Windows 10: Windows.old will NOT delete with Cleanup option!

Hi, I did a Reset PC and I want to remove the Windows.old folder but the popular method of using System Cleanup is not working for me. I had originally tried to just delete it before discovering that I couldn't get rid of it all, so my folder if approx 36.6 MB but it's stubborn and is persisting despite the Cleanup method. And just deleting won't work either. Which is why I'm escalating here to see if someone can offer me help - there must be a way to do it that is beyond my knowledge. Maybe a command prompt?

:)

 

Cannot delete Windows OLD using disc cleanup.

Hi Peter,

Thank you for posting the query on Microsoft Community. I am glad to assist you on this.

• What happens when you run disk cleanup? Do you get an option to select previous OS?
• Do you receive any error message when you run disk cleanup?
• Why you want to remove Windows.old folder?

You may follow the below steps and check if it helps.

• In search type disk cleanup and hit enter.
• Click on cleanup system files.
• Under files to delete select previous operating system and click
  OK.

Note: Windows.old folder contains all the important files (user data, Program Files, Windows files, etc.) from the older version of Windows that was installed on your computer. However, before deleting it, I would suggest you to browse through
the folder and make sure you don’t have any important files in there. Having done that, you can go ahead and delete the folder.

Kindly let us know if you need any further assistance with Windows. We are glad to assist you.

Thank you.

 

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 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