How to Delete Windows.old Folder

The Windows.old folder is a temporary storage space that Windows creates when you upgrade or reinstall the operating system. While it's intended to be a temporary holding place, many users find it difficult to delete the Windows.old folder permanently. In this article, we'll explore the possibility of deleting Windows.old files and provide guidance on how to do so.

Quick Navigation: Part 1. What is Windows.old?; Part 2: Why Windows.old folder cannot be deleted manually; Part 3: How to Deleted Windows.old in Other Ways; Part 4: Tips: Backup Windows.old to an external hard drive

Part 1. What is Windows.old?

When you upgrade from an older version of Windows, such as Windows 7, 8, or 8.1, to a newer version like Windows 10, a temporary folder called Windows.old is created. This folder is stored on the local disk C or system file, and it serves as a holding place for the previous operating system and its files. This allows you to easily revert back to the old version if needed.

When you upgrade to a new version of Windows, the operating system creates a temporary folder to store the files and settings from the previous version. This folder, typically named Windows.old, contains a comprehensive collection of system files, user account settings, and other essential data from the old operating system.

The Windows.old folder, which stores the files and settings from your previous Windows version, can take up a significant amount of space on your local drive. To free up this space, you'll need to delete the folder. Before doing so, it's essential to create a backup of your important files and settings. Rest assured, deleting the Windows.old folder is a safe process, as it does not affect your current Windows installation or any other system files. By deleting this folder, you'll be able to reclaim the disc space on your PC, giving you more room to store your files and applications.

There are different ways of deleting the Windows.old folder. You can do it manually, using disc cleanup, or by writing a set of commands using MD. Let's have a look at how you can safely delete the Windows.old folder.

How to delete Windows.old folder manually

The Windows.old folder, typically located on Local Disc C, can be easily deleted. To get rid of this folder, follow these simple steps. First, navigate to the Local Disc C drive, where the Windows.old folder is stored.

To access and delete the Windows.old folder, start by double-clicking on the "My Computer" shortcut on your computer. This will open a new window displaying the available drives and folders. Next, click on "Local Disc C" to view its contents. Scroll down to locate the Windows.
Select and click the 'Delete' key from your computer.
You may encounter a pop-up window requesting administrative rights to delete the Windows.old folder. To proceed, click on the "Continue" button to confirm your request and complete the deletion process.
Your computer will calculate the size of the Windows.old folder, and a pop-up window will appear with an "Access Denied" message. To proceed, you'll need to have SYSTEM rights, which will allow you to access and delete the folder.

Part 2: Why Windows.old folder cannot be deleted manually

Reasons why you cannot delete the Windows.old folder manually are:

1. The windows.old folder may have been removed by Windows

Windows is programmed to automatically delete the Windows.old folder after a certain period of time. For example, in Windows 10, this folder is deleted 30 days after an upgrade. If you're trying to delete the Windows.old folder after 30 days, it's possible that the folder has already been deleted from your computer.

2. You do not have the system rights to delete the folder

One of the main reasons you can't delete the Windows.old folder is that you need to be the computer administrator to proceed. Even with administrative rights, you may still be unable to delete the folder without the proper permissions from the system's administrative settings.

To delete the Windows.old folder, you'll need to modify the administrative rights to complete the process.

To access the Windows.old folder's properties, right-click on the folder and select "Properties". From the properties window, click on the "Security" tab and then click on "Advanced". Click "OK" to proceed.
From the owner section, click on change then OK.
Next, access the "Select User or Group" window. In the "Object name" section, type "Administrators" and click "Check Names" to verify the name. Once approved, click "OK" to close the window. Then, click "Apply" in the "Advanced Security Settings" for the Windows.old folder.
To complete the security settings for the Windows.old folder, click on the "Security" tab and then click the "Edit" button. In the "Permissions" section, select the "Allow full control" option and click "Apply". Finally, click "OK" to close the "Permissions for Windows.old folder" window.
Navigate back to Local Disc C and right-click on the windows.old folder. From the context menu, select the option to delete the folder.

