages)-packages)-packages) (CBS) engine in Windows.

When the primary CBS.log file reaches 50 MB in size, Windows compresses the log file into an archive named CbsPersist_YYYYMMDDHHMMSS.cab and creates a fresh CBS.log.

If a Windows Update fails repeatedly or makecab.exe gets stuck in a compression loop, Windows can generate hundreds of CbsPersist cab files, rapidly consuming 10 GB, 30 GB, or 50 GB+ of drive space.

Can You Delete CbsPersist Cab Files?

✅ Yes, it is completely safe to delete.

• Obsolete log archives: These .cab files contain plain-text diagnostic log lines from past Windows servicing tasks.
• No system risk: They are non-essential archives and are never read by Windows during daily operation.

How to Safely Clean Up CbsPersist Cab Files

Method 1: Delete via Command Prompt (Admin)

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Run the command to delete all CbsPersist archives:

   del /f /q %WinDir%\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_*.cab
   del /f /q %WinDir%\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_*.log

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