Windows 10: $Windows.~BT & -WS file folders & best way for a fresh install

I discovered today that these 2 file folders were installed on my HP 6000 Pro Win10 computer
--- I plan on waiting to see how long it will take for them to naturally be automatically removed
--- After reviewing the rest of this post, if it makes sense to get rid of them I’ll do so




My windows updates are up to date and my last 1607 cumulative update was 12/15/2016




Over the last couple of days, I created 2 USB Recovery Drives per https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/...dows-10-a.html using each option: ***Uncheck backup system files & also allow backing up system files.

I also created 2 bootable USB flash drives to install Win10 per USB Flash Drive - Create to Install Windows 10 - Windows 10 Tutorials I did not use the ***recommended option for my PC and included both 32-bit & 64-bit architectures on the first flash drive. I did use the recommended option for my PC on the second flash drive.
The Media Creation tool icon is still on my desktop. I don’t know whether or not it’s worth removing it yet, but I’ll probably remove it somewhere along the way as I don’t think I’ll need it anytime soon.

The reason I did all of that is because at the senior center where I volunteer we have a member whose Win10 AIO computer is all messed up and I’ll be working on pretty soon. She tells me it was originally Win8, doesn’t know if it was ever upgraded to 8.1 but she did use Win10 for a while but nothing worked right – whatever that means, I don’t know yet. But I believe the best solution will involve a fresh install.

So I have 2 questions
Is it possible that the $Windows.~BT & $Windows.-WS file folders are the result of my creating those flash drives?
Then there are the items with the ***’s which I believe I could use on her computer.
--- But is there a more direct way or preferable way to do a fresh install on her computer?

:)

 

Those 2 Folders get created when a new Build is installed. The file install.esd in the subFolder Sources under $Windows.~BT or $Windows.~WS may be used in conjunction with a small software from this site [check Tutorials] for creating an .iso file which can be used with your CD/DVD burning program to create a bootable disc useful for reinstalling Win10. Downside to getting that file is that it may not show up after rebooting an Upgrade/update.

 

Yes. Those two folders are created whenever I run the Media Creation Tool to make the iso or USB media for another PC. A lot of the contents gets cleared out when the MCT says it's tidying up at the end (including the install.esd files that would have been there temporarily). What's left is mostly log files. The folders themselves will never be automatically removed, I usually delete them myself when I'm done.

You can't upgrade 8.0 to 10, it must have been upgraded to 8.1 first.

 

I do believe the computer was at 8.1 but she doesn't know the difference between 8 & 8.1: all she knows is that she had 8. It makes sense she was at 8.1 because the computer was upgraded to Win10 and was used for a while but she had nothing but trouble with it. She had family members who did the upgrade to Win10 and tried to get the computer to run right. But when I get the computer I'll save her data if there is any to save and just to a fresh install. I'll review https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/...n-install.html to see what it takes to do the fresh install.

 

One more suggestion, I would use Macrium Reflect to create a complete image backup, stored on a external drive or 2nd internal drive. Trusting Windows backup is not the best method. Its been known to fail, more than once. Macrium Reflect is Free and many of us use this program. Also you would need to create a Macrium Rescue disk too, and test it after making it, making sure you can boot to it.
Macrium Reflect Free

 

Doesn't the built-in Disk Cleanup tool (cleanmgr.exe) automatically clean up such files if you select the "Clean up system files" button when it presents itself after the initial disk scan? I've occasionally run into situations where it didn't clean up everything completely, and have had to resort to other means to complete removal of such files, but it seems to do the job in 90+% of such cases.
HTH,
--Ed--

 

Yes, I've just tested that. The folders are created as soon as you run the MCT and it says 'getting things ready'. The item to tick in Disk Cleanup is 'Temporary Windows installation files'. BTW, if you run Disk Cleanup as Administrator it goes straight to 'clean up system files'.

 

Not true at all . It is completely possible to upgrade 8.0 to 10. Windows 8.1 was only required to get the upgrade to Windows 10 to show up in Windows Update. It has always been possible to upgrade 8.0 to 10 manually.

SP1 to Windows 7 was not required to upgrade either, only required for the upgrade to show up in Windows Update.

 

Bree:
thanks for double-checking file instantiation, and for the suggestion about running cleanmgr.exe with escalated privileges. Learned something new today, I did!
--Ed--

 

I stand corrected, thanks.