Delete 'Windows.old' Folder in Windows 8

If you performed a refresh of Windows 8, upgrade to Windows 8, or a custom install of Windows 8 without formatting the drive for a clean install and selected to install Windows 8 on the same partition of the previous Windows installation, then you may have a C:\Windows.old folder left over in your new installation. It contains a copy of the previous Windows 8 installation, and can be quite large in size.

If you already had a C:\Windows.old folder in the installation that you performed a refresh, upgrade install, or a custom install on, then it may be renamed to say C:\Windows.old.000 (older previous installation) in addition to the C:\Windows.old folder. The most recent previous installation will always be in the C:\Windows.old folder.

This tutorial will show you how to delete the Windows.old folder(s) generated during the installation to free up the hard drive space that the Windows.old folder(s) takes.

Delete "Windows.old" Folder Using Disk Cleanup


1. Open Disk Cleanup.
   Search in C:\Windows\System32\cleanmgr.exe

2. If prompted, select the Windows drive, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You will not see this window unless you have more than one drive or partition on your computer with a drive letter.

3. Click/tap on the Clean up system files button. 

4. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.

5. Repeat step 2 above.

6. Click/tap on the Previous Windows installation(s) box to check it, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

7. Click/tap on Delete Files. 

8. When Disk Cleanup finishes, the C:\Windows.old folder will be deleted.