Directory called Windows.old

Question

I did a clean install of VISTA Home Premiun from XP MCE SP-2 using Dell's VISTA Upgrade DVD following Paul.T technique [Double installation] on the 23rd of March 07.

At the time of this change over my computer informed me storing my old system in a directory it created called Windows.old.

I from this forum learnt that I could get rid of this directory without causing any harm to my present sucessfully running Vista OS.

I could see this directory in my "c" drive when goes into Start-Computer-and double click on "c" drive. In that window there is no Add/Remove available to get rid of this directory. I could Right click on the directory which gives me an option of Delete. I thought this way of deleting does not fully get rid of a file.[XP it was more easy to find the Add/Remove I felt!]

I went into the control and the windows that open has no Add/Remove choice.!! It has something called Add Hardware that does not allow me to access this folder[Windows.old]

This Windows.old directory is 6.35GB in size.

Now I am asking for help to know as to how to get my Add/Remove to recognise this folder so that I can sucessfully remove it from my HD?

Thanking you for your suggestion.

Dimension 9200
Intel ViiV Core 2Duo E6400 Processor 2.13GHz 1066 MHz 2MB
Windows XP media Centre Edition 2005 now VISTA OS 32bit
Memory:2048 MB Dual DDR2 533 MHz [2x1024]
Dell Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard & Mouse Dell Wireless Bluetooth
Video Card: 1GB nVidia GeForce 7950 GX2 Dual graphics card
Hard Drive: 640 GB Serial ATA RAID 0 Stripe [2x320GB 7200rpm drives with DataBurst cache]
16x DVD +/- RW
16x IDE DVD ROM

snowshine · Answer

Hi GioAguilar,

Thanks for that.

However If I boot to the Dell's Vista DVD and do a reinstallation [I mean format and reinstall] would I then will I loose all the VISTA drivers that I have downloaded after my so called clean["not so clean] installation?

Thank you

Dimension 9200
Intel ViiV Core 2Duo E6400 Processor 2.13GHz 1066 MHz 2MB
Windows XP media Centre Edition 2005 now VISTA OS 32bit
Memory:2048 MB Dual DDR2 533 MHz [2x1024]
Dell Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard & Mouse Dell Wireless Bluetooth
Video Card: 1GB nVidia GeForce 7950 GX2 Dual graphics card
Hard Drive: 640 GB Serial ATA RAID 0 Stripe [2x320GB 7200rpm drives with DataBurst cache]
16x DVD +/- RW
16x IDE DVD ROM

GioAguilar · Answer

I think that 'clean' install wasn't so clean... What happened is that directory saved all the files, XP had. When you were installing Vista, and asked you to select a partition, you should formated the partition to avoid that windows.old   What you can try right now, will be going to Safe Mode and see if you can delete it from there. If not, boot to the Vista DVD you got, and instead of install now, select, Repair your computer, and then select command prompt, in there go to the C drive (just type ) and then type RMDIR windows.old   Then tpe EXIT, and then restart the ocmputer   That should help

snowshine · Answer

Hi GioAguilar, I am sorry to trouble you! Excuse me.

You know I could find Command Prompt in All Programs-->Accessories--> c: [command prompt]

Do you think I could go in here to do the cd.. and then get to the Windows'old the remove?

Dimension 9200
Intel ViiV Core 2Duo E6400 Processor 2.13GHz 1066 MHz 2MB
Windows XP media Centre Edition 2005 now VISTA OS 32bit
Memory:2048 MB Dual DDR2 533 MHz [2x1024]
Dell Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard & Mouse Dell Wireless Bluetooth
Video Card: 1GB nVidia GeForce 7950 GX2 Dual graphics card
Hard Drive: 640 GB Serial ATA RAID 0 Stripe [2x320GB 7200rpm drives with DataBurst cache]
16x DVD +/- RW
16x IDE DVD ROM

GioAguilar · Answer

Well, Did you install any Driver for Vista??? Like Video, Sound.... Vista Install most of the drivers, so you'll need to install only the drivers you installed after the installation you made. Like for a TV tuner you may added...

Mary G · Answer

Don't delete the folder yet. You can still access files in that folder if you find that you did not backup all your files before the move. After some time and if you really need the disk space, just right click and delete it. You do not need Add/remove to delete a folder. It is just a folder, not a program. You probably will be asked to confirm the delete since it might be too big for the recycle bin.

GioAguilar · Answer

snowshine wrote:

Hi GioAguilar, I am sorry to trouble you! Excuse me.

You know I could find Command Prompt in All Programs-->Accessories--> c: [command prompt]

Do you think I could go in here to do the cd.. and then get to the Windows'old the remove?

Dimension 9200
Intel ViiV Core 2Duo E6400 Processor 2.13GHz 1066 MHz 2MB
Windows XP media Centre Edition 2005 now VISTA OS 32bit
Memory:2048 MB Dual DDR2 533 MHz [2x1024]
Dell Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard & Mouse Dell Wireless Bluetooth
Video Card: 1GB nVidia GeForce 7950 GX2 Dual graphics card
Hard Drive: 640 GB Serial ATA RAID 0 Stripe [2x320GB 7200rpm drives with DataBurst cache]
16x DVD +/- RW
16x IDE DVD ROM

It just that if you had problems deleting that folder just by rigth click on it, I'm not really sure if you won't have that problem from this CDM (All Programs-->Accessories-->), but try this... Go to this one you just told me, and instead of just click on it, right click, then select Run as Administrator, then click on continue to confirm.

PD

I didn't read this post...

GioAguilar · Answer

That's also true... But if since the begining he decided for a clean Install, he knew about data lose... And as well with me, I hate to have space on the HDD used, when I don't need them... Also 6Gb sounds like XP plus some other applications sintalled...

Windows General

Directory called Windows.old

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