Can't Delete Windows.old

TheJoker · 13 Dec 2017

I did use cleanmgr, and attempted to remove Windows.old, but it left two files that I can't delete:
Windows.old\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\iassam.dll
Windows.old\WINDOWS\WinSxS\iassam.dll

I've tried File Assassin - (says file not found)
FilExile - (The target is not a valid file or directory)
MoveFile.exe - it starts in a window and immediately closes, so it apparently didn't work on my system for some reason.

EMCO MoveOnBoot - (Could not remove the Read-only attribute for the following file: 'C:\Windows.old\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-n..tion_service_iassam_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.14393.0_none_4d053389b20f76b7\iassam.dll'. If the Read-only attribute is not removed, the file will not be deleted on the next Windows boot. 12/12/2017 8:53:30 PM)

I though maybe it was a junction, ran Sysinternals Junction.exe and there was no junction found.

I've run chkdsk /f from an elevated command prompt, no errors are found.

I've even booted from a Mint Linux (only distro I found so far that would run and see and mount read-write my m.2 drive) USB drive and was unable to delete the files due to an error.

Any ideas what to try next?

topgundcp · 13 Dec 2017

Rename
Windows.old\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\iassam.dll
Windows.old\WINDOWS\WinSxS\iassam.dll
To
Windows.old\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\iassam.dll.bak
Windows.old\WINDOWS\WinSxS\iassam.dll.bak

Reboot and try to delete again.

FrillyBits · 13 Dec 2017

Welcome to the forum :)
Did you try running an SFC Command to Repair System Files

Run SFC Command in Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials

Good luck :)

Layback Bear · 13 Dec 2017

Right tick on your drive and select Properties and then select Disk Cleanup.
Once you have run Disk Cleanup, their should be a option to remove your Windows 10 Old.
Just put a check mark in the little box and complete the Disk Cleanup.

jack

EdTittel · 13 Dec 2017

If worst comes to worst and your runtime efforts bring no joy, you can boot your system using the Windows 10 install media, a repair disk, or a third party tool like TenForums own Kyhi's Rescue Disk. Then, if you boot to repair your PC, and go into the command line interface, you can manually delete the entire folder as you see fit. Based on prior experience with this, you may have to navigate down to delete remaining individual files, then work your way up the folder structure, deleting as you go, to get rid of the whole shebang. YMMV.
HTH,
--Ed--

f14tomcat · 13 Dec 2017

Give this a try:

Open an Admin Command prompt (must be Admin)

Type cd \ and press enter (that's CD space \), that will put you in the root directory C:

Type RD /q /s windows.old and press enter

Watch your spelling, it counts! Better to do a copy/paste of this.

TheJoker · 13 Dec 2017

Renaming the file and using RD were other first efforts. Can't use Disk Cleanup, already used that and it's only the two files left; the option to remove old version of Windows no longer shows up in Windows Cleanup. I was very surprised that they couldn't be deleted after booting to LINUX.

Have not yet tried SFC yet, will try that and the Kyhi's Rescue Disk tonight.

meebers · 13 Dec 2017

Just checking, its not Windows.old(1)

TheJoker · 14 Dec 2017

No, not Windows.old(1), but Windows.old.

SFC didn't find anything wrong, but Kyhi's Rescue Disk working from the command line after booting from the WinPE disk did the trick!

Thanks very much, and solved.

f14tomcat · 14 Dec 2017

TheJoker said:

No, not Windows.old(1), but Windows.old.

SFC didn't find anything wrong, but Kyhi's Rescue Disk working from the command line after booting from the WinPE disk did the trick!

Thanks very much, and solved.

That's a super tool! Hang on to it. Glad to see you're fixed. :)