If you'd rather not go through the lengthy process, you can use the Command Prompt (CMD) or Disk Cleanup to delete the Windows.old folder. Let's take a closer look at how to use these methods to simplify the process.

Part 3: How to Deleted Windows.old in Other Ways

How to delete Windows.old folder with CMD

The Command Prompt (CMD) is a tool that enables you to interact with your computer using a series of commands. It's a convenient method for deleting the Windows.old folder. Below, you'll find a step-by-step guide to help you delete the Windows.old folder using the Command Prompt.

To access the Command Prompt, click on the search bar and type "Command Prompt". Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Windows + R, type "cmd" in the dialog box that appears, and press Enter.
To run the Command Prompt as an administrator, you can either press the Ctrl+Shift+Enter keys on your keyboard or, while searching for Command Prompt, right-click on it and select "Run as administrator" from the context menu. This will open the Command Prompt with elevated privileges.
To delete the Windows.old folder, you can copy and paste the following command into the Command Prompt and press Enter: `RD /S /Q %SystemDrive%\windows.old`. This command uses the `RD` (short for "Remove Directory") syntax to delete the folder and its contents in a single operation.

To complete the process, simply restart your computer, which will refresh and save the changes. The Windows.old folder will then be automatically removed. If this method doesn't work for you, you can try using the built-in Disk Cleanup tool to remove the folder and free up space on your computer.

How to delete Windows.old folder using Disk Cleanup

The Windows Disk Cleanup tool enables users to remove unnecessary files, freeing up space on their computer. To use this feature, follow these steps: [insert steps].

To access the Disk Cleanup tool, double-click the "My PC" shortcut on your desktop or press the Windows key + E keys on your keyboard simultaneously.
To access the Disk Cleanup tool, right-click on drive C and select Properties from the context menu. The feature you're looking for is located at the bottom of the resulting dialog box.
From the General tab, click on Disk Cleanup. The tool will calculate the space on your computer before displaying a dialog box. Click on Clean up system files and then press OK.
From the Disk Cleanup tab, select the option to clean up the Previous Windows Installation. Then, click the OK button.
After initiating the disk cleanup, you'll be prompted to confirm the process. Once confirmed, click "Delete files" and then restart your computer once the cleanup is complete.

That's it! You've successfully deleted the windows.old folder using disk cleanup. Now, let's explore how to store a backup copy of this folder on an external drive for safekeeping.

Part 4 Tips: Backup Windows.old to an external hard drive

Backing up your previous Windows installation is crucial, and here's why: having a backup copy of your previous Windows can be a lifesaver in case you need to revert to a previous version or recover important files that were lost during the upgrade.

The Windows.old folder serves as a safety net, allowing you to restore previous files, folders, and user profiles that were present before the Windows upgrade. This feature essentially acts as a backup plan, giving you the ability to recover your important data if needed.
If the Windows upgrade is unsuccessful, you can revert back to the previous version by reinstalling it from the Windows.old folder, a process also known as downgrading. This folder acts as a backup, allowing you to recover your previous Windows installation.

In addition to physical storage methods like hard drives or USB drives, software can also be utilized to enhance data security. One such software option is Qiling Backup, which can be used to safeguard your important files and data.

The free drive clone software provides a robust backup solution, safeguarding files, partitions, disks, and the operating system as a whole. In the event of a system failure, this software enables quick and seamless restoration of files or the entire operating system from the backup, minimizing downtime and data loss.

The Qiling DBackup all-in-one drive allows you to back up everything that's important to you. In the event of a system failure or Windows crash, the backup can be run to automatically restore everything. Additionally, if you've missed a backup, the Deep Data Recovery feature can be used to recover lost files. This ensures that your data is protected and can be retrieved even in the event of a disaster.