How to Delete Windows.old Folder using Disk Cleanup

When you upgrade Windows xp, Window vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8, you will notice that you have large size folder named Windows.old in your primary drive. This usually happens when you perform a custom installation of Windows without formatting the hard drive that have previous version of windows installed in it. This unwanted folder usually takes large amount of GB(depending on your Windows Installation) on your hard disk and if you don’t own a large size hard disk this folder will prove take a significant amount of space.

One of the easiest method to remove Windows.old folder it to use a inbuilt program named DiskCleanup

How to use Disk cleanup

• Open Disk Cleanup by clicking the Start button . In the search box, type Disk Cleanup, click Disk Cleanup in the list of results.
• A window will pop up asking you the drive you wish to clean, Select the drive you just installed your Windows on, and then hit OK.
• Disk cleanup will scan  any dump or temporary files in that hard drive.

• On the Disk Cleanup tab, click Clean up system files.
• Windows will again ask you to choose a drive. Click the drive you just installed Windows on, and then click OK.
• This will bring up another dialog box where you can choose Previous Windows installations.

• Select the Previous Windows installation, then click on Delete Files in the pop up box that appears.
• After this Disk Cleanup will start deleting all the previous version installation files.