Should $Windows~BT Folder be deleted after Windows10 is installed?


  1. Posts : 80
    Windows 10 Professional, 64-bit
       #1

    Should $Windows~BT Folder be deleted after Windows10 is installed?


    My question is simple and in the Title itself. It is, "Should $Windows~BT Folder be deleted after Windows10 is installed?"
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 3,367
    W10 Pro x64/W7 Ultimate x64 dual boot main - W11 Triple Boot Pending
       #2

    I've been running 10 now since the second not first upgrade that was replaced by the second quite well with those two folders remaining. It's not mandatory to see them removed since those are not in the way of anything but take up a small space. You would first need to take ownership over them however in order to see them manually deleted from the drive.

    Fortunately there are two guide as well as a quick download to add the option of taking ownership over files and folders you can look over. The first is seen at: Take Ownership - Add to Context Menu in Windows 10

    That will put the option for taking ownership over anything into the right click menu! The other is optional as that is mainly to see a new entry placed in the system registry for .. How to Change Owner of File, Folder, Drive, or Registry Key in Windows 10

    The second one there Warns note from the start you can't use that option on the Windows OS drive itself or expect a potential for disaster. It would interfer with the normal operation of Windows making "Shaky" and unstable.. As for the BT and WS folders themselves I doubt the PC Refresh option found in the Bootup recovery options as well as found on the usb installation key or Recovery Drive will require those. I would say go right ahead as I believe those are only temp folders used by the 10 installer to install Windows out of since these are where the set up files are copied to either during the initial upgrade or later when tending to a clean install.

    With an upgrade install note the PC Refresh option is not found in the Control Panel. You simply find at least for the first 30days which afterwards you won't be able to revert back to the previous version whether 7, 8, or 8.1 that option is found.
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  3. Posts : 80
    Windows 10 Professional, 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thank you for your very prompt reply.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 505
    Windows 10 Pro (Mix of Builds) / Linux Mint
       #4

    You can remove them thru disc cleanup - by choosing the advanced system options and selecting to remove previous windows installations and temps, etc. No worrying about changing ownership in that method.

    If removed though, you can't rollback.
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  5. Posts : 22,740
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #5

    junglee said:
    My question is simple and in the Title itself. It is, "Should $Windows~BT Folder be deleted after Windows10 is installed?"
    Yes,,, you can. I deleted it and had zero issues.
    HTH
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 3,367
    W10 Pro x64/W7 Ultimate x64 dual boot main - W11 Triple Boot Pending
       #6

    They are non essential and the roll back is seen as the Backup/Resotation option in the Control Panel to run that if you decide not to keep 10 on. Here not being sure but still planning to see 10 go onto the second OS not reconnected as the Disk #0 plus the boot entry for 7 added in separately while the other was unplugged making the 10 drive bootable as a stand alone as well as to see how things worked out.

    Apparently the versions newer then 7 don't play well when you mix Sata II drives which have been the OS drives with Sata 3 drives in an array used for storage? Not having reviewed the upgrade or clean install guides which I recommend to anyone who still doesn't have 10 on yet to go through I had left those other drives plugged in and guess what?

    Each upgrade attempt not only failed but two folders as well as boot files were found on those drives! The boot files on one while the other saw the BT and WS folders which still needed to see permissions elevated to clear those off! I had to nuke them off of the 7 drive when the upgrade attempt had failed there as well and wouldn't expect to have problems since that has 7 running on it while a week has passed already and no issues related to not having the two folders are expected to be seen since I plan to nuke the present 10 upgrade for a clean install anyways!
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