Operating Windows systems Although they are incredibly popular, they still cannot boast of long-term stable operation. So, in some cases, the need to reinstall occurs several times a month - it all depends on the programs the user is working with.

In light of this, it is not surprising that many are interested in the question of how to remove old Windows. The point is that the installation new system over the existing old one is highly not recommended, since this rarely eliminates software errors and failures; rather, it adds new ones. Starting with the Vista operating system, Microsoft developers took into account the wishes of users and added a special feature to the installer, which made it much easier to figure out how to remove old Windows.

Advanced installation mechanism

Before we tell you how to uninstall old Windows, let's analyze the behavior of the installer on Win XP (and earlier) and Vista (and later) systems.

When installing old systems on a partition hard drive, where a copy of the system was already present, the installer prompted the user to make a choice - erase the existing Windows folder or start installation in a directory with a non-standard name. In both the first and second cases, all data from the “Documents” section, “Desktop” and other key folders were lost. I had to learn how to remove the old Windows while keeping necessary files. With the advent of Vista, the situation changed: the installer, having discovered a copy of the system, renamed it to Windows.Old and moved all related folders there. The significance of this small innovation for end users cannot be overestimated - it is revolutionary.

How to remove the old oneWindows 7

Depending on the system being installed, the preparation also changes. Let's consider a more complex option, when Win XP is installed on the hard drive. The easiest way to save any files from your previous system is to prepare media with a bootable version of the LiveCD.

There are quite a lot of these solutions, so there shouldn’t be any problems with choosing. You should download a LiveCD from the Internet. According to the instructions provided with it, write it to a disk/flash drive. Then boot into this mini-system and copy the necessary data. The next step is to delete the Windows, Program Files folders. If we are talking about Win 7, then you can also erase ProgramData, Users. All that remains is to reboot and start the installation. If you are installing a new version of the system, you will not need a LiveCD: after the installation is complete, there will be a Windows.Old directory on the disk, where all system data will be transferred. What you need from here must be copied, and what is unnecessary must be erased. Removing remnants of the previous system can be done through the "Disk Cleanup" function in the "Start" - "Accessories" - "System Tools" menu, indicating "Previous installations" in the list. Sometimes people who want to use the system for free are wondering how to remove the old Windows 7 activator. To do this, you need to restart this program and select the uninstall option. Another method that is no less effective is to install a new solution simply on top of the old one. All key links will be automatically overwritten.

Sometimes users install new Windows 7, but forget to delete the old one. There is nothing critical about this, but old Windows takes up a lot of space. This article contains information on how to remove old Windows 7.

There are several ways to remove old Windows:

1. Removing old Windows using Disk Cleanup

You need to run Disk Cleanup. You can find it through "Start". Click “All Programs”, then “Accessories”, then “Utilities” and find the required component in the list.

It is the “Previous Windows installations” item that we need. Select the checkbox if it is not there and click OK. When asked about permanent deletion, answer “Delete files.” After some time, the old Windows 7 files will be deleted.

2. Removing old Windows without programs

If for some reason the program cannot be found or there are problems with it, you can remove it from Windows manually. To do this, find the folder Windows.old and set the rights necessary for deletion.

Go to the folder properties (RMB - Properties) and go to the "Security" tab

Click on "Advanced". On the "Owner" tab, select current user and check the box for “Replace owner of subcontainers and objects” and click “Apply”.

Now on the “Permissions” tab, select the account that you made the owner of the folder and change it (the “Change” button)

A window appears with Permission element, where we put a check mark where highlighted in the screenshot below. Then click OK and with a safety warning.

After the manipulations have been done, it will be possible to delete the Windows.old folder without difficulty and the question of how to remove old Windows 7 is resolved.

3. Removing old Windows by formatting the disk

This method is more drastic, but as they say, “fail-safe.” The bottom line is that you need to boot from installation disk or flash drives and start installing clean Windows. At the moment of selecting a disk, you will need to delete all partitions, partition HDD again and format all partitions. This way we get a clean system, without any signs of old operating systems.

Attention! This method will delete all data that is on the computer, so it is recommended if you don’t mind it.

If Windows 10 was installed by upgrading from previous OS (win 7 or 8.1), then after the upgrade you will probably notice that free space became noticeably smaller. And some will face the fact that it is almost over. In this article we will talk about what this folder is, what it is needed for, and also look at 2 ways to delete the Windows.old folder in Windows 10 for cleaning system disk. In the article we give a clear example from life - you will find out how much disk space in gigabytes this inconspicuous directory in the root directory can take away from you. What to do if, when deleting Windows.old from the root directory of drive C:, an “Access Denied” error occurs.

