How do I remove Windows.old in Vista? | Tech Off

cheong

I've reinstalled my Vista(because the RTM checked build cannot recognize my hardwares) so there's a Windows.old in my harddisk.

I tryed to delete it but Vista said I don't have right to, I spawned "administrator right enabled" explorer process to delete it, and still it can't let me remove the exe/dll files (It still said I have no right to remove them).

I don't really want to remove it in WinXP as I don't want one OS to write changes to the other's partition, so what should I do to remove the folder in Vista?

RichardRudek
So what do you expect for nothin'... :P

I don't about Vista, but when I'm running as a limted account on either XP or 2000, I can't start a copy Explorer running under different credentials because it's already running !

Instead I either use a command prompt, or fire up a third party file manager (2xExplorer, usually) running with Admin privledges.

As for wether doing this is the right thing to do, I'd be surprised if it was. Have you checked that there isn't an Add/Remove programs type of thing for it ?

gfincher

To cleanup the Windows.old folder, you can click on the Vista pearl, type "disk clean" and hit enter to open the Disk Cleanup tool. Choose "Files from all users on this computer" and choose the drive you want to clean. After it lists what is available to "clean", scroll down and select Windows.old from the list of choices. Then delete as desired!

littleguru
<3 Seattle

gfincher wrote:
To cleanup the Windows.old folder, you can click on the Vista pearl, type "disk clean" and hit enter to open the Disk Cleanup tool. Choose "Files from all users on this computer" and choose the drive you want to clean. After it lists what is available to "clean", scroll down and select Windows.old from the list of choices. Then delete as desired!

Yes the Disk Cleanup utility does a great work. Just make sure you check all the checkboxes afterwards, to have everything cleaned up.

borosen

RichardRudek wrote:
I don't about Vista, but when I'm running as a limted account on either XP or 2000, I can't start a copy Explorer running under different credentials because it's already running !
...

I know this is old news, since Vista is out.

But it is possible to run more than one copy of explorer folder window.

1. Log on as the user you later want to 'run as'.
2. In the folder settings, mark 'Run folder window in separate process'.

Now you will be able to start explorer with the runas command.
Note that you will have to manually refresh (F5) the window to see changes.

ddas
-=edEn=-

Yes, this works. If you want to remove that Windows.old folder from Drive C: of your Windows Vista installation.

Go to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup.

In "Which files to clean up" dialog > Click on "Files from all users on this computer".

Select the Drive where your Windows.old is.

In Disk Cleanup dialog, select Previous Windows installation(s) in the "Files to delete" list. Click on OK.

This should clean up above 2 GB of hard disk space occupied by the Windows.old folder. Wink

I checked this on Vista x64.

Sven Groot
My name has 9 letters. Coincidence? I think not...

RichardRudek wrote:
I don't about Vista, but when I'm running as a limted account on either XP or 2000, I can't start a copy Explorer running under different credentials because it's already running !

An administrator running under UAC can of course elevate explorer, no problem. But a limited user can still not start an elevated explorer just like in XP. It's not as necessary anymore though, in XP elevating explorer was the only way to get at some things (like the network card property sheet), in Vista this is no longer true since most of those things will ask to elevate on their own now.

Matthew van Eerde
AKA Maurits

cheong wrote:
I spawned "administrator right enabled" explorer process to delete it

Explorer never runs elevated, even if you tell it to. You should be able to delete the folder from an elevated command prompt.

Juba
Juba in Brazil

In reply to ddas

#Feb 13th, 2007 @ 12:13 AM

Ddas, I followed all the step you posted but couldn't see the "...Previous Windows installation(s) in the 'Files to delete' list" as you've mentioned. I'm using Vista Home - does this make any difference? Thanks!

Giacone

In reply to gfincher

#Feb 2nd, 2007 @ 8:56 PM

Thanks this saved up like 20 gig for me after reinstalling windows 3 times a year i never knew it was possible .

THANK YOU! Big Smile

Gia

sarah2455084

In reply to gfincher

#Feb 2nd, 2007 @ 8:56 PM

i reinstalled windows vista and my 220GB hard drive is almost full! it's never looked like that before. i saw the windows.old file and i didn't know there was a certain way to delete it, and i just deleted it like any other file. it took a long time, and i don't see the file on my drive anymore and it's not in the recycle bin (i emptied it anyway) but my available space didn't change at all.

i can see hidden files, but i don't see it on my C drive, and i searched for it but can't find it... what did i do wrong, can i fix it?

please help.

Sarah

anipilot

In reply to Juba

#Jul 11th, 2008 @ 7:53 AM

Juba,

I have Vista Home premium which is the lowest end of the range I think and the procedure shown by ddas works for me. I just went to Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup >

selected "Files from all users on this computer"

I selected the C drive to be cleaned up and previous windows installations showed up...was able to clean up sucessfully.
I managed to delete the windows.old folder which had like 36 GB !

thanks ddas

drb74

On Windows7 RC1 (Mac user here, so if I made a mistake, don't laugh) I hit the Windows key, typed "windows explorer" and from the search result I right clicked and left clicked 'run as administrator'. I was then able to delete the Windows.old folder from that privilege boosted file browser.

Athena

In reply to drb74

#May 9th @ 8:26 PM

On Windows 7 RC1 the Disk Cleanup option also works but you need an extra step:

Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, and then click System Tools.

Click Disk Cleanup.

In the Disk Cleanup Options dialog box, click Files from all users on this computer.

Note If the User Account Control dialog box appears, type the administrator password, and then click OK. Otherwise, click Continue.

In the Disk Cleanup:Drive Selection dialog box, select the hard disk drive that you want to clean up, and then click OK. Wait while the system scans the computer for unnecessary files.

Click the Disk Cleanup tab click on the Clean up System Files icon

Wait for the system to analyze the system files.

Click the Disk Cleanup tab, and then look for the Previous Windows installations check box.

If you find the Previous Windows installations check box, click to select it, and then click OK.

When you are prompted to confirm the removal of files, click Delete Files.

Wait while the system removes the files. You have now removed the Windows.old folder.

ManipUni
Proving QQ for 5 years!

Right Click -> Properties -> Security -> Advanced -> Owner -> Edit -> Select: Administrators (or your user) -> Tick: Replace Owner on Subcontainers and objects -> Ok -> Ok.

THEN:

Right Click -> Properties -> Edit (Group or User Names) -> Add -> Advanced -> Find Now ->Select: Users -> Ok -> Ok -> Select: Users -> Tick: Full Control.

See, easy as pie. Or on UNIX press the ` key and type chmod -R 0777 Windows.Old Tongue Out

Sven Groot
My name has 9 letters. Coincidence? I think not...

In reply to ManipUni

#Jul 16th @ 2:28 PM

Or start an elevated command prompt and run:

takeown /F C:\Windows.old /A /R

icacls C:\Windows.old /grant Users:(CI)(OI)F /T

Smiley

Savyor3
:D

Or make a admin profile and then click on start, computer, local disk (C:) and go to windows.old and right click and press delete and it should take aout 10 minites

AyaDream
Can't explore other countries without these

In reply to gfincher

#Feb 2nd, 2007 @ 8:56 PM

gfincher....you so good.....thanks a lot. You saved me 20GB via your first e-post. Works a treat with no UAC issues at all. THANKS