How to delete windows.old folder (laptop with TPM) [Solved]

[P4-630]

As the title says.

 

[Steve-007UK]

Use disk cleanup built into windows but make sure you click the tab that says "clean up system files" first.

Then you just tick all the boxes and it should remove that .old folder

 

[P4-630]

Use disk cleanup built into windows but make sure you click the tab that says "clean up system files" first.

Then you just tick all the boxes and it should remove that .old folder

I tried that already, it didn't remove it completely for probably a TPM reason...

 

[R00kie]

I tried that already, it didn't remove it completely for probably a TPM reason...

Can't you just suspend it for an hour or so?

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

Isnt it time locked for 30 days anyway?
Meaning you can only delete it 30 days after it was created.

 

[P4-630]

Can't you just suspend it for an hour or so?

Well I did a reset on this new laptop and it prompted me if I wanted to clear the TPM, which I did with f1, after that windows went reinstalling.
I don't know how to "suspend" it.

@gdallsk Edit: Ok did some searching and found this:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc754524(v=ws.11).aspx

The thing is I can't find:

"Open the TPM Management (tpmadmin.msc) snap-in."

Where can I find this?

Isnt it time locked for 30 days anyway?
Meaning you can only delete it 30 days after it was created.

I can't delete it now anyways so would be nice if that's the case...

 

[R00kie]

Well I did a reset on this new laptop and it prompted me if I wanted to clear the TPM, which I did with f1, after that windows went reinstalling.
I don't know how to "suspend" it.

If you have bitlocker on, turn it off for the time being, and then go into the BIOS there you will be able to disable your TPM module.

 

[P4-630]

If you have bitlocker on, turn it off for the time being, and then go into the BIOS there you will be able to disable your TPM module.

I don't seem to have bitlocker on this laptop.
Anyways, I guess I'll leave it as is, I'm afraid I can't load windows anymore when messing with TPM...
It's just a 600MB windows.old files.

Thanks anyways.

 

[R0H1T]

I don't seem to have bitlocker on this laptop.
Anyways, I guess I'll leave it as is, I'm afraid I can't load windows anymore when messing with TPM...
It's just a 600MB windows.old files.

Thanks anyways.

Try unlocker, I believe it works even with win10.

 

[jboydgolfer]

im never too great with these storage related issues, but when i get into one of these "system locked" scenarios, i usually mount the drive in question as an external in a dock, using another PC, i excise the file/folder in question. not sure as to weather or not thats possible here, but it usually works for situations i get myself into.

 

[P4-630]

im never too great with these storage related issues, but when i get into one of these "system locked" scenarios, i usually mount the drive in question as an external in a dock, using another PC, i excise the file/folder in question. not sure as to weather or not thats possible here, but it usually works for situations i get myself into.

Yeah I would do such as well usually but in this case it's an M.2 SSD and I think because of the TPM the files would be encrypted or so or you'll get no access I think.

But as I said I'll just leave it as is then, it's a 256GB M.2 SSD and the windows.old leftovers that I can't delete are just 600MB.

@CAPSLOCKSTUCK that 30 days is with a windows 10 upgrade, I think you mean that. This new laptop came with windows 10.

 

[RejZoR]

Hold shift and click on RESTART button in Start menu. Go to Troubleshooting menu and use Command line prompt (I think, speaking from head).

Use:
rd windows.old /s

Confirm and it'll delete it. Boot back into Windows and that's it.

All other methods are hit and miss and often refuse to work (like taking over the folder ownership).

 

[natr0n]

make a .reg file using this, right click folder, then take ownership, delete

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"

 

[Devon68]

Interesting I just hit delete and it does the trick. It sometimes asks for administrative privileges but I just click ok so it does delete it.

 

[P4-630]

Interesting I just hit delete and it does the trick. It sometimes asks for administrative privileges but I just click ok so it does delete it.

It's because of the TPM (Trusted Platform Module) on this laptop.
"Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is an international standard for a secure cryptoprocessor,
which is a dedicated microcontroller designed to secure hardware by integrating cryptographic keys into devices.
TPM's technical specification was written by a computer industry consortium called Trusted Computing Group (TCG)"

 

[R00kie]

It's because of the TPM (Trusted Platform Module) on this laptop.
"Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is an international standard for a secure cryptoprocessor,
which is a dedicated microcontroller designed to secure hardware by integrating cryptographic keys into devices.
TPM's technical specification was written by a computer industry consortium called Trusted Computing Group (TCG)"

TPM is on half of decent motherboards as well, it does nothing until you set it up.

 

[P4-630]

Ok, got the windows.old folder removed today, this after a large update about a week ago, it seemed to replaced the 600mb windows.old folder with new files since the windows.old folder was about 19GB now...
But was able to remove it completely now with the windows disk cleanup.