Solved Reinstalling Windows 7 Avoiding Windows.old Folder

[Os0o]

Hello, I have a Dell laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium and 3 partitions:

39 MB - OEM
14.65 GB - RECOVERY
451 GB - OS (C: )

I tried reinstalling the OS with the CD that came with the computer but it created a Windows.old folder that I can't delete (already tried safe mode and RD /S /Q command plus Disk Cleanup, didn't work) and also the computer keeps hanging for minutes at a time every now and then, so I think I should reinstall the OS again and avoid the windows.old folder but I don't know how to. When it asks me where I want to install the OS it gives me the option to Delete or Format a partition, which one should I choose? I don't want to remove any partition, I want to leave everything as it is but delete every file before installing so it doesn't backup anything.

Regards.

 

[Faceofjoe421]

Windows.old is the file you get after reinstalling over the existing OS, for example if I reinstalled 3 times I would get windows.old, windows.old001, and windows.old002, But instead have all four windows.old if I didn't delete them.

Download this and Run it:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html

Right click on Windows.old and click Take Ownership.

Now delete it if not, my favourite tool for deleting tough files is Unlocker :
Download Unlocker 1.9.1 - FileHippo.com

Download and run it, and then browse the file you want and delete it using Unlocker.

 

[DustSailor]

Hello Os0o,

If I remember correctly, you can just delete the windows.old file off your computer without problem if you wanted. Here is a Microsoft "How-to": http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/How-do-I-remove-the-Windows-old-folder

I don't know why you are getting the slowdowns though.

If you are interested in completely reinstalling still, try this method: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

What kind of CD is it? Is it the complete OS or just a dell restore type CD?

PS, cute smiley face ""

OS (C

 

[theog]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19151-windows-old-folder-delete.html

 

[Os0o]

I had already tried every option given in the thread posted by theog, the elevated command prompt actually kind of worked, but it failed to delete one folder (C:\Windows.old\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL). Command prompt at boot also failed and Disk Cleanup didn't give me the option to delete old installations. Haven't tried Unlocker though, may give it a try but I'm still having the slowdowns issue and I believe it has something to do with the whole backup process made during the installation leaving old files and inconsistent ownerships.

I think I will try the clean reinstall since I haven't really installed much and I had already backed up my files (didn't lose them since they were backed up to Windows.old). I'm not sure what kind of CD I have though, it is from Dell and it says it is for reinstalling the OS but it certainly doesn't do a factory restore since none of Dell's software was installed after it finished. I just wanted to make sure that formatting my OS partition (as the tutorial posted by DustSalior says) won't affect the other two partitions and will prevent the installation setup from backing up anything to Windows.old.

PS, fixed the smiley face

 

[Faceofjoe421]

Unlocker should be able to let you delete that, but it will probably not fix the slowdown issues, was the System working fast before Reinstalling?

 

[Os0o]

Well it wasn't precisely fast but it didn't have these weird slowdowns. Sometimes my whole laptop hangs but I can still move the cursor and click around, and after a few minutes it responds again and opens everything I clicked. Other times it just takes a lot of time to open anything (Explorer, Browser, etc.) but I can still use anything that was previously opened.

I don't know if this has anything to do with the problem but I see quite a few errors in event viewer regarding "atapi" which say something about a driver error in \Device\Ide\IdePort0

 

[Faceofjoe421]

Was your computer shipped with a Drivers & Utilites Disk, if so install all the drivers from that disk.

If not, please fill in the System Specs by going to your User CP (Control Panel) and click Edit System Specs: this will help us determine what drivers you will need.

To find out your System Specs:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/180324-system-info-see-your-system-specs.html

or download Speccy

 

[Os0o]

I installed unlocker but I couldn't even open it, I reinstalled it and activated the Send To shortcut but it still didn't do anything.

I do have my Drivers Disk and I already installed every driver including one Matrix Storage thing but apparently it didn't help much.

Thanks for the advice though. Could anyone confirm that formatting my partition is safe and will delete everything before reinstalling?

 

[sandman]

%SystemRoot%\System32\Cmd.exe /c Cleanmgr /sageset:65535 & Cleanmgr /sagerun:65535

Open run, then open an admin CMD window and copy and paste this in window and I believe it does a disc cleanup of windows old not sure haven't had a windows old folder show up in a long time

 

[Os0o]

Well, that opened Disk Cleanup again but now it did give me the option to delete old installations but it didn't work either , thanks though.

 

[Os0o]

I think I'll just go ahead and give the clean reinstall a try, I'll let you know...

 

[Faceofjoe421]

First do this:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html

And chose Clean All.

This will remove all traces of everything.

Make sure to backup important files first.

Then install.

 

[DustSailor]

Deleting and then formating your hard disk will remove all partitions, but you can create them again. Are you trying to save anything on your computer? If not, I see no reason why you don't just follow the tutorial I gave you completely (http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html). If you want to save files or other, let me know if you are curious on how to do it. Reinstalling will remove everything, and the tutorial will absolutely remove everything.

 

[gregrocker]

Windows.old is issued when the installer is not booted to run the install.

The correct way to clean install Win7 is to boot the installer. Only run the installer from windows to deo a Repair Install or in-place Upgrade from Vista.

 

[Os0o]

I did end up following the tutorial posted by DustSailor, it didn't back up anything this time (no Windows.old) and I haven't had any weird slowdowns so I think everything's ok now, I hope it stays this way.

Thanks everybody.

 

[DustSailor]

Os0o, that is good to hear.

Make sure you get those windows updates and drivers for your computer as they will further add stability to your system.

You can check Windows Update at any time to see if it found new drivers and icons for your hardware, especially if you recently installed a new device. If you want to have Windows Update automatically check for the latest drivers and icons, here's how:

1. Open Devices and Printers by clicking the Start button
   
   , and then, on the Start menu, clicking Devices and Printers.
2. Right-click the name of your computer, and then click Device installation settings.
3. Click Yes, do this automatically (recommended), and then click Save changes.
   
   If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
   If Yes is already selected, click Cancel to close the dialog box.

If you let Windows automatically download drivers and information about your devices, your hardware is more likely to work properly.

Automatically get recommended drivers and updates for your hardware