Is "\Windows.old\" definitely stored at "C:\"?

_william · Mar 22, 2024

A question about the "Windows.old" folder, that is generated after a Windows installation that is not a Clean-Install; i.e., the notice seen in the fist image attached below.

I understand from this article that this folder is usually given the directory of "C:\Windows.old\"--please see the second attached image below. In the highlighted section of that second image, the wording used is "Generally [...]", implying that sometimes the "Windows.old" folder may not be stored at that directory. My question is, if this "Windows.old" folder is not found at that directory, where else may it be placed?

My own computer only has two other partitions besides "C:\" currently, i.e., one called "EFI System Partition" and one called "Recovery Partition".

Just want to make sure my computer hasn't generated a "Windows.old" folder without my knowledge.

SIW2 · Mar 23, 2024

It would be on %systemdrive% for most people it is C

%systemdrive% doesnt have to be C some people prefer a different letter.

zbook · Mar 23, 2024

A computer can have multiple Windows.old when performing custom installations.

Windows.old
Windows.old.000
Windows.old.001

The Windows.old that is created during upgrades is subject to automatic deletion (10 days).
This is the default 10 day go back.

Custom Install Windows 10

How to Custom Install Windows 10

www.tenforums.com

How to Restore Files from Windows.old Folder in Windows 10

How to Restore Files from Windows.old Folder in Windows 10 When you refresh, upgrade, or custom install Windows 10 on the same partition as the previous Windows installation without doing a clean install, then you will have a C:\\Windows.old folder in you

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See and Set Number of Days Go Back to Previous Version of Windows in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to see and set the number of days after an upgrade you are still able to go back to a previous version of Windows in Windows 11. Windows 11 gives you the ability to uninstall and go back (roll back) to a previous version of Windows. When you upgrade to Windows...

www.elevenforum.com

Restore Files from Windows.old Folder in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to manually restore files from the Windows.old folder in Windows 11. When you upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10, repair install Windows 11, custom install Windows 11, or update to a new version of Windows 11 (ex: Windows Update), a copy of the previous...

www.elevenforum.com

Delete Windows.old Folder in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to manually delete the Windows.old folder in the root directory of the Windows drive in Windows 11. When you upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10, repair install Windows 11, custom install Windows 11, or update to a new version of Windows 11 (ex: Windows...

www.elevenforum.com

zbook · Mar 23, 2024

_william said:
My own computer only has two other partitions besides "C:\" currently, i.e., one called "EFI System Partition" and one called "Recovery Partition".

Disk management does not display hidden partitions.

Unless it was manually deleted there are 4 default partitions:

UEFI/GPT-based hard drive partitions

learn.microsoft.com

glasskuter · Mar 23, 2024

Windows won't willy-nilly write its .old folder to some place other than C: (or whatever drive letter is assigned as the system drive)Through several hundred upgrades and repair installs over the years I ran into Windows.old not being at the root of C: one time. It was a cheap, cheap windows 10 laptop that had eMMC storage that was too small for an upgrade to complete. I had to connect a removable drive and direct the upgrade process to it. That's where windows. old was written, but only because I told Windows to write it there.

_william · Mar 24, 2024

@glasskuter Great. Thanks. It's not there, and I guess it shouldn't exist for me in any case seeing as though I just Clean-Installed. And I understand that it's deleted after 10 days anyway, so no problem.

cereberus · Mar 24, 2024

Whether you get a windows.old partition depends on how you do a clean install.

If you clean install to unallocated space, you do not get a windows.old.

If you clean install to a partition containing windows, you will get windows.old.

So if you do not want windows.old, delete existing partitions (except any data partitions you wish to keep).

_william · Mar 24, 2024

@zbook I'm just curious about these "hidden partitions" in general. I recently Clean-Installed W11, attached are two pictures of the partitions that the system displayed to me before executing that process--were any of those partitions "hidden" (ignore the ones indexed as "Drive 1")? I didn't see anything while researching Clean-Installation prior to performing that to indicate that any care for any "hidden partitions" needed to be taken.

_william · Mar 24, 2024

@cereberus Got it. Cheers.

SIW2 · Mar 24, 2024

A clean install is an installation of an operating system on a computer where the hard drive is formatted and completely erased.

Windows 11 Clean Installation

Step by step instructions to clean install Windows 11 to switch Insider Preview Channel.

www.microsoft.com

zbook · Mar 24, 2024

_william said:
@zbook I'm just curious about these "hidden partitions" in general. I recently Clean-Installed W11, attached are two pictures of the partitions that the system displayed to me before executing that process--were any of those partitions "hidden" (ignore the ones indexed as "Drive 1")? I didn't see anything while researching Clean-Installation prior to performing that to indicate that any care for any "hidden partitions" needed to be taken.

View attachment 91310

View attachment 91309

Dis 0 par 2 reserved is a partition that is typically hidden when viewing disk management.

To view whether it is or is not configured to be hidden open administrative command prompt and copy and paste these diagnostic commands: (all commands at one time)

Code:

diskpart
sel dis 0
lis par
sel par 1
det par
sel par 2
det par
sel par 3
det par
sel par 4
det par
sel par 5
det par

NavyLCDR · Mar 24, 2024

cereberus said:
Whether you get a windows.old partition depends on how you do a clean install.

windows.old is not a partition. It is just a file folder (previously called directories in the good old days.)

Bug locker · Mar 24, 2024

_william said:
@cereberus Got it. Cheers.

Hey bro.
As i understand your question is solved. If its true you can click at "Mark as solved" to show that as solved.
Cheers.

SIW2 · Mar 24, 2024

If setup.exe is used to install windows to a partition that already has the windows namespace folders, space permitting they will be moved into a folder called Windows.old

Other files/folders on the partition remain where they were.

Unless the behaviour of setup.exe has changed in the most recent builds.

Obviously that won't happen if the partition is formatted beforehand.

The Windows.old folder can be useful if you want fish stuff out of it, or if you want to do a rollback.