In this guide I will explain to you What is the Windows.old folder that you have seen appear in unit C: of your computer. Also, I tell you about its main function and the ways to eliminate it at your fingertips. Surely you have noticed that Windows.old occupies enough space. Because? Solve your doubts below.
What is Windows.old and why has it appeared in the system unit?
Do you just update your team? So, it is normal for you to have a folder called Windows.old in unit C: of the team. In it is the previous version of the systemin case something is not going well or you regret having updated. I explain it a little better.
When a major update On your PC, Windows creates a file where the previous version is stored. Imagine that, after installing Windows 11 from Windows 10, you regret. Fortunately, the system created a folder called Windows.old, where your previous system is conserved intact. Thanks to her, when you go to Configuration> System> Recoverythe option appears Return.
At the moment, I do not have the option on my computer because it has long been updated to the latest version. However, if you look at the previous image, provided directly by Microsoft, the button to return to the previous version (in English, Go Back) appears in the section of Recovery options. And why don't my team have this option?
Well, here is something interesting of the Microsoft update regression system: It is only available for 10 daysin most cases. So the Windows.old folder, which looks like you can see in the lower image, is only preserved during that time.
With all this information on the table, it is easy to draw some conclusions. I speak to you in the next section.
Is it necessary to delete the Windows.old folder?
The answer to this question is generally No. Now, there are some exceptions. For example, think of a user who, just after updating their PC, You need to store a lot of data. Archive the previous Windows version for 10 days, in that case, can be a serious problem. In such circumstances, the ideal is to erase a windows.old stines.
Another possibility is that you are happy with the change and that the update is working well. If you are completely convinced that You will not want to return to a previous versionyou don't have to keep this directory any more time than necessary.
Anyway, the natural thing is to let Windows get rid of it automatically when those 10 days have passed. Keep in mind that sometimes that period can extend a bit, especially if Microsoft detects problems in a new version. But usually, In just over a week, Windows.old will have vanished from your PC. So you will almost never have to do anything.
How to delete Windows.old: All methods
There are several forms of Remove Windows.old of a computer. Next, I explain all possible methods.
From the Windows configuration
If you go to Configuration> System> Storageyou will see the option Temporary files.
Press on it to see all the types of data that are considered temporary and unnecessary. Among them, if the Windows.old folder is in unit C, the section should be shown Previous version of Windows. You just have to mark them and press in Mark files.
In this way, what Windows will do is eliminate the Windows.old folder and with it the possibility of returning to the previous version of the system.
Use Windows space liberator
The Windows space liberator is a tool that does exactly the same thing I have explained in the previous section. In fact, until not long ago, it was the most effective way to release space on the disc, long before Microsoft integrated these options in the modern configuration application.
Access it and eliminate the previous version of Windows like this:
- Open the Dialogue Run with the keyboard shortcut Windows + R..
- Then write Cleanmgr.exe and press intro.
- Then click on Clean system filesin the emerging window.
- Locate the option Previous Windows facilities.
- Finally, press in Accept To release space.
Eliminates Windows.old with the CMD
The CMD throws you a hand when it comes to Delete the Windows.old folder manually. The first thing you should do is execute this tool with administrator privileges. He simply uses the search for Windows to locate and press Execute as administrator.
Then, in the CMD window, write the following commands:
- Takeown /F «C: \ Windows.old» /A /R /DY
- icacls «c: \ windows.old» /grant *s-1-5-32-544: f /t /c /q
- RD /S /Q «C: \ Windows.old»
And you, why have you decided to delete Windows.old? Leave me your opinion below. We read!
