Windows 10: How To Delete Files From Old System Disk?

I want to delete the old Windows folder and a Windows.old folder from a system disk that had a totally corrupt system on and which I've just replaced with a new disk, new system.

I'm copying all my data files off it and then I'll wipe it clean.

That will delete the windows and windows.old, I know, but I want to know how to do it with permissions and whatever.

I'd like to know what's going on. I've never gotten on top of Windows permissions, they've always had me foxed.

These folder now - last one I looked at was a simple 'found.006' thing - tell me I need admin permission to delete them. Well I am logged in as admin.

And I blunder around trying to improve things and this admin - me - clearly seems to have full permissions to do anything he likes...

Is there any simple help I could understand will get me going on this thorny thing... ?

:)

 

Windows old files deleting

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query at Microsoft community. I will be glad to assist you.

I suggest you follow this steps and check if it helps.

• 
  Open Disk Cleanup by clicking the Start button. In the search box, type Disk Cleanup, and then, in the list of results, click Disk Cleanup.
  
• 
  If you're prompted to choose a drive, click the drive you just installed Windows on, and then click OK.
  
• 
  In the Disk Cleanup dialog box, on the Disk Cleanup tab, click Clean up system files.
  
• 
  If you're again prompted to choose a drive, click the drive you just installed Windows on, and then click OK.
  
• 
  Select the Previous Windows installation(s) check box, and any other check boxes for the files you want to delete, and then click OK.
  
• 
  In the message that appears, click Delete Files.
  

Hope this helps.

For further assistance, you can post your query in Microsoft Community.

Thank you.

 

deleting old windows files but disk space is still full

Here's the proper way to delete the Windows.old folder:

Step 1: Click in Windows' search field, type Cleanup, then click Disk Cleanup.

Step 2: Click the "Clean up system files" button.

Step 3: Wait a bit while Windows scans for files, then scroll down the list until you see "Previous Windows installation(s)."

Step 4: Check the box next to the entry, then make sure there are no other boxes checked (unless you do indeed want to delete those items). Click OK to start the cleanup.

 

deleting old windows file

Hi Ramon, your best option is to use Disk Cleanup (run both ways as shown below) to remove any old Windows Installations, old Updates . . . etc.

Open File Explorer

Click on your hard drive

On the Manage Tab, click Cleanup

Let Disk Cleanup do its initial scan

Select Everything in the list and choose Delete

Start Disk Cleanup again

Let Disk Cleanup do its initial scan

This time in the resulting dialog, click 'Cleanup System Files'

Let Disk Cleanup run another scan

Select Everything in the list and choose Delete