Delete Windows.old ?

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  1. Posts : 203
    Windows 10
       #1

    Delete Windows.old ?


    I totally feel like I want to delete it, and I'll probably delete it regardless of what you guys say, but I still want to ask. Is there a reason why I should not want to delete it ?
    Screenshot by Lightshot
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  2. Posts : 68,672
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #2

    Hello Marron,

    If you performed a refresh of Windows 10, upgrade to Windows 10, or a custom install of Windows 10 on the same partition as the previous Windows installation without doing a clean install, then you will have a C:\Windows.old folder in your new installation afterwards. The Windows.old folder contains a copy of the previous Windows installation, and can be quite large in size.

    The Windows.old folder is safe to delete if you do not want anything in it. :)

    https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2...dows-10-a.html
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 457
    Windows 10
       #3

    Well I deleted mine via disk cleanup. That said I make regular disk image backups.
    So if you want to get the space back make sure you have a disk backup just in case.
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  4. Posts : 46
    64-bit 10240 10 Pro
       #4

    I upgraded from Win 7 Pro and I deleted it with disk cleanup.
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  5. Posts : 203
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Brink said:
    Hello Marron,

    If you performed a refresh of Windows 10, upgrade to Windows 10, or a custom install of Windows 10 on the same partition as the previous Windows installation without doing a clean install, then you will have a C:\Windows.old folder in your new installation afterwards. The Windows.old folder contains a copy of the previous Windows installation, and can be quite large in size.

    The Windows.old folder is safe to delete if you do not want anything in it. :)

    https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2...dows-10-a.html
    Well, it was just updating from build 10041 to 10074, so I guess I already have everything that's there. And why not simply plain delete the folder in explorer ?
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  6. Posts : 22,740
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #6

    Marron said:
    Well, it was just updating from build 10041 to 10074, so I guess I already have everything that's there. And why not simply plain delete the folder in explorer ?
    Windows.old is a system folder and it must be deleted via Disk Cleanup.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 46
    64-bit 10240 10 Pro
       #7

    BunnyJ said:
    Windows.old is a system folder and it must be deleted via Disk Cleanup.
    No there are other ways to do it as explained in the link in Brinks Post.:)
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  8. Posts : 22,740
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #8

    Gary said:
    No there are other ways to do it as explained in the link in Brinks Post.:)
    Ok.. but I like the Disk Cleanup method and it does work.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 68,672
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #9

    Marron said:
    Well, it was just updating from build 10041 to 10074, so I guess I already have everything that's there. And why not simply plain delete the folder in explorer ?
    Windows will not let you just simply delete it like that since it's a protected system folder. You can use any of the options in the tutorial link I posted to delete it though. :)
      My Computers


  10. Posts : 14,046
    Windows 11 Pro X64 22H2 22621.1848
       #10

    The one use I had for Windows.old was to create a ISO to use for additional or clean installs using the ESDtoISO tool. Now with the Windows 10 ISOs being published, that is no longer necessary so I delete it.
      My Computers


 

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