Author Topic: How to remove Windows.old? (Read 26,726 times)

Curt · « **on:** March 04, 2012, 08:11 PM »

Restoring my documents from the cloud based backup, I noticed that my new Win 7 was running out of free space many days too soon, so to speak. I knew that the "overwritten" Vista still is around on my PC, because at boot-up I am offered to log in to it, (but it will only give me a black screen and send me on to Win 7), and I knew it is placed in a folder named Windows.old, but only now have I realized it is taking up a whopping 341GB. Not good!!

How can I safely get rid of Vista and Windows.old ?

Josh · « **Reply #1 on:** March 04, 2012, 08:17 PM »

I would reinstall just to be safe. But that is just me. You never know what is tied in there.

Curt · « **Reply #2 on:** March 04, 2012, 08:26 PM »

-you may very well be right. Because at boot-up I am greeted by Fujitsu, which was the company behind the Vista, but the new Win 7 comes from a Dell disc. So I guess the old Vista still is some kind of command - giving weird situations if I remove Windows.old which must be including Fujitsu stuff.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #3 on:** March 04, 2012, 08:38 PM »

According to MS Windows.old is safe to delete ... Assuming you recovered all of the files (and/or registry settings) from it that you may want to save.

Easiest option is to just rename it to basically anything, and then reboot to see if you get any complaints. No complaints = safe to delete.

Curt · « **Reply #4 on:** March 04, 2012, 08:46 PM »

-will try at once. If you don't hear from me, you'll know why...

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #5 on:** March 04, 2012, 08:50 PM »

Joker experiences guilt in 5... 4... 3...

Curt · « **Reply #6 on:** March 04, 2012, 08:54 PM »

Quote from: Stoic Joker on March 04, 2012, 08:38 PM

Easiest option is to just rename it to basically anything, and then reboot to see if you get any complaints. No complaints = safe to delete.

well, I must admit, you said "easiest" not "safest".

I renamed it, and rebooted, and now it is gone!!!

Why am I not happy? Because it is gone, but still taking up 341GB!!!!!!

KynloStephen66515 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 04, 2012, 08:58 PM »

Boot into a Live version of any Linux build, locate the folder, eradicate the folder, reboot into ~~winblows~~ windows?

Worth a shot if nothing else

Tuxman · « **Reply #8 on:** March 04, 2012, 09:00 PM »

How can you know how big it is when it is gone?

Curt · « **Reply #9 on:** March 04, 2012, 09:01 PM »

Okay,one more reboot and it became visible. And shift+deleted. Now I will reboot again, and everything will be okay. Okay?

---
Free space, Tuxman

Tuxman · « **Reply #10 on:** March 04, 2012, 09:03 PM »

So what makes you assume the folder which is gone is taking the space?

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #11 on:** March 04, 2012, 09:08 PM »

Could still be marked as present in the disk bitmap - run chkdsk c: /f to check the bitmap.

Curt · « **Reply #12 on:** March 04, 2012, 10:30 PM »

wow, it took 50 minutes to delete that folder!
But I have now re-booted again, and all is well.

Thanks!

But I can still choose to try to boot into Vista

Josh · « **Reply #13 on:** March 04, 2012, 10:33 PM »

You have to edit boot.ini to remove that entry.

KynloStephen66515 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 04, 2012, 10:33 PM »

check in msconfig, see if its left a boot option in there

Curt · « **Reply #15 on:** March 04, 2012, 10:36 PM »

Are you people speaking English?

KynloStephen66515 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 04, 2012, 10:41 PM »

Quote from: Curt on March 04, 2012, 10:36 PM

Are you people speaking English?

Press Start, Type 'msconfig' (without the '') and hit enter...choose the boot tab...and if you see "Windows Vista" simply press "Delete" on it

- I dunno if this will cause any errors with your system though so, somebody else may wanna confirm this for you

Curt · « **Reply #17 on:** March 04, 2012, 10:50 PM »

Quote from: Stephen66515 on March 04, 2012, 10:41 PM

if you see "Windows Vista" simply press "Delete" on it - I dunno if this will cause any errors with your system though so, somebody else may wanna confirm this for you

-I must admit I am nervous about this, because of:

Quote from: Curt on March 04, 2012, 08:26 PM

at boot-up I am greeted by Fujitsu, which was the company behind the Vista, but the new Win 7 comes from a Dell disc.

Josh · « **Reply #18 on:** March 04, 2012, 10:52 PM »

DISCLAIMER: Stephen66515 assumes all responsibility and liability for your actions! ;-)

Curt · « **Reply #19 on:** March 04, 2012, 10:55 PM »

hahaha

I will probably try Stephen66515's suggestion just because of this. $:-\$

KynloStephen66515 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 04, 2012, 11:02 PM »

Quote from: Josh on March 04, 2012, 10:52 PM

DISCLAIMER: Stephen66515 assumes all responsibility and liability for your actions! ;-)

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #21 on:** March 04, 2012, 11:03 PM »

Neither vista not windows 7 use boot.ini.

They both use bcdedit from a command prompt to edit the boot process. Not for the faint hearted!

Curt · « **Reply #22 on:** March 04, 2012, 11:06 PM »

Quote from: Stephen66515 on March 04, 2012, 10:41 PM

Press Start, Type 'msconfig' (without the '') and hit enter...choose the boot tab...and if you see "Windows Vista" simply press "Delete" on it

-perfect, Stephen66515, thank you

and Thank you all

I am now free of the extra, black screen where I should choose between W7 and Vista.
Quite Interestingly I am still greeted by Fujitsu, not by Dell.

app103 · « **Reply #23 on:** March 05, 2012, 01:39 AM »

Quote from: Curt on March 04, 2012, 11:06 PM

Quite Interestingly I am still greeted by Fujitsu, not by Dell.

Why would you be greeted by Dell? You don't have a Dell. Just because the disk you used to install Win7 came from a Dell, it doesn't turn your machine into a Dell. You will still display the Fujitsu stuff on boot because it's still a Fujitsu machine, still has the bios supplied by Fujitsu. That logo displays before Windows even begins to load.

If you really hate that logo, there might be an option in the bios to display post messages or extended post messages. Selecting that might get rid of it. If not, you'll have to replace the motherboard supplied by Fujitsu. I don't suggest you go messing around in the bios unless you know what you are doing, though. Great way to really screw up a computer if you don't.

Curt · « **Reply #24 on:** March 05, 2012, 08:17 AM »

-thank you for the explanation, April. Yes, there are so many other ways I can screw up my PC... oh, dear, so many threads I have created, asking for help - this being one of them. No, I am actually pleased with Fujitsu displaying their logo,..., because I like Dell even less!