Deleting 'SYSTEM' files

[danhodge]

Someone has probably asked this already, but i don't know what to search to find out. So apologies for that.

I have installed Windows 7 64bit (finally) and i love it. My problem is that i have a folder named 'Windows.old' that has 450GB of all my old programs, that i don't need, yet i can't delete.

Is there any way i can delete these files? I know that i can't use them, since they are all 32bit programs, but i only have 35GB left on my harddrive right now, so they need deleting.

Thanks a lot, especially to whoever advised me on getting a 64bit OS instead. Finally using all that 8GB of RAM!
Danny

 

[sPlAtOiD]

This should help you out.
I copied this from microsoft.






Warning
•
Before you use Disk Cleanup, make sure that all of your files and settings are in Windows 7 where you expect them to be. Deleting the Windows.old folder can't be undone.




1.
Open Disk Cleanup by clicking the Start button . In the search box, type Disk Cleanup, and then, in the list of results, click Disk Cleanup.

If you're prompted to choose a drive, click the drive you just installed Windows on, and then click OK.

2.
In the Disk Cleanup dialog box, on the Disk Cleanup tab, click Clean up system files.

If you're again prompted to choose a drive, click the drive you just installed Windows on, and then click OK.

3.
Select the Previous Windows installation(s) check box, and any other check boxes for the files you want to delete, and then click OK.

4.
In the message that appears, click Delete Files.

 

[carnageX]

This should help you out.
I copied this from microsoft.






Warning
•
Before you use Disk Cleanup, make sure that all of your files and settings are in Windows 7 where you expect them to be. Deleting the Windows.old folder can't be undone.




1.
Open Disk Cleanup by clicking the Start button . In the search box, type Disk Cleanup, and then, in the list of results, click Disk Cleanup.

If you're prompted to choose a drive, click the drive you just installed Windows on, and then click OK.

2.
In the Disk Cleanup dialog box, on the Disk Cleanup tab, click Clean up system files.

If you're again prompted to choose a drive, click the drive you just installed Windows on, and then click OK.

3.
Select the Previous Windows installation(s) check box, and any other check boxes for the files you want to delete, and then click OK.

4.
In the message that appears, click Delete Files.

+1 to this.

But like mentioned, make sure you have all of your personal data copied over from the Windows.old file before you delete it.

 

[danhodge]

Everything is already taken over. And although that doesn't seem to have worked, it did show me that i had 30GB in the recycling bin. So thanks!

I think in trying to change the properties of the folder to let me delete it, i have made the situation worse. I have a little gold lock next to the image, so i guess i have locked it somehow.

Any insight into what i have done would be great, thanks!

By the way, i am presuming that this problem is what is causing the disc cleaner to not delete it all.