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

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

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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.

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

I tried to manually delete a duplicate file found by CCleaner, but the response at the elevated Command Prompt (Admin) was as follows:

C:\Windows\system32>ATTRIB -r -a -s -h "C:\Program Files (x86)\Trusteer\Rapport\

bin" /S /D

Access denied - C:\Program Files (x86)\Trusteer\Rapport\bin

C:\Windows\system32>TAKEOWN /f "C:\Program Files (x86)\Trusteer\Rapport\bin" /a

/r

ERROR: Access is denied.

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.

Use CCleaner free version this will remove windows old when you tick the box in the Advanced list shown.   For windows 10 it works But I note that the pro version of CCleaner does not have this option??

Thank you so much for this Rob. I Googled for nearly an hour and found nothing that worked. Just the same old, tired MS BS line about "Using Disk Cleanup".

I should have thought about using those good old commands myself having come from the dark and dreary world of DOS....Ouch, has it been that long....LOL

Keep up the great posts.