What is the Windows.old folder and why is it needed in Windows 10

In folder C:\Windows.old Data is saved to cancel the update and return to the old version of Windows OS. If the user did not like the “ten” (when switching from “seven” or “eight”) or does not like its new version (after installing updates such as Fall Creators Update), then it can restore its previous operating system in the form in which she suited him.

Is it possible to remove the Windows.old folder from the disk?

Yes, you can. If you are sure that you will not want to restore your old operating system, then you do not need these files and can delete them to free up space on your SSD or hard drive. If you open File Explorer and look at the contents of the C: drive, you will find a folder Windows.old:

Deleting the Windows.old folder in Windows 10 using Disk Cleanup

• Call up the properties of the system disk.
• On the tab Are common click Disk Cleanup:

• In the next window, click the button Clean system files:

• Check the box next to Previous Windows installations.
• Click OK:

• Click Yes:

By the way. Run the Cleanup Wizard again and clean up Windows installation temporary files:

After this, you will need to wait until the system correctly deletes the Windows.old directory. At this time, it is better not to run anything, so as not to interfere with the computer’s disk cleanup operation.

In the comments they write that this method does not always work and in some cases the desired action for some reason does not occur due to some error like The directory is not empty. In this case, we recommend using in the following way and delete the folder via CMD console or PowerShell.

If there is no error, but the folder remains, check - maybe it is already empty? If so, then simply delete it from the disk manually.

How to remove Windows.old using the command line if you get an "Access Denied" error

This method can be used instead of the first if the .old directory is not deleted and an “access denied” error appears or the cleaning simply does not work.

Run command line or PowerShell and run the following commands one by one (copy each of the 4 lines separately, paste into the console and press Enter):

Cd C:\ attrib -r -a -s -h C:\Windows.old /S /D takeown /f Windows.old /a /r rd /s /q Windows.old

In this case, the same thing happens as in the first method.

Disk Cleanup Result

Before deleting the Windows.old folder, there was only 13.6 GB free on the disk:

After we got rid of the backup copy of the old system - 31.4 GB free:

So, your precious disk space (and it is especially valuable if you have an SSD) may be occupied by the Windows.old folder.

More recently, when he first appeared new version OS and system updates, many have become interested in the question of how to remove windows old in Windows 10, and today we will talk about all the ways to delete an archive folder.

Windows.Old – storage of components and files of the “previous” one installed system. This folder is created when installing the system on the same partition where the operating system was previously installed or when updating to a new build. Also, this is a backup copy of the data necessary to return to the previous one. Windows versions(in case of updating) or restoration of personal files when reinstalling the system on the same partition.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to restore applications if reinstalled ( using standard methods). Basically, personal data will be stored here (Users folders, respectively Downloads, Documents, Photos, desktop, etc.), application settings (*Outlook pst files, saved games, application configurations), application data (databases) .

The folder is stored from 10 to 28 days, depending on the actions performed.

• 10 days – update of the “tens” to the new build (1511->1607, 1607->1703). This period is necessary for a painless return to the previous version of the system.

As part of the cleanup, these applications may delete or clear the Windows.Old folder, making it difficult or impossible to return to a previous version of the operating system.

• 28 days – this period is provided after an update (7 -> 8; 8.1 -> 10, etc.), as well as in case of reinstallation to the same partition (where the OS was previously installed or there was a system folder with files).

If all files have been transferred or the OS update was successful, and this folder is simply in the way and takes up free space on the disk, then use the following recommendations to delete it:

• Uninstalling via the Options window
• Removing via Disk Cleanup
• Uninstall via Command Line

Uninstalling via the Options window

To clear your disk of an unwanted folder through the Options menu, follow these steps:

Removing via Disk Cleanup

Also, cleaning the disk can help you, to do this you should follow these steps:

Uninstall via command line

If the above methods did not help, then we will delete it through the command line window:
Call window Command line by entering cmd in the search or Command line, run the application as Administrator and enter the following commands one by one:

• takeown /F C:\Windows.old\* /R /A
  A lengthy redefinition of rights to the contents of the folder will take place. You will be asked to confirm your actions by pressing the Y key.
• cacls C:\Windows.old\*.* /T /grant Administrators:F
  You will be asked to confirm your actions by pressing the Y key.
• rmdir /S /Q C:\Windows.old\
  Removing the Windows.Old folder

Windows.Old can store both personal data from past Windows installations, and can store a “backup” copy of the operating system, so that it would be possible to return to a working state in case of an update error or unforeseen situations, such as turning off the lights. If you are sure that you will no longer need this folder, then feel free to delete it, according to the instructions that were described in this article.

