Okay this is a hard question because I have been trying to do this for a while. I have two old Windows folders - 40 gig of wasted space. Here's what I have done: 1. renamed them 2. tried many times to delete them (or some of them). 3. removed "trusted installer" as the owner and gave it to me 4. placed my user id and "users" as the only two that could do anything with the folders and given both all functions. The result is that Windows says I have to get permission from me to delete the folders. Suggestions please?
Clean up under Admin tools.
Folders with the name 'Windows.old' are created by the system when you upgrade from one version of windows to a new one. These are used to hold your original system files should you wish to roll back to your previous version. the major Windows 10 updates (the Fall Update last November and now the Anniversary Update) are actually a full install of the revised OS and also create Windows.old folders.
These should have been automatically deleted when the 30-day (or 10-day for the AU) roll-back period expired. If this hasn't happened or you want to delete them earlier than that, then use Windows' built-in Disk Clean-Up app. Either run it as Administrator or run it normally then click the 'Clean up system files' button. NB: if you have renamed these folders, put back their original names first or it may not find them.
This doesn't always work. Sometimes the computer is still using files in the Windows.old subfolders, and it will not delete them if they are in use. So I've had to resort to good old command line delete with Windows shutdown. Then when you restart, Windows finds some replacements for those deleted files.Folders with the name 'Windows.old' are created by the system when you upgrade from one version of windows to a new one. These are used to hold your original system files should you wish to roll back to your previous version. the major Windows 10 updates (the Fall Update last November and now the Anniversary Update) are actually a full install of the revised OS and also create Windows.old folders.
These should have been automatically deleted when the 30-day (or 10-day for the AU) roll-back period expired. If this hasn't happened or you want to delete them earlier than that, then use Windows' built-in Disk Clean-Up app. Either run it as Administrator or run it normally then click the 'Clean up system files' button. NB: if you have renamed these folders, put back their original names first or it may not find them.
Bob Frost
Windows old is removed automatically after a month. I thought?
Windows old should be removed automatically (BTW: for the AU that's now just 10 days) but (particularly for the original 10240) I've seen cases where that failed to take place. A manual Disk Clean-Up was needed to remove mine last July.Windows old is removed automatically after a month. I thought?
I don't believe that is the case if the new Windows10 is still using some files in the Windows.old subfolders. In my case twice, only shutting down windows and using the command line delete on those files, solved the problem for me. I don't think Disk Clean can remove files that are still in use. Not sure why Windows was still using one or two of the files in Windows.old, but only the unused files were removed in my cases.)Windows old should be removed automatically (BTW: for the AU that's now just 10 days) but (particularly for the original 10240) I've seen cases where that failed to take place. A manual Disk Clean-Up was needed to remove mine last July.
bob Frost
Yes it is still the case with Windows 10. Nothing has changed in cleaning out under System Cleanup in the Cleanup utility.
CCleaner also has an option for removeOld Windows Installation......in the Advance Section, which has worked for me in the Past.
KB
Why on earth would windows still be using files in the windows.old folder? (no, don't answer that, I'm just expressing amazement that something so obviously stupid should be allowed to occur). It might help explain why @nIGHTmAYOR and @TairikuOkami are having so much trouble in this thread, though.I don't believe that is the case if the new Windows10 is still using some files in the Windows.old subfolders. In my case twice, only shutting down windows and using the command line delete on those files, solved the problem for me. I don't think Disk Clean can remove files that are still in use. Not sure why Windows was still using one or two of the files in Windows.old, but only the unused files were removed in my cases.)
bob Frost
Residual windows.old folder despite everything that comes to mind
