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Old Windows installation folder cleaning


JDPower

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The latest CCleaner update added "old Windows installation folder cleaning". I thought this was the same as the new Windows disk cleanup option of deleting old updates? If so it doesn't even show up in my CCleaner, let alone clean it (have only just been able to confirm it now I have updates that disk cleanup shows up)

 

So have I misunderstood this option or is this a bug?

 

(Using Win7 Home, CC4.07)

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I believe it deletes the Windows.old folder that is on your drive if you re-install Windows without a wipe (seems pretty aggressive to me though, since windows.old holds all of your old user docs, etc)

Ah right, so I did have the wrong end of the stick. Could have sworn I'd read it was the same as the new disk cleanup option, must just be the voices in my head :P

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I can remember that around CCleaner version 2.*.* one user complained that he had lost all his music/video files.

His problem stemmed from the fact that he added "C:\Windows Old" and all its contents via Options/Include for secure wiping,

and because the multiple (I think I counted 47 of them) reparse points in "C:\Windows Old\..." were designating the latest Windows libraries,

CCleaner followed the reparse points and zapped the libraries.

 

I have no wish for anyone to lose their libraries due to this new default cleaning option,

but I do hope that CCleaner continues to follow the reparse points to applications I installed on non-system drives.

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It's in the announcement topic for CCleaner 4.07 as "Added old Windows installation folder cleaning"... ...but since they don't explain new features.

Yeah that's where I saw it to start with, just my muddled brain thought it had read somewhere it was the same as the new disk cleanup option (or perhaps just read someone suggesting that should be added around the same time and added 2+2 and got 793 :P )

 

On top of the lack of explanation though I notice we now can't comment on announcement threads to ask about additions (and have a permanent record of queries within the most obvious place)

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... I notice we now can't comment on announcement threads to ask about additions (and have a permanent record of queries within the most obvious place)

 

i just figured they got sick of the "+1", "great", "thanks", "keep up the good work", type of replies.

Backup now & backup often.
It's your digital life - protect it with a backup.
Three things are certain; Birth, Death and loss of data. You control the last.

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[Old Windows Installation]
ID=1044
LangSecRef=3004
LangRef=3156
Default=False
DetectFile1=%SystemDrive%\Windows.old*
DetectFile2=%SystemDrive%\$WINDOWS.~BT
DetectFile3=%SystemDrive%\$WINDOWS.~Q
DetectFile4=%SystemDrive%\$INPLACE.~TR
SpecialKey1=N_EX_PREVIOUS_WINDOWS_INSTALLATION

 

from winsys.ini

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2+2 and got 793

 

I'll have to remember that the next time someone owes me money - "oh no no no, 2+2 = 793." :lol:

 

 

i just figured they got sick of the "+1", "great", "thanks", "keep up the good work", type of replies.

 

Totally different reason actually with people reporting bugs, complaining, etc., in the announcements area which is just to announce a new version being released. And it's not out of the ordinary for a forum to have locked announcements, it just took years for it to happen on here.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'm not sure if this is new topic worthy, or if I should just reply here.

 

I upgraded from windows 8 to windows 8.1 and ccleaner marks about 5 GB of files for deletion. I checked my c drive, and the windows.old file is 4.4 GB

 

What could make up that difference of .6 GB? Unused .net files or something? I tried looking at the files marked for deletion, but since there are 124,000+ files, I couldn't really sort through.

 

Should I delete it and trust in ccleaner? That's a good amount of space on my SSD (its fresh so not many programs on it at the moment).

 

I double-checked what was in the windows.old users folders and didn't see any files, so I doubt it would delete any important things.

 

screenshots below

 

EvDP8ex.jpg

 

vaQ01mi.jpg

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As you may have discovered windows.old contains EVERYTHING from your Win8 installation - including all your personal data.

Depending on how you migrated to Win8.1, all your data was most likely migrated for you, and since you have not mentioned anything along those lines, I assume this is what has happened.

So you are probably safe to delete that folder (or let CC do it for you) but it is your backup option if something was not migrated, so double check it first before deletion.

 

If you don't have any other sort of backup regime or disk imaging process, then triple check it before deletion, paying particular attention to the Users folder and your user profile under that folder.

Backup now & backup often.
It's your digital life - protect it with a backup.
Three things are certain; Birth, Death and loss of data. You control the last.

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I upgraded from windows 8 to windows 8.1 and ccleaner marks about 5 GB of files for deletion. I checked my c drive, and the windows.old file is 4.4 GB

You are approximating the difference between Apples and Oranges :)

 

1000 MB is not always the same as 1 GB - it all depends upon whether or not you are looking at Drive Manufacture (mis)information sheets

Windows and CCleaner use a ratio of 1024 MB per GB

 

CCleaner is reporting "Windows Old INSTALLATION" as 4,927 MB or 5,045,080 KB which is 4.8115234375 GB

Windows Explorer is reporting "Windows.Old FOLDER" as

4.41 GB size

4.61 GB Size on disk

 

When CCleaner removes the folder the Free Space will increase NOT by 4.41 GB but by 4.61 GB,

so the discrepancy is NOT the 0.6 GB that you claim but only 0.2 GB.

 

Perhaps the 0.2 GB discrepancy might be due to CCleaner's intention to remove files outside of the FOLDER but part of the INSTALLATION,

e.g.

Related and redundant registry hives,

Related and redundant files in C:\Windows\winsxs  (caution - dragons be here :o )

 

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It is probable that there are additional files left by the upgrade process outside of windows.old, if jack could post a file list that'd probably narrow it down

ccleaner only showed some of the files to be deleted, I couldn't really sort through.

 

Anyways... I deleted the old windows stuff as recommended by ccleaner. No problems, no errors, everything in Windows 8.1 works fine, and none of my saved files were deleted.

 

The entire windows.old file was deleted.

 

Thanks for the help everyone, very good info. I'm just glad my computer didn't blow up.

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