They are not rare. However, not everyone can remove one of the two operating systems. Some people continue to work with several operating systems at once.

Users install two operating systems at once in order to test one of them

When the “eight” from Windows appeared, not everyone was in a hurry to remove the “seven”; a popular solution was to install two versions, this made it possible to check the functionality and ease of use, and, if necessary, remove an unnecessary option. Some remained on the “native” Windows 7, while others opted for the new edition.

There is no point in working with two operating systems at once. A powerful computer allows you to install at least 7 series of OS, memory capacity hard drives cope with such a task, but it will not bring any benefit. But on outdated equipment this will already affect the speed of operation, and even freezes are possible. In each case, it is necessary to remove unnecessary Windows from the computer, but how to do it?

Some users, when they see such a problem, are sure that it is easy to solve; they need to format the partition of the extra OS and the task is completed. In fact, this will not solve the problem, but will only hide it, because the bootloader will continue to work. You also need to erase the OS from the boot window.

Why are there multiple operating systems on one computer?

The choice to boot the operating system arises for several reasons:

1. In most situations, the problem occurs due to the installation of several operating systems on one computer. As already mentioned, some do this to test the operating system, but inexperienced users do it by mistake, after which for a long time they do not even notice the “duplicity” of their PC;
2. Another reason why you have to select an OS every time you boot is the incorrect installation of Windows. When a person forgets to format a hard drive before recording a new OS, the process will occur on top of the previous Windows.

As a result, a selection window appears at startup, but in fact, only one OS is running on the computer

The second variant of the problem is not so serious; you can remove the “false” OS line from the selection window. Also, the choice of operating system by boot is eliminated by installing the working version by default.

How to remove a second operating system from your computer

If the download starts with selecting the operating system each time, then this is not critical. You can remove the operating system from your computer through the command center. The method is suitable for different Windows versions(including 7 and 8), and is performed in four stages:

• After turning on the PC, you need to enable the command line (Win and R keys). In the input line of the “Run” menu, enter the command “msconfig” and confirm the actions by pressing the “OK” button (or press “Enter”);
• Next is editing the menu. Windows boot 7.

Fig.1. To do this, select the “Download” tab in the window.

• Before you remove the old Windows, you need to select the extra lines (when the operating system was installed a couple of times and did not follow the recommendations, then there can be 3-4 lines at once) and delete them.

Fig.2. There is no need to worry, deletion will not harm the performance of the current OS, actions are confirmed by clicking “OK”

• At the next stage, the application will offer to restart the device. Experts advise not to put off this action until later; the system needs to promptly make some changes to the OS boot record.

This is how it turns out to remove the second Windows 7 at startup; after turning it on, a window with two options will no longer appear. By default, the series of operating systems that was installed last will start working (At this time, the previous Windows publishers will no longer exist, there were only entries in the boot window).

After you managed to remove the old Windows 7 from your computer, the logical question arises what to do with the partition where the old OS was stored. In such situations, it is advised to simply format the section, and in the future leave the necessary electronic documents there.

You need to be vigilant during formatting

First you should check everything that is stored there. In particular, there should be folders with program files, user accounts and Windows folder. When you had to remove the second operating system, the partition will not be on the C drive.

Important! The procedure will erase all data from memory local disk. For example, if the deletion took place from the system drive C, then all desktop files, “My Documents” folders, etc. will go away forever.

How to remove one of the two operating systems for Windows 7 (no different for version 8)

It is advised to remove the old Windows after installing the new one by working in the menu of the system that will remain on the computer. The procedure is also possible with old version(a kind of self-removal) but it will be easier. For example, when you need to remove previous versions of Windows 7, but leave the “eight” (although the process is no different between 7 and 8).

You can remove the second Windows 7 at startup along with the partition. The Disk Management function is suitable for this; it works the same on Windows 8 and 7. First, right-click on the partition to be deleted, then you need to select the “Delete volume” line.

At the final stage, right-click on the existing partition and select “Extend volume”

Thus, the volume of the partition's memory will increase at the expense of the previous one.

This is how you can remove an operating system through the command line, if there are two of them. Even inexperienced owners will be able to remove the second operating system. Still have questions? Let's ask!

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