Solved Files in Windows.Old

[Usama]

A few months ago I got a error I think it said that one of the windows files was missing/corrupt. And it said to recover windows with the disk. So I did that but all my stuff went... well their all their in a folder called Windows Old. But its like a clean install, and I dont know what to do. I dont want to install everything again because its already their.

Anyone know how to sort this out? I want to get my PC like it was before and all the files to be in the right places.

Help Please!!

Thanks

 

[Shadowjk]

First you need to Find your Files in the Windows.old folder and Back them up Immediately

Hope This Helps,
Josh

 

[Brink]

Hello Usama,

It sounds like you did a custom install or repair install of Vista. The Windows.old folder is a copy/backup of all the files from your previous installation. You can copy back files that you want from within this folder back into your new installation where you like (ex: user folders), but you will have to reinstall all of your programs and drivers again. Plus, setup everything again since this is just like a clean install.

 

[Usama]

Thanks

So there is no way of getting it back to the way it was with out installing everything again.

 

[richc46]

If Brink is correct and you did a custom install, his information is correct. You must reinstall programs, etc.
It is not that hard. Do a few at a time or in the case of programs, as you want to use them.

 

[MilesAhead]

Thanks

So there is no way of getting it back to the way it was with out installing everything again.

For future reference, I keep a lot of portable programs in a folder I call C:\Utils. I've done a few custom installs. All the stuff under Program Files will be swept up and put in Windows.old, but all my portable programs were still in C:\Utils. All I had to do was drag shortcuts to start using them just as before.

If you do want to Custom Install in the future, it's nice to have a bunch of hotkey and other utilities you can use right away to get you going.

Also if you want to save the Windows.old folder someplace, don't bother with Explorer drag & drop. There's probably a couple hundred thousand files in there. I used RichCopy. If you google you can find the free download. It was the only file copy utility that I found that handles copying all those files to an external drive over the network without choking or disabling my system. I could keep using my PC while it copied.

Just for future reference. I like Custom installs since "upgrade" installs dont' usually work. Also you still have the lump of stuff in Windows.old to look through if you forget all the programs you had. (Although a more organized way would be use some utility like MyUninstaller that can save an html table with all your installed apps listed.)

 

[Usama]

Thanks, I cant remember what install i did as i did it a while ago now.

But how do i get my HDD space back? Because its like all the programs are still installed and using space but i cant run them or unstill them?

 

[Brink]

No problem Usama. You can use the tutorial below for how to delete the Windows.old folder to regain that HDD space back. Be sure to copy anything you want back from within that folder before you do delete it though.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/240390-windows-old-folder-delete.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[richc46]

This is how you delete windows.old
Remember everything will be gone. You can never see your files, pics etc, again.
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/240390-windows-old-folder-delete.html

 

[richc46]

Just seconds too slow, LOL

 

[Brink]

LOL

 

[Usama]

Thanks again.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Usama. We're glad that we could help.