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

Anonymous
2012-12-15T16:28:24+00:00

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

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

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Anonymous
2013-02-06T18:35:00+00:00

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
2012-12-16T08:41:05+00:00

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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  1. Anonymous
    2013-07-02T18:57:13+00:00

    I'm joining in on this outrage. It seems to be something that runs on the first of the month? Because I lost two VMs I hadn't had a chance to migrate yet, with no warning. What the ****, Microsoft?

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-05-06T04:11:58+00:00

    THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENNED TO ME. It deleted my files the SAME DAMNED DAY. I'm so f-ing angry right now if I had the snark MS employee from earlier in the thread (pretending he doesn't know what the poster is referring to) in front of me I'd punch him in the mouth.

    This is an outrage and disgusting. There are tons and tons and tons of advanced computer users out here Microsoft.... we had to be in order to use dos, then 95, etc. I want my machine the way I set it up. Every new version of windows seems to remove options as it adds them. Who in their right mind would want the software deleting their folders? Isn't it safer to leave the stuff on there and then have the "Free up Space by deleting unused programs" utility (under tools) recommend this down the line so the user has the option??!?

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-04-23T12:43:32+00:00

    Same problem happened to me a couple of days ago.  I needed to do a Refresh because some windows files seemed to be messed up.  The refresh worked and as expected the Windows.Old directory was there containing ProgramData and old applications etc. 

    I was working my way through recovering files from this area when after a reboot, suddenly they were all gone.  This was not 28 days later, this was the SAME day!  The system drive is a 60GB SSD with more than 30GB free.

    I had some MySql databases that were in ProgramData and I had not yet moved them back to normal area because i hadnt finished installing/configuring MySql.  Obviously i assumed they were safely intact in the Windows.old\ProgramData area and didnt realise I should put them somewhere else safe since this area apparently deletes itself when windows feels like it. 

    Automatically removing this area is a joke - Id sooner prefer the machine ran out of space than deleting my Windows.old area without ANY NOTICE OR WARNING!!

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