Windows 10: Windows.old files disappearing

Discus and support Windows.old files disappearing in Windows 10 Ask Insider to solve the problem; Hi there, I had to re-install Win 10 after it decided to brick itself over the night and it created that windows.old folder, which is supposed to... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Ask Insider' started by /u/ShadoX87, Jul 10, 2020.

  1. /U/SHADOX87
    /u/ShadoX87 Win User

    Windows.old files disappearing


    Hi there,

    I had to re-install Win 10 after it decided to brick itself over the night and it created that windows.old folder, which is supposed to contain the files from my previous installation, which it did, but somehow the majority of files in the windows.old folder have magically disappeared today...

    A quick recap:
    - I installed Win 10 yesterday
    - moved the obvious important files from windows.old to a different location
    - started re-installing things today (day after installing Win 10)
    .. noticed that I suddenly have a lot more HDD space than I should have, only to find out that the windows.old folder only contains the following 2 folders:
    - PerfLogs
    - Users

    .. meaning that all the Program Files and whatever else there was are gone.

    Any ideas why ? After a quick online search I noticed that the windows.old folder is supposed to magically disappear after 30 days, but I can't find anything about files and folders inside the windows.old folder disappearing without any warnings... let alone less than 24h after installing Windows

    At this point I just hope that I didn't have anything important in the folders that disappeared, since it was probably just a couple hundred GB of games and a few programs I use, but I'm kinda wondering why Windows would just get rid of my files without a warning (though I am used to Win doing nonsense in the background.... -_-" )

    I did see mentions of of Windows updates being responsible for affecting this folder, but I haven't run any updates between re-installing win 10 yesterday and waking up today (unless Win 10 did it during the night again........)

    Mainly just wondering if anybody has any idea why or how that would happen

    submitted by /u/ShadoX87
    [link] [comments]

    :)
     
    /u/ShadoX87, Jul 10, 2020
    #1
  2. THEMAILMAN78
    TheMailMan78 Win User

    Removing Windows.old folder

    I recently had to reinstall my OS (don't ask). Once I did there were files that I couldn't delete. Basically SecuROM files. Anyway long story short I found this workaround that I wanted to share with my fellow newbs. This will work for any file and works like a charm. Just follow the directions. *Toast :toast:
    Note: there is no space between "Administrators: (F)" I just had to but one in because it kept giving me an "unhappy face"

    When installing Windows Vista, Windows stores any existing installation of Windows on the install partition inside a hidden folder called windows.old. This folder could take up a large amount of disk space.

    Note: Please check the contents of the windows.old folder before deleting it to make sure there are no files stored there that you may wish to keep.

    Deleting the window.old folder using the disk cleanup wizard
    Click start
    Type: disk cleanup
    Press enter
    Select "Files from all users on this computer"
    Follow the rest of the instructions listed on the wizard and select the option to delete the windows.old folder
    Deleting the windows.old folder manually
    1) Open an elevated command prompt

    Click start
    Type: cmd
    right-click it under programs
    click Run As Administrator
    2) Take ownership


    Change the directory to the windows.old folder (e.g. cd c:\windows.old)
    Type: takeown /F . /A /R /D Y > NUL
    3) grant yourself permission

    Type: icacls . /grant:r Administrators: (F) /T /L /Q
    4) Delete everything

    Make sure you close any explorer or command windows that are looking at or inside the windows.old folder (except for the command window you are using). If you don't, you will receive an error while performing this step.

    Type: cd ..
    Type: rmdir /S /Q windows.old
     
    TheMailMan78, Jul 10, 2020
    #2
  3. CLUTCHC
    clutchc Win User
    windows.old folder question

    I notice that when doing a Recovery/Reset this PC/Remove everything operation, Win10 will create a windows.old folder similar to the one it created when doing a win7/8 to win10 upgrade. But the folder created during the upgrade always disappeared after 30 days. Does anyone know if that happens with the windows.old folder created when doing a Recovery/Reset this PC/Remove everything operation? Does it disappear on its own also? Or is a manual removal required?
     
    clutchc, Jul 10, 2020
    #3
  4. DEMONBRAWN
    demonbrawn Win User

    Windows.old files disappearing

    Windows.old

    I upgraded my OS to Windows 7 from Vista not too long ago. I have copied over all the files I need from the Windows.old file already. It's big file (~55GB). Would it hurt anything if I go ahead and delete it?
     
    demonbrawn, Jul 10, 2020
    #4
Thema:

Windows.old files disappearing

Loading...

  1. Windows.old files disappearing - Similar Threads - old files disappearing

  2. Disappearing files

    in Windows 10 Network and Sharing
    Disappearing files: I copied some photos from my camera to my laptop. Then I uploaded the photos from my laptop to Facebook. However, when I go to look at the photo files on my laptop, they're no longer there. They are not in the Recycle Bin, nor in any other folder. Can anyone help me figured...

  3. Disappearing files

    in Windows 10 Gaming
    Disappearing files: When I search 'online ' for older messages in any Mail folder, when I click on any located file, that file and then any others located immediately scroll away, leaving me unable to open them. Is there a way to stop this from happening? I'm using Windows 10....

  4. Disappearing Files

    in Windows 10 Software and Apps
    Disappearing Files: Recently, stuff written to my hard drive disappears without warning.1 I spent many hours last night writing a Python script. in IDLE. As you will be aware, each time we run a script in IDLE, it necessarily saves it before running. I modified and rant hat script many times in...

  5. File disappearing

    in Windows 10 Network and Sharing
    File disappearing: Sir my father have a windows 10 laptop from DELL company and I have a windows 10 laptop from HP company, but the problem is that some of the important files from my father's laptop are being transferred into my laptop in .xls form and being disappeared in his desktop. How...

  6. File disappearing.

    in Windows 10 Network and Sharing
    File disappearing.: Hello,A couple of months ago I tried to download a plug-in for after effects called, Saber, by video copilot, but when I install the file, it disappears after a couple of seconds, I have tried to install it on another location but it just disappears....

  7. Old windows files

    in Windows 10 Network and Sharing
    Old windows files: unfortunately after updating with Win 10 2004 I dropped the "Windows.old" folder onto my desktop and it tries to sync with OneDrive Tried delete the folder and all files but no matter what I do i get an "access denied" error even though I have changed attributes and i am the...

  8. disappearing files

    in Windows 10 Network and Sharing
    disappearing files: All my word document seem to have gone into the one drive. However I cannot access any of them, the computer tells me they are not available, nor are they available in the C Drive any ideas where I can retrieve them from please I have now found the files but they are only...

  9. Disappearing Files

    in Windows 10 Network and Sharing
    Disappearing Files: Twice now I have transferred jpg files from my android phone to my computer running windows 10 only to have them disappear later. I know the photos initially transferred properly as I see them in the folder. I have opened some of them and even edited them on the computer. I...

  10. all old eMails disappeared

    in Windows 10 Network and Sharing
    all old eMails disappeared: Emails stored in folders in Windows Mail have all disappeared except for most recent ones. And, incoming emails getting lost https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/all-old-emails-disappeared/3995f5db-17e3-42e2-ac78-5a3ba08a0c42"