C:\Windows files are located in C:\Windows.old\Windows

I don't' see any of the files that are supposed to be in C, just a bunch of junk staging files. Does the screenshot show everthing? If not do it again showing all of C contents, including the entire contents of windows.old.

You should have Windows, Users, Program Files. You said Windows is in windows.old but where is that? It also should be placed in C during install and nothing like a RAM failure is going to move them.

Do a search for each of these folders then rightclick to open File location.

In addition I'd immediately do an SFC /SCANNOW Command to see how deeply the corruption runs.

gregrocker said:

I don't' see any of the files that are supposed to be in C, just a bunch of junk staging files. Does the screenshot show everthing? If not do it again showing all of C contents, including the entire contents of windows.old.

You should have Windows, Users, Program Files. You said Windows is in windows.old but where is that? It also should be placed in C during install and nothing like a RAM failure is going to move them.

Do a search for each of these folders then rightclick to open File location.

In addition I'd immediately do an SFC /SCANNOW Command to see how deeply the corruption runs.

Everything is there (you couldn't recognize because it was in portuguese). I'm posting in English now, I hope it helps.

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Layback Bear said:

English would be a great help.

From this forum rules.

12) This is an English based site. Please only post in English, or provide an English translation in your posts.

Sorry, dude hahaha

But, really, I thought it wouldn't matter once you guys know the system pattern. I mean, you may not know the language, but you know what was supposed to be there in English. Anyway, here it is:

I had no problem reading your screenshots. Now answer my questions and supply the missing information.

gregrocker said:

I had no problem reading your screenshots.

Now answer my questions and supply the missing information.

Right. Well, you want a Windows.old screenshot? Posting right now. And, about the scan command, it's running. Oh, and, yes, everything is there.

If you look at the Explorer bar on the left side of the window you will see all of the C system files - User, Windows, Program Files, Program Data - are in the C folder where they belong along with Windows.old.

Since they are toward the bottom I'm assuming that you didn't scroll down in the C window to show us the rest of the C contents.

This is why I specifically asked you if you had shown all the files in C in the screenshot.

Anyway they are where they are supposed to be, and they couldn't really be anywhere else and still have WIn7 run.

So as I said at the top, Windows.old contains your old files from the previous install which you can see if you browse into it and look at the files. Once you're sure you have everything from it you can delete it in Disk Cleanup by selecting to clean System files.

You can mark the thread Solved at top.

gregrocker said:

If you look at the Explorer bar on the left side of the window you will see all of the C system files - User, Windows, Program Files, Program Data - are in the C folder where they belong along with Windows.old.

Since they are toward the bottom I'm assuming that you didn't scroll down in the C window to show us the rest of the C contents.

This is why I specifically asked you if you had shown all the files in C in the screenshot.

Anyway they are where they are supposed to be, and they couldn't really be anywhere else and still have WIn7 run.

So as I said at the top, Windows.old contains your old files from the previous install which you can see if you browse into it and look at the files. Once you're sure you have everything from it you can delete it in Disk Cleanup by selecting to clean System files.

You can mark the thread Solved at top.

You didn't get it yet. Just look this CMD screenshot. Is it right? Should I use C:\Windows.old\Windows\System32\cmd.exe? But the question is really worst than just it. I can't, for example, run games that need DirectX. The regedit keys are, also, using C:\Windows.old\Windows files. This thread it not solved, not even a little bit.

I think the only solution to the problem is to reinstall the OS since SFC finds nothing to repair, yet as you said some system functions are being run from windows.old System32.

It is a level or corruption I've not seen before, and one which I wouldn't begin to know how to repair. Meanwhile doing a perfect Clean Reinstall Windows 7 offers a way out that ends up with the best possible install - if you stick with the steps, tools and methods given.

To get the slate extra clean I'd run Diskpart Clean Command
from the installer CMD before starting the fresh install.

gregrocker said:

I think the only solution to the problem is to reinstall the OS since SFC finds nothing to repair, yet as you said some system functions are being run from windows.old System32.

It is a level or corruption I've not seen before, and one which I wouldn't begin to know how to repair. Meanwhile doing a perfect Clean Reinstall Windows 7 offers a way out that ends up with the best possible install - if you stick with the steps, tools and methods given.

To get the slate extra clean I'd run Diskpart Clean Command
from the installer CMD before starting the fresh install.

I was expecting it. I posted here just to be sure that there's no way to solve it without reinstalling the OS. Thank you, guys, for your assistance. I'm going to let the thread open only for a couple of hours, and close it. Thank you again.

We don't close threads here as others may want to add solutions or related issues in years to come. I also would not mark it Solved. I've also asked for others to look at this.

One thing short of Clean Reinstall Windows 7 you could try is to do a Repair Install which reinstalls the OS while keeping all of your files and programs intact. It shouldn't really tangle with the misdirected files because once it sets your User folders and programs aside, it wipes out the OS and reinstalls it.