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?

C Cleanup did not delete old files because my Anti virus version runs for an hour instead of normally 20-25 minutes. So the old files are still there. I have 738mb in Temporary files Should I check that box also for Disk cleanup? Thanks for your response to my initial request. Yes use disk clean-up, I think this should work, But I only have experience with WINDOWS 10 NOT ANY OTHER VERSIONS. Peter. How to get rid of OLD WINDOWS, Well C Cleaner does remove it! But I have discovered that in settings there is a new and recent change with the latest update to windows which removes the old windows checkbox from C Cleaner! and has the ability to remove Old windows on a monthly basis. Go into Settings to see if you are able to find it, as of this moment in time I can not find it, perhaps new updates have altered it?

The problem seems to have corrected itself. Now the problem is regarding deleting duplicate files found by CCleaner. Is there a means for changing permissions to the entire drive to delete these unnecessary duplicates, please?

The problem seems to have corrected itself. Now the problem is regarding deleting duplicate files found by CCleaner. Is there a means for changing permissions to the entire drive to delete these unnecessary duplicates, please? Different topic. You should start a new thread.

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

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

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

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