Help! Many old files exist after clean install of Win 7


  1. Posts : 3
    Windows 7 32 bit
       #1

    Help! Many old files exist after clean install of Win 7


    Hello all, I am new to this forum.

    I just did a clean install from Vista to Windows 7 32 bit. I didnt reformat any drive, and just pop in the dvd, click install.

    After completion, I went into my C drive and found this.

    Help! Many old files exist after clean install of Win 7-win-7-problem.jpg

    Looking at the dates of those files, it seems that a lot of old files in the C drive still exist! Someone please give me some advice.

    And I thought I did a clean install.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 5,056
    Windows 7 x64 pro/ Windows 7 x86 Pro/ XP SP3 x86
       #2

    Chill, I have a brand new win7 computer and these are what my folders look like- same as yours.

    Help! Many old files exist after clean install of Win 7-capture.png

    See this thread, it answers your question.

    Help Brand New Dell Laptop with old dated folders
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 11,408
    ME/XP/Vista/Win7
       #3

    If you would like a nice clean install, try a full clean & full format in command prompt.

    Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command
    Partition or Volume - Delete
    Partition or Volume - Create New
    Partition - Mark as Active

    1) Boot DVD, & Press Shift+F10 (for command prompt)
    DISKPART : At PC Startup
    2) Boot DVD, & Command Prompt at Startup
    (for command prompt)

    Type in command line
    DISKPART
    LIST DISK
    SELECT DISK # (win HD)
    CLEAN ALL
    CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
    SELECT PARTITION 1
    ACTIVE
    FORMAT fs=NTFS
    ASSIGN
    EXIT
    EXIT

    SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation
      My Computer

  4.    #4

    Here are tips to get a purrfect clean resintall of factory OEM - use the ones which apply: Clean Reinstall steps
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 3
    Windows 7 32 bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    thanks for the prompt response. Bill2, so there is nothing wrong with it? if you look at my folder/file dates, some are dated yesterday while a good portion were dated in 2009, when I first bought the computer.

    thog, gregrocker, if i were to do a clean install once again, will the dates for the folder be updated? I dun want to go through the whole process of resintall, transferring folders, update drivers and find out the end result is the same.

    Thanks.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 22,814
    W 7 64-bit Ultimate
       #6

    Hello roxynox, welcome to Seven Forums!


    If you completely wipe the entire Hard Disk Drive and do a real clean install you will have the best possible installation of Windows 7 you can get and all the old files will be gone, though some of the dates may be older but that does not matter, it's entirely up to you.

    Have a look through the info below and decide for yourself and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.


    After you have copied out or made back-ups of the data you need to save to external media, use Step One of this tutorial at the link below to do a wipe (secure erase) to the entire Hard Disk Drive / Solid State Drive.
    • Then if you do not want to create the new Windows 7 "System Reserved" partition use the outline in Step Two #2 to create, format and mark Active a single 100GB partition to do the installation to.
    • If you do want to create the "System Reserved" partition use the outline in Step Two #3 to create, format and mark Active the System Reserved partition and then create and format the 100GB partition to do the installation to.
    Either way, running the "clean all" then creating and formatting the partition(s) using diskpart will get you the best possible space to do a clean install of Windows 7 to; you can always extend the Windows partition to include the remaining unallocated space on the HDD / SSD or create additional Primary partitions or an Extended partition after the installation completes if you choose.

    SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

    DISKPART : At PC Startup

    Do a Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version
      My Computer


 

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