Solved Should you keep your Windows.old folder just in case?

Servo · Jun 10, 2022

Winuser said:
I'm no stranger to reading things wrong because I read something to fast.

Least you can read :ROFLMAO:

The-Hive · Jun 10, 2022

I wrote this post slowly for people that can't read fast...
IMO an image is far better than relying on windows.old, but why not keep both for a few days I am a great believer in "you can't have too many backups"

glasskuter · Jun 10, 2022

quack101 said:
my external 128 GB (yes it's that small) drive is too small

As you can see, most folks here are firm believers in backups, but a few aren't. Despite leaving my self open to remarks from naysayers who criticize us "backeruppers" for being too verbal on the subject, I'll throw my 2 cents in here.

As you said, a 128 gb drive is too small for any long term backup plan. External hard drives are cheap these days. It costs even less to utilize any old ones you may have lying around in an external drive adapter case or docking station.

I'm the geek in the family, so backing up for everyone is my job. My practice is to keep a minimum of 2 backups for them and three for myself. It very rarely happens that a backup is bad, but it's not worth taking a chance. It's cheap insurance.

Dru2 · Jun 10, 2022

glasskuter said:
As you can see, most folks here are firm believers in backups, but a few aren't. Despite leaving my self open to remarks from naysayers who criticize us "backeruppers" for being too verbal on the subject, I'll throw my 2 cents in here.

I've not seen anyone in this thread oppose backups. That said, anyone not doing backups are just begging for trouble.

Some years ago, I was running XP and went to install Win2K on another drive in the system. Well, I accidentally I overwrote the OS drive and all my data with it (my stupidity). I'd had some stuff "copied" (had no backup software) to a different drive, but it was months old, so I lost a lot of data. After cussing and crying, I went out the next day and bought a backup software and never looked back.

I don't care who you are or what the circumstances, stuff happens, so always backup! And especially when performing PC maintenance.

As to the OP's question - eventually the windows.old folder will be deleted, so I would not rely on it. And I would very much suggest you invest in a larger external drive for your future backup needs.

My two cents.

glasskuter · Jun 10, 2022

Dru2 said:
My two cents. I've not seen anyone in this thread oppose backups

Your 2+my 2=4. Someone throw in another and we'll have a whole nickel.
They don't do it often, but there are those few (meaning 2)who sometimes jump in with the whole "if you know what you're doing you won't need a backup."My favorite one was 'I've used computers for blah blah years and have never lost data." There are others that support backup and use it, but think it is talked about too much and are tired of reading about it. Yes, it's talked to death, and a boring subject to most of us, but I said in a post some time ago, we have new members join every day so if this forum is the reason ONE in a 100 readers starts to backup, we have to continue attempting to get through to as many of the other 99 as we can.

AddRAM · Jun 10, 2022

The-Hive said:
I wrote this post slowly for people that can't read fast...
IMO an image is far better than relying on windows.old, but why not keep both for a few days I am a great believer in "you can't have too many backups"

This is so true.