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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Answer accepted by question author

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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Answer accepted by question author

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

2013-07-02T19:13:02+00:00

We expect an answer to this MS. I can't believe this wasn't fixed in the first second you heard about it. This isn't a bug report - YOU KNOW THE SOFTWARE DOES THIS and it's a ticking time bomb.

You must make this change and release it in the next windows update before Windows deletes something very important to someone very powerful and you end up in a lot of trouble. The kind of monetary trouble you're not that afraid of, but nonetheless.

If I were someone, if I even knew someone in a position to help make some legal headway I'd already be gunning for you. YOU DELETED FILES OFF MY COMPUTER WHICH WERE NOT WINDOWS FILES. Don't you understand that? You move all the users things (MY THINGS... MY FILES) into windows.old. That doesn't make them system files. They are still my intellectual property.

Then you DELETE THEM. THAT IS THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE SCRIPT EVER. Isn't the safer option to keep them? WHY.... I've been using MS products FOREVER. Why would you delete them. Without warning?!?

Level 1 tech reading this - please just escalate it unless you have already heard of it before and you have the official response. This is a very serious issue.

I know some of the other posters are experienced techs as well as evidenced by their description of the issue. This isn't our mistake, it is a serious flaw.
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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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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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