Windows old


  1. Posts : 380
    Windows 7 x64 RC1, Vista Ultimate, XP Pro
       #1

    Windows old


    I thought that 57 gigs for my Windows 7 install was a little too big so I found Windows old which is my Vista OS which I have back up. Here is where I don't get it. I have a removable hard drive so when I installed Windows 7, my Vista OS was sitting on the table in a removable case. Now I try and delete Windows old and it says I don't have permission. So how do I get rid of 20 gigs I don't need. Now how could Windows 7 backup my Vista when it wasn't even on the Computer it was on my 2nd drive as a backup?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 2,036
    Windows 7 Professional x64
       #2

    golden039 said:
    I thought that 57 gigs for my Windows 7 install was a little too big so I found Windows old which is my Vista OS which I have back up. Here is where I don't get it. I have a removable hard drive so when I installed Windows 7, my Vista OS was sitting on the table in a removable case. Now I try and delete Windows old and it says I don't have permission. So how do I get rid of 20 gigs I don't need. Now how could Windows 7 backup my Vista when it wasn't even on the Computer it was on my 2nd drive as a backup?
    If you run "disk cleanup" I believe it gives you the option to check the box to delete the Windows.old folder.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 5,807
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64 - Mac OS X 10.6.4 x64
       #3

    golden039 said:
    I thought that 57 gigs for my Windows 7 install was a little too big so I found Windows old which is my Vista OS which I have back up. Here is where I don't get it. I have a removable hard drive so when I installed Windows 7, my Vista OS was sitting on the table in a removable case. Now I try and delete Windows old and it says I don't have permission. So how do I get rid of 20 gigs I don't need. Now how could Windows 7 backup my Vista when it wasn't even on the Computer it was on my 2nd drive as a backup?
    That is a good question...but for starters a good way to get rid of Windows.old is to get yourself a linux live DVD and remove it from the live desktop...if changing your permissions isn't working at all
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 4,282
    Windows 7 Ultimate Vista Ultimate x64
       #4

    Or you can try this shortcut to get rid of it. Take Ownership Shortcut
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #5

    golden039 said:
    I thought that 57 gigs for my Windows 7 install was a little too big so I found Windows old which is my Vista OS which I have back up. Here is where I don't get it. I have a removable hard drive so when I installed Windows 7, my Vista OS was sitting on the table in a removable case. Now I try and delete Windows old and it says I don't have permission. So how do I get rid of 20 gigs I don't need. Now how could Windows 7 backup my Vista when it wasn't even on the Computer it was on my 2nd drive as a backup?
    Hello Golden,

    You can use Disk Cleanup and select the Files discarded by Windows upgrade option to delete the Windows.old folder.

    Hope this helps,
    Shawn
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 380
    Windows 7 x64 RC1, Vista Ultimate, XP Pro
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Take owership


    The shortcut program didn't work for me and in the clean disk it didn't give me an opion to delete Windows old. I had Windows 7 (32 bit) then I put Windows 7 (64 bit) and now I have 2 program files and I can't delete the 32 bit version
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #7

    golden039 said:
    I had Windows 7 (32 bit) then I put Windows 7 (64 bit) and now I have 2 program files and I can't delete the 32 bit version

    Golden,

    Oh, well that is not the same thing at all as the C:\Windows.old folder then.


    With the 64-bit Windows 7, you have two Program Files folders by default. This is normal since the 64-bit Windows 7 can run both 32-bit and 64-bit programs.

    C:\Program Files = for 64-bit programs to be installed to by default
    C:\Program Files (x86) = for 32-bit programs to be installed to by default
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 380
    Windows 7 x64 RC1, Vista Ultimate, XP Pro
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Clean up System files


    At first I didn't go into the system files so I did and it cleaned up the Windows old and now I have 25 gigs more free space in my C drive. Thanks Brink because I was ready to delete the 32 bit progam files.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #9

    Golden,

    I'm happy to hear that you got rid of the Windows.old folder now. :)
      My Computer


 

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