Hard Drive contains old data after Windows 7 Re-Installation

I just re-installed Windows 7, and it seems like I forgot to re-format the hard disk when re-installing. There seems to be 200GB of space taken up, but I have know idea where to find it and delete it. Any ideas how to find this old data from the previous installation and remove it?

Rex Prime said:

I just re-installed Windows 7, and it seems like I forgot to re-format the hard disk when re-installing. There seems to be 200GB of space taken up, but I have know idea where to find it and delete it. Any ideas how to find this old data from the previous installation and remove it?

If you are trying to do a clean install, you don't have to re-format. Just delete all partitions when you come to the partitioning screen after booting from the install disc. That will leave unallocated space. Tell Windows to install to that unallocated space. It will format as necessary.

As for your 200 GB: you say it's "taken up". Then you say you want to "find it and delete it". Then you say it's "old data".

So I'm not clear what you mean, where you sit, or what you want to do.

Post a screen shot of Windows Disk Management.

Was editing to include more details but then my internet stopped as I submitted it.

Here, let me tell the story in more detail. I installed a Windows 7, I let Steam allocate a lot of space for games to install. However, Direct X error happens, can only be fixed by getting whole new Windows. I do that. However, I blindly click on the Nexts, and install. When I open the new Windows, it seems like the amount space taken up is the same. Which means that old data is still there. I want to know how to remove that old allocated disk space from the previous windows installation.

Your C drive has a capacity of 931 GB.

There is 641 free, meaning 290 have been used.

Windows takes up maybe 20 GB.

So, yes, something else is on the drive other than Windows.

Offhand, it looks like you did not in fact do a clean install, unless you have deliberately installed something else after you installed Windows.

I assume you wanted to do a clean install. Did you in fact boot from the install disc and delete all partitions? Or what?

If you want a clean install, I'd start over. It only takes a half hour.

Yeah. that's the problem. I forgot to delete all partitions. All I know is that there is data from the old Windows that is taking up 200gb of space, I want to get rid of that.

Rex Prime said:

Yeah. that's the problem. I forgot to delete all partitions. All I know is that there is data from the old Windows that is taking up 200gb of space, I want to get rid of that.

Any reason you can't do it over and delete all partitions?

You may have a Windows.old folder, which means you didn't do a clean install.

ignatzatsonic said:

Rex Prime said:

Yeah. that's the problem. I forgot to delete all partitions. All I know is that there is data from the old Windows that is taking up 200gb of space, I want to get rid of that.

Any reason you can't do it over and delete all partitions?

You may have a Windows.old folder, which means you didn't do a clean install.

Yes! There is a Windows.old folder!

So, how should I go on from now? To delete all the old filled and allocated disk space? It seems like it has all the files and folders that are filling up the space. Is it safe to just delete it?

Rex Prime said:

ignatzatsonic said:

Rex Prime said:

Yeah. that's the problem. I forgot to delete all partitions. All I know is that there is data from the old Windows that is taking up 200gb of space, I want to get rid of that.

Any reason you can't do it over and delete all partitions?

You may have a Windows.old folder, which means you didn't do a clean install.

Yes! There is a Windows.old folder!

So, how should I go on from now? To delete all the old filled and allocated disk space? It seems like it has all the files and folders that are filling up the space. Is it safe to just delete it?

It's safe to delete it if you are sure you don't need anything in it.

But it isn't a clean install. You did an upgrade of some type.

ignatzatsonic said:

Rex Prime said:

ignatzatsonic said:

Any reason you can't do it over and delete all partitions?

You may have a Windows.old folder, which means you didn't do a clean install.

Yes! There is a Windows.old folder!

So, how should I go on from now? To delete all the old filled and allocated disk space? It seems like it has all the files and folders that are filling up the space. Is it safe to just delete it?

It's safe to delete it if you are sure you don't need anything in it.

But it isn't a clean install. You did an upgrade of some type.

Yeah, must have been very weird. Anyways, Windows.Old had all the old files, and has now been deleted, and my disk space is free again!

ignatzatsonic said:

Rex Prime said:

Yeah. that's the problem. I forgot to delete all partitions. All I know is that there is data from the old Windows that is taking up 200gb of space, I want to get rid of that.

Any reason you can't do it over and delete all partitions?

You may have a Windows.old folder, which means you didn't do a clean install.

When I did a clean install, I definitely had Windows Old.

Must I Keep Windows.old? | PCWorld

When you do a clean install off a retail Windows 7 DVD, the installation protects your files by putting them into that folder.