TrustedInstaller: Can't let you delete that, Dave.

[Sonikku]

I'm using a hdd with Windows 10 as the OS that has an old.windows install from Windows 7 that is now defunct and I'm trying to get rid of it. I've tried google and looking into changing permissions but most of what I've found is grayed out when I do it. I'm wary of fooling around with the registry... How do I reclaim these 15 gigs of space?!

 

[VirtualLarry]

Pretty-much, you MUST boot the "main" Windows OS on that physical drive, and then use "Disk Cleanup - System Files", and select "Old Windows Versions", and let it do its thing for 15 minutes.

Or, boot a Linux distro on that hardware, and mount the Windows drive, and delete it using Linux.

If you attempt to delete an old Windows directory using Explorer.exe from within Windows, you'll screw it all up, including your current Windows installation.

I've run into this, with Windows 9x back in the day, too. At least, back then, we had DOS to fall back on. Now you need to boot up a Linux Live distro.

 

[deustroop]

Pretty-much, you MUST boot the "main" Windows OS on that physical drive, and then use "Disk Cleanup - System Files", and select "Old Windows Versions", and let it do its thing for 15 minutes.

Yup. If it were a windows 10 .old, Windows automatically removes these a month after you upgrade.

 

[mikeymikec]

What VL said basically. While I'm sure that one could delete those folders manually after changing ownership and triggering a reset for all child objects, specify privs for the current user (or admin) then blow the whole lot away as admin or user respectively via explorer or cmd.

Windows's way is easier

I'd check that the windows.old doesn't contain anything of interest in the users subfolder (it shouldn't if the upgrade went to plan) though.

 

[JackMDS]

You can try to install this freeware and then Delete the Unwanted Directories.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/unlocker.html

 

[Sonikku]

Pretty-much, you MUST boot the "main" Windows OS on that physical drive, and then use "Disk Cleanup - System Files", and select "Old Windows Versions", and let it do its thing for 15 minutes.

Or, boot a Linux distro on that hardware, and mount the Windows drive, and delete it using Linux.

If you attempt to delete an old Windows directory using Explorer.exe from within Windows, you'll screw it all up, including your current Windows installation.

I've run into this, with Windows 9x back in the day, too. At least, back then, we had DOS to fall back on. Now you need to boot up a Linux Live distro.

I did boot windows on my main drive (a ssd) but when I go to disk cleanup and system filed on the E drive spindle with the old version of Windows 7 I don't see a "Old Windows Versions" option.

 

[crashtech]

It might be called "Windows Upgrade Log Files."

 

[mikeymikec]

It might be called "Windows Upgrade Log Files."

Make sure you've clicked on 'cleanup system files' first though.

Whatever option has tens of GB next to it AFAIK the modern disk cleanup utility (Vista and later) works without screwing anything up, so every tickbox could be ticked. The only downside I can think of is losing stuff that will get regenerated anyway (like thumbnails), but at least nothing will happen like it did on XP with 'compress old files' which tanked system performance by compressing system files that hadn't been modified in a while.

One other tactic that might be simpler for manual deletion is to start from a Windows setup disc/stick, get a command prompt up (Shift+F10), then find the folder and rmdir windows.old /s /q.

OP, has Win10 been resetted or anything like that since the upgrade? I wonder if doing that might lose track of the windows.old folder and so it doesn't appear in the cleanup list.

 

[deustroop]

I did boot windows on my main drive (a ssd) but when I go to disk cleanup and system filed on the E drive spindle with the old version of Windows 7 I don't see a "Old Windows Versions" option.

I am not sure what this sentence means. Can you give it a more clear expression.What E drive ?
Is the old folder on the C or E drive ?

 

[Sonikku]

The C drive is the ssd I have with the copy of Windows 10 I'm actively using. The E drive is the older 500gb spindle with the obsolete version of Windows 7 that is no longer in use that I'm attempting to get rid of.

 

[deustroop]

Ok well the idea would be to boot the disk containing the old folder and delete it from there.Otherwise try the third party app suggested above.

Booting from E if possible gives several options
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutoria...ete-2.html?s=9dc2d103482e882efb1f7079429da6b2

 

[crashtech]

In that case, booting to a Windows USB stick to a repair environment and using the command line to delete the problem files is probably the quickest route. Alternatively, going through the data on the drive, backing up the good data, then reformatting it is another way to do it while "cleaning house" at the same time.

 

[JackMDS]

First step is to see the Junk. Windows Explorer does not show everything and is lacking some managing features.

There is a portable Free App that can be easily configured it to show all Hidden etc. files and you will be able to see all the real content of the HD/SSD.

http://freecommander.com/en/downloads-portable/ ***

The x32 is totally free and the portable version works very well on x64 too.
It is capable to change all the parameters of the Files as well.
Most junk can be deleted by this.

If not, add an install Unlocker
(mentioned in my post above) Then from commander you can right click on the Directory/File and get rid of stubborn Junk.

 

[Rifter]

Boot linux live CD/USB stick. Mount drive. Delete files. should take less than 5 min.

 

[Sonikku]

I've never used linux and am wary of using the ad induced apps above. I think I may copy over everything I want to keep on a flash drive and simply format it.

 

[Smoblikat]

I'm using a hdd with Windows 10 as the OS that has an old.windows install from Windows 7 that is now defunct and I'm trying to get rid of it. I've tried google and looking into changing permissions but most of what I've found is grayed out when I do it. I'm wary of fooling around with the registry... How do I reclaim these 15 gigs of space?!

God do I hate trustedinstaller permissions, theyre next to impossible to defeat (Most of the times ive dealt with it it was due to data encryption though). I remember a couple programs form back in the day , not sure if theyve been brought forward to W10. Fileassassin is my favorite, and moveonboot is another option I remember.

EDIT - As others have mentioned, a live linux distro is another very reasonable option. My flavour of choice is knoppix.