How to delete C:\Windows.Old folder witout using disk cleanup

Anonymous
2010-07-07T11:34:42+00:00

In the Disk Cleanup dialog box, I don’t see the option to delete Previous Windows Installations. How do I manually delete the C:\Windows.Old folder.

 Also, what are the three command lines needed to delete the folder?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2010-07-08T00:23:08+00:00

Hi,

The option is shown as Previously Windows Installations.

How to Delete and Remove the Windows.old Folder on Vista or Windows 7

http://www.kodyaz.com/articles/delete-windows-old-removal.aspx

===============================================

If needed :

1. Open an Elevated Command Prompt

Start - type in Search box -> CMD     find at top - Right Click on - RUN AS ADMIN

How to Open a Elevated Command Prompt in Windows 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/783-elevated-command-prompt.html

2. The Prompt probably looks like C:\Windows\System32>

Type this at the prompt and then hit ENTER

CD\

Now the prompt should look like C:>

3: Type this at the prompt and then hit ENTER

DIR Windows.old

Should look like C:>DIR Windows.old   

It should return

Directory of C:\Windows.old

and show the contents of Windows.old

That is just to make sure the Windows.old  folder is under C: (the C Drive) - if not STOP

4. Type this at the prompt and then hit ENTER

 Attrib -r -a -s -h C:\Windows.old /S /D

Should look like C:>Attrib -r -a -s -h C:\Windows.old /S /D

(there are SPACES between Attrib and -r and -a and -s and -h and C:\Windows.old and /S

and /D). The C:\ is the drive Windows.old is located on.

It should return you to the prompt C:\   if it shows and ERROR then STOP - check the command

and if it was typed correctly you are not in the correct spot. You may need to run the TAKEOWN

command :

TAKEOWN /f Windows.old /a /r

and repeat Step 4 - were you using an Elevated Command Prompt? Are you logged to an

ADMIN account?

5. Type this at the prompt and then hit ENTER

RD /s Windows.old

Should look like C:>RD /s Windows.old

(there are SPACES between RD and /s and Windows.old )

Will return   Windows.old, are your sure Y/N   type Y

(If you get a message that you do not have Ownership Rights then issue this command

and hit ENTER

TAKEOWN /f Windows.old /a /r

and repeat Step 5 - were you using an Elevated Command Prompt? Are you logged to an

ADMIN account?

6: Type this at the prompt and then hit ENTER

DIR Windows.old

Should look like C:>DIR Windows.old    -    and hit ENTER

It should return

Directory of C:\

File Not Found

Which confirms it is gone.

7. Close the COMMAND window

Hope this helps.

Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-01-09T19:30:03+00:00

    The problem is resolved Thank you for your help.

    SMMH

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-01-09T16:19:45+00:00

    I have C-Cleaner as well and it did notwork for this issue, however, the Disk Cleanup tool installed with Microsoft did.

       Open it...then click 'OK'. That will clean whatever is checked (when I did it the 1st time, 'old windows' was not on the list). You can click every box of every item you wish to delete, then click 'OK'.

       Then, re-open 'Disk Cleaner' and click the box, 'clean up system files'. This scans the whole system for unnecessary files. When it is finished, 'old windows install' or something like it, should be on that list. Make sure the box to the left is checked and then click 'OK'. It may take awhile to delete the files. If it seems to hang up and stay stuck in one place, it's working but it will not hurt to simply start the process again (because it may actually 'be' stuck).

       If it seems a bit anal that I did a cursory clean 1st, well, that's how I got it to work. I had to repeat this a few times unil 'old windows' actually appeared on the list of items to clean/delete. Just keep trying it/eventually it will.

       This reminds me of my old mechanic who always said 'keep bringing it back, we'll make it right, eventually'.  'Patientia est mater omnium est quem ordinem foeda' (patience above all things no matter when **** happens).

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-01-09T14:36:45+00:00

    I have C Cleaner Pro installed, It had a Tick Box in the windows advanced list "Windows Old" This disappeared when I had a windows update allowing Widows old to auto delete after 30 days! Now I can not find the windows reference to this! So many updates since this happened November 2017.

    There is a logical fallacy called post hoc ergo propter hoc (after this, therefore because of this).  Just because phenomenon "B" happened after phenomenon "A," it doesn't mean that "A" caused "B."

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-01-09T11:40:36+00:00

    I have C Cleaner Pro installed, It had a Tick Box in the windows advanced list "Windows Old" This disappeared when I had a windows update allowing Widows old to auto delete after 30 days! Now I can not find the windows reference to this! So many updates since this happened November 2017.

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