Windows 10: Can't Delete Windows.old

I did use cleanmgr, and attempted to remove Windows.old, but it left two files that I can't delete:
Windows.old\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\iassam.dll
Windows.old\WINDOWS\WinSxS\iassam.dll

I've tried File Assassin - (says file not found)
FilExile - (The target is not a valid file or directory)
MoveFile.exe - it starts in a window and immediately closes, so it apparently didn't work on my system for some reason.

EMCO MoveOnBoot - (Could not remove the Read-only attribute for the following file: 'C:\Windows.old\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-n..tion_service_iassam_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.14393.0_none_4d053389b20f76b7\iassam.dll'. If the Read-only attribute is not removed, the file will not be deleted on the next Windows boot. 12/12/2017 8:53:30 PM)

I though maybe it was a junction, ran Sysinternals Junction.exe and there was no junction found.

I've run chkdsk /f from an elevated command prompt, no errors are found.

I've even booted from a Mint Linux (only distro I found so far that would run and see and mount read-write my m.2 drive) USB drive and was unable to delete the files due to an error.

Any ideas what to try next?

:)

 

Can't delete windows.old

We appreciate that your time and effort to getting back to us.

If you’re getting any error, make sure that you launched the Command Prompt as administrator.

Delete Windows.old folder in Windows 10 using Command Prompt

Step 1: Open elevated Command Prompt. To do so, type
CMD in taskbar search box or Start search box and then simultaneously press Ctrl+Shift+Enter keys to open Command Prompt as administrator. Click Yes button when you see the UAC dialog.

Step 2: In the Command Prompt, paste the following command and then press Enter key to delete Windows.old folder.

RD /S /Q %SystemDrive%\windows.old

If the issue still persists,

The issue might be due to folder permissions, I suggest you to follow the steps and check if it helps,

To give permission to a particular file or folder, follow the below steps:

a. Right click on the files, Folder or drives (Windows.old) select Properties

b. Select Security tab

c. Choose Edit button (if prompted to click continue, please click on continue)

d. Select Add type in ‘Everyone’ (without quotes)

e. Click on Check names

f. Click Ok

g. Under Group or user name select Everyone

h. Under Permissions for system check Allow full control.

You can also refer to the below article for more information:

Link:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727008.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

Hope this helps, let us know the status of the issue.

 

Can't Delete Windows.old

Check out the answer here: How to delete C:\Windows.Old folder witout using disk cleanup

Also applies to Windows 10.

 

Rename
Windows.old\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\iassam.dll
Windows.old\WINDOWS\WinSxS\iassam.dll
To
Windows.old\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\iassam.dll.bak
Windows.old\WINDOWS\WinSxS\iassam.dll.bak

Reboot and try to delete again.

 

Welcome to the forum *Smile
Did you try running an SFC Command to Repair System Files

Run SFC Command in Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials

Good luck *Smile

 

Right tick on your drive and select Properties and then select Disk Cleanup.
Once you have run Disk Cleanup, their should be a option to remove your Windows 10 Old.
Just put a check mark in the little box and complete the Disk Cleanup.

jack

 

If worst comes to worst and your runtime efforts bring no joy, you can boot your system using the Windows 10 install media, a repair disk, or a third party tool like TenForums own Kyhi's Rescue Disk. Then, if you boot to repair your PC, and go into the command line interface, you can manually delete the entire folder as you see fit. Based on prior experience with this, you may have to navigate down to delete remaining individual files, then work your way up the folder structure, deleting as you go, to get rid of the whole shebang. YMMV.
HTH,
--Ed--

 

Give this a try:

Open an Admin Command prompt (must be Admin)

Type cd \ and press enter (that's CD space \), that will put you in the root directory C:

Type RD /q /s windows.old and press enter

Watch your spelling, it counts! Better to do a copy/paste of this.

 

Renaming the file and using RD were other first efforts. Can't use Disk Cleanup, already used that and it's only the two files left; the option to remove old version of Windows no longer shows up in Windows Cleanup. I was very surprised that they couldn't be deleted after booting to LINUX.

Have not yet tried SFC yet, will try that and the Kyhi's Rescue Disk tonight.

 

Just checking, its not Windows.old(1)

 

No, not Windows.old(1), but Windows.old.

SFC didn't find anything wrong, but Kyhi's Rescue Disk working from the command line after booting from the WinPE disk did the trick!

Thanks very much, and solved.

 

That's a super tool! Hang on to it. Glad to see you're fixed. *Smile

 

Great news and thanks for returning and posting the result, it is much appreciated *Smile