How to Delete Windows.old folder after Windows 10 Upgrade

The fever for upgrading to Windows 10 has been hot in the last few days. Actually, this also happened in previous windows. But what pemmzchannel will share this time is, how to delete the Windows.old folder that was created automatically shortly after we successfully upgraded Windows 10 with the “On The Fly Upgrade” method.

Contents of Folder Windows.old

The Windows.old folder generally contains three (3) main folders that existed on your previous windows, namely:

Windows
Documents and Settings
Program Files

Contents Wndws.old

If your previous windows were multi-user-based windows like Windows 8, the number of folders will increase with the user program data (hidden) folder. Also if your windows was previously 64-bit, there will be an additional program files (x64) folder.

Windows.old Folder Benefits

This folder is useful for those of you who want to process at any time restore go back to your previous version of windows. Or if you just want to retrieve the files that were in the previous windows document folder. For quick access, on Windows 10, you can simply type this command in the start search box:

%systemdrive%Windows.old

Is it safe to delete the Windows.old Folder

It depends on how sure you are with your new windows as well as how detailed you understand how to backup files on the windows operating system. If you feel you have backed up all your files, and it’s okay for you to reinstall all the programs on Windows before, deleting the Windows.old folder will not make your sleep restless anymore.

Auto Deleted

Seeing that already, after the upgrade process is complete, the system will automatically create a “task” which will delete this folder automatically 4 weeks after the install process. But for some users, for example Mimin, who happens to have a device with limited storage in partition C, how come it’s scary to see that the size is big enough just for “just in case” :D.

How to Delete the Windows.old Folder

You can use the following two (2) ways to delete the Windows.ini Folder.

Deleting Windows.old Folder using Disk Cleanup

This is the official and easy path, which you can run directly by right-clicking the drive where the operating system is installed (usually partition C).

How and process of deleting Windows.old folder with disk cleanup

Select system , so that the tool starts scanning for system files that “may” be deleted, including Previous Windows Installation. Well, you just check that section and click OK. There will be a warning that tells the effect of deleting this file as we described above. Once again, if you are sure you just click OK.

Deleting Windows.old Folder using Command Prompt

An alternative way, you can use a command prompt which is actually also simple and without warning. You just open a command prompt as an administrator. Remember, must be an administrator. Just search the command prompt in the search bar, when it appears, right click and select “run as administrator”. Then you type as follows:

takeown /FC:Windows.old* /R /A

press enter

The system will scan all files in the Windows.old folder. Continue by typing:

cacls C:Windows.old*.* /T /grant administrators:F

cmd-ownership