The wondows.old folder in Windows 10 sometimes takes up a huge amount of disk space. What kind of files are in it and can it be deleted?
After installing or updating Windows 10, a windows.old folder is often left on your computer. It takes up a lot of space, so usually users want to delete it, but the name is questionable. What is in this folder, and can it be deleted?
The contents of the windows.old folder
As you might guess from the name, there are some old files in the folder. But also the name is very similar to the root folder of the system, so inexperienced users do not know whether it is possible to delete it without harming the computer.
This folder only appears if you upgraded your operating system from Windows 7 or 8 to version 10, and also if you reinstalled Windows 10 in upgrade mode. Moreover, if you have reinstalled the system using this mode several times, then each of them will have its own folder.
In this folder, you can find the files from the previous Windows installation. Including there will be files from the desktop and the contents of the folders "My Documents", "Pictures", etc.
All these files are saved so that you can return to the previous version of the OS if you have any problems during installation or the system does not work correctly.
You can also use this function to transfer data if the disk to which Windows will be installed is not partitioned. You can simply move all the files to the folders that will be saved, and then install or update the system.
Delete or not?
If after installation the operating system is stable and there are no problems, then you can safely delete this folder. Just in case, check its contents before deleting it, suddenly there will be some necessary data that you forgot to save.
You should not delete the folder before you have verified that the installed system is working correctly or if you allow the possibility of rolling back to a previous version.
Uninstallation problems
You can't just delete the windows.old folder. Do not be alarmed, the folder is protected from accidental deletion, however, of course, there is a way to do this, and more than one.
1 way
Use the disk cleanup function. This is the easiest way for an ordinary user.
- Use the Win + R key combination to call the Run application and write cleanmgr to the command line and press OK.
- In the window that appears, select the disk with the installed OS.
- Click “Clean up system files”.
- Then put a tick in front of the items: Previous Windows installations; Temporary Windows installation files; Windows update log files.
- Click OK and wait for the end of cleaning.
All unnecessary files left over from the old Windows will be removed.
2 way
- Run Command Prompt as administrator.
- Run the command: RD / S / Q "% SystemDrive% / Windows.old"
- The folder will be deleted.
