Windows 10: Updating - Free up disk space (windows.old etc)

Hi there

To Windows updaters (those who've upgraded rather than done a "Clean install").

This is also especially good if you are using smaller capacity SSD's for your installation or even VM's where you don't want to use too much disk space either.

You can delete the Windows.Old and the temporary setup files (saved me around 15GB - which on a 110 GB SSD is significant !!).

Simply follow the instructions here -- you don't need any "Take ownership", registry hacks or special privileges -- it's all done from File Explorer. It's for windows 8.1 but works identically with windows 10.

Delete the temporary installation files too - those are around 5GB.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2...dows-10-a.html

Cheers
jimbo

:)

 

Windows 10 Home, Version 1511, 10586 Will Not Update

UPDATE (2)

After system file clean up, which included the deletion of Windows.old, ended up with 12.7GB of free space! So it has given me back quite a lot of disk space.

 

Duplicated profile after migration w8 to w10

Sounds like you are seeing the Windows.old folder.

Is this under C:\Windows.old

You can run Disk Cleanup to delete it and free up space. Learn how:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

 

Don't forget to delete the hiberfil.sys file by disabling hibernate. I think it was 12 GB on my installation SSD.

• Open a command prompt with administrative privileges.
• Enter "powercfg.exe -h off"
• Exit the command prompt.

 

I ended up deleting Windows.old by using Puppy Linux. First, I tried CCleaner (it does have that option), and then the options listed by jimbo45. Not the first time Puppy Linux saved the day!

Rich

 

When I tried the link above and it did not work, I found several ways to delete the window.old folder online and tried a command window variant. The folder was still there, showed a value of one byte, but was still stuffed with 6GB of files/folders, heh. I finally got rid of it properly by the link Jimbo pasted above. I do not recommend removing it in any other way as this folder is well protected by strong admin security. The delete folder link above should have worked, my fault was not bothering to scroll down and checking the box to delete the "previous windows install" box. It properly removed the folder and the added disk space on my SSD once I actually did it properly.