Can I remove an old version of Win 7 on my D drive?


  1. maarkr
    Posts : 67
    Windows 11
       New #1

    Can I remove an old version of Win 7 on my D drive?


    Can I remove an old version of Win 7 on my d drive? It was my C drive years ago and I kept it for backup after I installed an SSD with Win 10 as the C drive. I don't need to get every little bit off, but can I just delete the Windows folder? I know I've installed a few programs from Win 10 on that drive in Program Files, so I don't want to nuke those program/data files... just get rid of most of the old OS... it takes up 20Gb of space.

    I'm also going to backup my C drive to the D, so I may want to boot off the D drive to my Win 10 backup if I have issues with the C drive booting.

    -or, since I have like 2Tb of free space on the drive, why bother??? I'm just a neat freak.
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  3. CountMike
    Posts : 19,518
    W11+W11 Developer Insider + Linux
       New #2

    In theory, yes you can do that but windows may not let you just delete that folder. If it doesn't you can always boot of a live Linux on an USB and delete it from there.
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  4. maarkr
    Posts : 67
    Windows 11
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    OK... searching archives and I found a suggestion to rename the old Windows dir Windows.old, then go to disk cleanup for the D drive and let it remove it. I renamed the dir, and ran disk cleanup, and sure enough, it gives me the option to remove it...

    BUT, being the paranoid type that I am, is there any reason that I should not try this? I have tons of stuff on the drive, and even tho they are backed up, I don't want to go thru any mess. Is there any chance of the removal messing with my C drive Win 10 installation or the programs in Program Files/Data on the D? It seems good to me but just wanted to ask.
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  6. CountMike
    Posts : 19,518
    W11+W11 Developer Insider + Linux
       New #4

    You can rename it and try like that, if nothing makes troubles, than you can remove it.
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  7. maarkr
    Posts : 67
    Windows 11
    Thread Starter
       New #5

    went ahead and used the Windows cleanup to get rid of the Windows.old that I renamed on the D drive... worked like a charm... so far.
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