Cant delete windows old folder

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  1. Posts : 6
    windows10
       #1

    Cant delete windows old folder


    I have a 20GB file on my desktop called windows old. It won’tlet me delete manually. I have tried disc clean up, clean system files but thePrevious Windows installation(s) does not appear. The location is C:\Users\Newsmall laptop\Desktop. The file was created on 30 ‎October ‎2016, ‏‎05:19:47which was about the time I brought the lap top.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 2,539
    Windows 10 Pro 64bit
       #2

    You could try booting into safe mode & deleting it from there.
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  3. Posts : 6
    windows10
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thanks for the suggestion but it didn't work. I got the message that I need permission to carry out this action as in normal mode.
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  4. Posts : 4,201
    Windows 10 Pro x64 Latest RP
       #4

    I assume that you have access to an Admin account? If so try opening Explorer.exe as admin [right click on the file in windows folder - run as administrator] and try to delete the file from there. If this does not work, try logging in as the hidden administrator Administrator account - Enable or Disable in Windows 10 and then deleting from the file manager
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  5. Posts : 85
    Windows 10 Home
       #5

    Bunny007 said:
    I have a 20GB file on my desktop called windows old. It won’tlet me delete manually. I have tried disc clean up, clean system files but thePrevious Windows installation(s) does not appear. The location is C:\Users\Newsmall laptop\Desktop. The file was created on 30 ‎October ‎2016, ‏‎05:19:47which was about the time I brought the lap top.
    I would guess Previous Windows Installations doesn't appear because the Windows.old folder is in a different place. Normally it is at C:\Windows.old can you move it there ?
    Strange that your Windows.old folder is on the Desktop, did you buy this laptop new and update to Windows 10 or did you buy it 2nd hand already updated

    Windows.old Folder - Delete in Windows 10

    Good luck :)
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  6. Posts : 6
    windows10
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Thanks for your reply. The lap top was new and came with a 120 GB SSD C drive and a 1 TB hard drive. I did ask a friend to move the my documents folder over to the d drive to save space which may have caused the problem ( I am not very technical ). When I right click on the folder I am not give the option to move the file.
    If I drag the file to a new location it doesn't delete the original which of course still cant be deleted.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 56,806
    Multi-boot Windows 10/11 - RTM, RP, Beta, and Insider
       #7

    Bunny007 said:
    Thanks for your reply. The lap top was new and came with a 120 GB SSD C drive and a 1 TB hard drive. I did ask a friend to move the my documents folder over to the d drive to save space which may have caused the problem ( I am not very technical ). When I right click on the folder I am not give the option to move the file.
    If I drag the file to a new location it doesn't delete the original which of course still cant be deleted.
    You need to take ownership of the folder and contents first. It is currently "owned" by TrustedInstaller". Follow this tutorial for adding the take ownership option to your right click context menu. Then take ownership of the folder and delete it.

    Take Ownership - Add to Context Menu in Windows 10
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  8. Posts : 7,871
    Windows 11 Pro 64 bit
       #8

    f14tomcat said:
    You need to take ownership of the folder and contents first. It is currently "owned" by TrustedInstaller". Follow this tutorial for adding the take ownership option to your right click context menu. Then take ownership of the folder and delete it.

    Take Ownership - Add to Context Menu in Windows 10
    Yes, follow this advice. I had a similar problem which was due to a residual driver file left behind in window.old for some reason. I had to change permissions as above to remove it.
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  9. Posts : 4,594
    Windows 10 Pro
       #9

    Sometimes taking ownership does not work, sometimes enabling the built in Admin account does not work, sometimes Disk Cleanup does not work.

    But booting to a live Linux version always works, I had the same issue once and that`s how I solved it :)

    As stated by Steve, there could be a driver in the Windows.old folder that the system is still using, and that`s why it may not let you delete the folder, makes sense.
      My Computers


  10. Posts : 706
    W10
       #10

    You should start disc clean up with the right mouse button: run as administrator.
      My Computer


 

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