New Laptop, New W10 - Old Laptop ebay, windows.old files?

I wasnt too sure how the title would go so just laid it out.

I bought a new laptop that came with Windows 10 Home, old Laptop I was using with the Insider Program on Windows 10 Pro, it was a 7 to 10 upgrade. I was able to upgrade the Home version to Pro buy purchasing it. I originally wanted to swap the hard drive but after posting was told not gonna work, maybe but prob not, so just bought it instead. So now I backed up files off old laptop and transfered them to an external HD to the new laptop, its all good now.

Now that I pulled my files off the old laptop I decided to wipe the old laptop and start anew so that I can throw it on eBay. It is right now a clean install, I used the online clean install version, so I guess it downloaded a tool, prob the ESD-ISO and went thru install itself, nice no more having to burn dvd etc.

After the install I set it up without a MS account, then just created a USR to be able to login. I checked explorer to see the HD and find it to be the same size available as before, so checked and saw that there is an Windows.old folder obviously containing old windows, even though I requested nothing to save, hmm.

So now the question, can I delete folders that are left over from last install, including windows.old and then be able to throw on eBay? I know I can wipe it completely clean but wanted to upsell the 10 version lol

Thanks

Gerry

Disk Clean-up (use the 'clean up system files' button) can remove windows.old (and other associated folders for the previous version of windows).

For complete peace of mind....

This tutorial will show you how to reset Windows 10 to remove everything and start over completely with a clean installation of Windows 10 on your PC.

Reset Windows 10

... though 'remove everything' will also remove any installed software.

If windows old is there it's not done a clean install and will have your data on it you must boot the DVD delete all partitions and then install if you don't logon with ms account it may not activate

OK thanks guys I will probably just do a clean install instead just to be safe

Bree said:

Disk Clean-up (use the 'clean up system files' button) can remove windows.old (and other associated folders for the previous version of windows).

For complete peace of mind....


Reset Windows 10

... though 'remove everything' will also remove any installed software.

I did follow these similar steps in removing files and clean install, going thru the disk cleanup right now. removing all that should be good enough to remove what is left of my stuff, correct?

Or should I just do what Samuria said and do straight clean install.

bullfights said:

Or should I just do what Samuria said and do straight clean install.

That would give you the most peace of mind. But even then there may be data left on the disk that only an IT 'guru' could recover.

If you're paranoid and want a forensically clean machine (making sure there's no personal information left in the unused blocks on the disk), then CCleaner can wipe the empty spaces on your disk.
http://www.piriform.com/docs/ccleane...ree-disk-space

Bree said:

That would give you the most peace of mind. But even then there may be data left on the disk that only an IT 'guru' could recover.

If you're paranoid and want a forensically clean machine (making sure there's no personal information left in the unused blocks on the disk), then CCleaner can wipe the empty spaces on your disk.
http://www.piriform.com/docs/ccleane...ree-disk-space

That's true, I will look into ccleaner after the disk cleanup finishes. Not too paranoid, just want to make sure deleting old files is what it is lol

thanks

Maybe give it to a family member if that paranoid huh lmao

Bree said:

If you're paranoid and want a forensically clean machine (making sure there's no personal information left in the unused blocks on the disk), then CCleaner can wipe the empty spaces on your disk.
http://www.piriform.com/docs/ccleane...ree-disk-space

I have one other question regarding the ccleaner wipe free space utility, a pop up appeared when I clicked C drive, says "Secure wiping of drive C is NOT recommended, because drive C is an SSD" If that is the case then I shouldnt be trying to wipe the free space, correct?

thanks

cottonball said:

bullfights,

If CCleaner is showing that message, it is a concern. Personally, I would not want to go against it.

Yeah I didnt start the wipe, I just left it as is, then sent all other files/folders to recycle bin, its all clean now and ready.

Thanks