Getting rid of windows.old

Please state clearly:
a. Have you carefully followed the tutorial quoted above about how to delete it?
b. Have you tried booting your PC from a boot disk, navigating to the folder and then deleting it?
- if you use a Windows install disk to boot your PC, you will need to navigate to a command prompt and yo will need to be familiar with using the command prompt. If you're not, don't try this.
- otherwise, get yourself a copy of Kyhi's boot disk from the top of the Software and Apps section here, boot your PC from that into a familiar Win 10 environment. Launch file explorer, navigate to Windows.old and delete it.

Using a boot disk avoids all the permissions problems.

If these don't help, please ask a friend to assist you.

Cerawy said:

Sorry, but i really dont understand what you mean?

Quite often the Windows.Old folder can't be deleted entirely, because a file has permissions that don't allow you to alter it. In such cases you need to change the permissions of the file in the properties to be able to delete Windows.Old.

It is of course easier to set the permissions from the Windows.Old folder and let Windows change the permissions of everything within Windows.Old automatically.
Change Owner of File, Folder, Drive, or Registry Key in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

axe0 said:

Quite often the Windows.Old folder can't be deleted entirely, because a file has permissions that don't allow you to alter it. In such cases you need to change the permissions of the file in the properties to be able to delete Windows.Old.

It is of course easier to set the permissions from the Windows.Old folder and let Windows change the permissions of everything within Windows.Old automatically.
Change Owner of File, Folder, Drive, or Registry Key in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

It doesn't seem to work. I still get a message saying i need permission, even after taking ownership of the folder.

Use a boot disk.

Did I say use a boot disk?

Easy.

See Getting rid of windows.old - Windows 10 Forums

axe0 said:

See Getting rid of windows.old - Windows 10 Forums

It seems like a lot of work, just to get rid of a folder. Also, the folder seems to have deleted itself, as i can no longer find it.

Cerawy said:

Also, why is windows asking me for administrator privileges if im trying to delete a file or folder, when im already using an account with administrator privileges?

Because even though you are signed in with an administrator account, for security most of the time you are running with standard user privileges. As an administrator you will be asked to confirm the use of your administrator rights on the few occasions you need them, just click 'ok' and it will use your full rights. A standard user would be asked for the name and password of an administrator account under similar circumstances.

Cerawy said:

Seems like a ridicilious amount of work just to get rid of a folder. Also, the folder seems to have erased itself, as i can no longer find it.

But theres an underlying issue. I want to be able to delete useless files and folders, but sometimes i cant because windows is blocking my access.

Also, why is windows asking me for administrator privileges if im trying to delete a file or folder, when im already using an account with administrator privileges?

Here is the easy way to delete it (and stubborn files).

First install Macrium Reflect Free which you will really want to do anyway as it is the best imaging backup tool around.

Then add Macrium as a boot entry from its Other Tasks menu.

Then reboot pc, select Macrium Reflect, and then using its file explorer, just delete Windows.old.

Of course, be careful what you delete - "With great power comes great responsibility" as SL says.

Bree said:

Because even though you are signed in with an administrator account, for security most of the time you are running with standard user privileges. As an administrator you will be asked to confirm the use of your administrator rights on the few occasions you need them, just click 'ok' and it will use your full rights. A standard user would be asked for the name and password of an administrator account under similar circumstances.

I find that, a lot of the time, windows still refuses to delete things, even if you click okay when asked.

cereberus said:

Here is the easy way to delete it (and stubborn files).

First install Macrium Reflect Free which you will really want to do anyway as it is the best imaging backup tool around.

Then add Macrium as a boot entry from its Other Tasks menu.

Then reboot pc, select Macrium Reflect, and then using its file explorer, just delete Windows.old.

I will keep that in mind for the next time. It would probably be best, if windows would simply let me delete folders that are just taking up space on my computer, though.

Cerawy said:

I find that a lot of the time, windows will still refuse to delete things, even if im clicking ok.

It depends on what precisely you are trying to delete. Some folders are heavily protected through permissions, usually because you shouldn't delete them!

Which folders are you trying to delete?