How to remove Windows.old folder?
If you install
Windows 7 by performing a custom installation and don't format the
partition during the installation process, files that were used in your
previous version of Windows are stored in the Windows.old folder. The type of
files in this folder depends on your computer. After you’ve used Windows 7
for a while—for example, one or two weeks—and you’re confident that your files
and settings are back to where you want them to be, you can safely reclaim disk
space by using Disk Cleanup to delete the Windows.old folder.
Warning
Before you use Disk Cleanup,
make sure that all of your files and settings are in Windows 7 where
you expect them to be. Deleting the Windows.old folder can’t be undone.
1. Open Disk Cleanup by clicking the Start
button . In the search
box, type Disk Cleanup, and then, in the list of results, click Disk Cleanup.
If you're prompted to
choose a drive, click the drive you just installed Windows on, and then click
OK.
2. In the Disk Cleanup dialog box, on the Disk
Cleanup tab, click Clean up system files.
If you're again
prompted to choose a drive, click the drive you just installed Windows on, and
then click OK.
3. Select the Previous Windows installation(s)
check box, and any other check boxes for the files you want to delete, and then
click OK.
4. In the message that appears, click Delete
Files.
