windows 8 has deleted my windows.old/programfiles ?!!!

Anonymous

I was rather annoyed that windows 8, instead of integrating my existing programs and settings, shoved everything including settings in windows.old/ProgramFiles (what was the point of having a tick box that said "keep existing settings" if it didnt and even made my email inaccessible till I downloaded windows live mail again?)

However after hours of fiddling I managed to do a combination of re-install and running programs with tricky settings from the windows.old/program files directory via desktop shortcuts

Over the last few days the short cuts stopped working and I see windows 8 has deleted my windows.old/programfiles directory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Its not in my Recycle bin, its not in my AVG virus vault

Any one know where this is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldnt understand why windows 8 had to stuff all my programs out of the way so it would take me hours to make shortcuts...but deleting the whole directory and my settings? Come on, this is rediculous

HELLLLP!!!

Andy

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous

As I understand the process, the Windows 8 upgrade will copy your existing files and settings into \Windows.old, including:

PerfLogs
Program Files
Program Files (x86)
Users
Windows

It will then create new folders for all of the above, and migrate the files into the new folders. The \Windows.oldfolder is really just there as a part of the upgrade process, but it does act as a temporary backup folder. If you don't need anything from there in the first month, then you're not likely to need anything from there ever (as most / all of it is already in the new folders, and the old folder is likely taking up gigabytes of space).

Now, if you've upgraded from Windows 7, then congrats, everything has been moved to the new folders, including installed programs and drivers.

If you've upgraded from Vista or earlier, then your documents and settings have been migrated, but you're expected to reinstall the programs yourself, and the upgrade makes this clear. If you're foolish enough to create shortcuts into*\Windows.old\Program Files* and hack the registry to point into that folder, then you've dug your own grave.

(I came here through a Reddit link, thought I'd copy my explanation over there to the original thread here.)

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Anonymous

Hi ,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community Forum.

From your issue description , I understand that the Windows .old folder is deleted from your Windows 8 computer.

In order to help you better,pease provide us with the following information.

1.When did you install Windows 8 in your computer?

I understand the inconvenience caused you, unfortunately the Widows .old folder will delete automatically after 28 days since Windows was installed.

It will also delete automatically when the Windows drive has less than 10% free space.

I am sorry to let you inform that its not possible to retrieve if the Windows.old folder is deleted from your computer .

Reply with the required information. If you have any further issues, please get back to us and we would be happy to help you.

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61 additional answers

Anonymous

2014-06-12T16:08:22+00:00

I have a Toshiba Qosmio X870 laptop, running Windows 8.0 Enterprise, installed by me from the DVD rather than preinstalled. I did a Refresh to fix networking trouble and let it reboot as part of the refresh process. I completed it before lunch. The files were being deleted before end-of-business, but I did reboot multiple times in between as I was reinstalling my programs including various business tools like SQL Server, Team Foundation Server, IIS, and of course Office.
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Anonymous

2014-06-12T15:16:19+00:00

In my case it wasn't even post-reboot, the files were removed whilst my computer was left on.

I spoke to someone from Microsoft on the phone and they said a Windows.Old folder should not be created when you perform a refresh, and that I should contact my manufacturer (Dell)

Can someone else here confirm they are using a machine made by a different manufacturer? Or a non-OEM version of Windows altogether?

**Edit:**Everyone I've spoken to at tech support has been unaware of this issue, their responses have ranged from trying to accuse me of deleting the folder, saying the folder never existed in the first place, or agreeing that the data should have remained for 28 days.

The last person I spoke to who agreed that the folder should not have been deleted said he will collate the data I provided and transfer it to the Microsoft Engineers who will ensure "the feature that I talked about will be included in the next version of windows" - so I hope everyone is looking forward to Windows 9, now with a Windows.Old folder than doesn't delete itself...
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Anonymous

2014-06-12T14:23:00+00:00

Sorry if I misspoke. I just really believe that depending on Windows.old, restore , File history etc. is like the Lawyer who represents himself/herself, that is they have a fool for a client. Now that being said a possible reason for Microsoft to include the Windows.old file is that it may be used when the in stall, refresh etc. fail and they have to roll back to your previous set-up. Hope this helps and if you need further assistance post and we will be glad to Help you.

The above opinion is mine and mine alone and doesn't necessarily reflect that of Microsoft, it's employees, or any other member of this forum.

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." -John Muir

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