Cannot delete remaining windows.old repository files

Since recently updating Wn 10 Pro to 20H2 I've deleted the bulk of windows.old (1909) to get more storage space. But this folder cannot be deleted:



C:\Windows.old\WINDOWS\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository

All attempts to delete it or its files gives the error shown.

I have taken ownership of the folder and contents. And the files are duplicates of those already in \Windows. Which also prompts the side question: why should anything from the old version still be in use?

Storage space is no longer an issue but tidiness (and curiosity) remain, so I'd much appreciate advice on removing this folder please.

You can just delete the entire Windows.old folder...

How to Delete Windows.old and $Windows.~BT folders in Windows 10




But if for some reason, you want to keep parts of Windows.old... you can use Emco Unlock It to remove that pesky folder.

UnLock IT Free - Unlock a File or Folder Locked by the System

After deleting by the cleanup method I still had the situation I described. I was eventually able to rename and move them to another folder; I used c:\tmp). And I could then delete the now empty subfolders and windows.old itself.

But the files persist, as being 'in use'. In my case by various Intel stuff like Intel Dynamic Application Loader, Intel Management Engine Interface, Intel Display Audio Driver, etc.

But at least I got rid of c:\windows.old.

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After deleting by the cleanup method I still had the situation I described. I was eventually able to rename and move them to another folder; I used c:\tmp). And I could then delete the now empty subfolders and windows.old itself.

But the files persist, as being 'in use'. In my case by various Intel stuff like Intel Dynamic Application Loader, Intel Management Engine Interface, Intel Display Audio Driver, etc.

But at least I got rid of c:\windows.old.

It's so simple run disk storage or disk cleanup both would have done it for you

Hello @Terrypin,

Terrypin said:

But the files persist, as being 'in use'. In my case by various Intel stuff like Intel Dynamic Application Loader, Intel Management Engine Interface, Intel Display Audio Driver, etc.

After deleting by the cleanup method I still had the situation I described. I was eventually able to rename and move them to another folder; I used c:\tmp). And I could then delete the now empty subfolders and windows.old itself.

But the files persist, as being 'in use'. In my case by various Intel stuff like Intel Dynamic Application Loader, Intel Management Engine Interface, Intel Display Audio Driver, etc.

[1] As mentioned above, running Disk Cleanup should have got rid of them.
[2] You could try Deleting the leftover files mentioned in Safe Mode, or from the Command Prompt in Safe Mode . . .

> How to Open a Command Prompt at Boot in Windows 10

I hope this helps.

Samuria said:

It's so simple run disk storage or disk cleanup both would have done it for you

But it didn’t. And I have read many posts reporting a similar problem.

According to this article it seems to be an obscure bug.

Microsoft confirms undeletable 'Windows.old' folder bug on Windows 10

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Thanks Paul. I’ll try that in the morning (currently on iPad), on the newly renamed and located files. But from other posts I’m not too optimistic.