Vista - Cannot remove windows.old from recycle bin c:

Some time ago my computer had problems and I had to reinstall Vista. All the
files in the old system were moved to the Windows.old folder.

To cut a long story short, I had another problem which I solved by going
into safe mode and used the command rd/S to remove all the files in the
Windows.old directory. When I got back to Vista again, I saw that while the
files under the Windows.old directory had been removed, the directory itself
remained, so I just moved it the recycle bin.

A couple of days ago, I wanted to empty the recycle bin but I found that I
couldn't do it; I had to delete the files again. Apparently, as long as
Windows.old is still in the recycle bin, I cannot empty it. The problem is
that I have been unable to do so. In fact I cannot even restore it or move
it to the desktop or anywhere for that matter. It just stays put in the
recycle bin.

I read somewhere that I might need to take ownership of the folder first. I
am not quite sure how to take ownership of a folder, so I downloaded the
Take Ownership registry file here:

http://www.technobeta.com/posts/add-...-context-menu/

However, even after I have installed the TOCM_add.reg registry file, when I
right-click on the Windows.old folder, I didn't see the "Take Ownership"
option. My only choices were Restore, Cut, Delete and Properties. In case it
might be useful, the info as given by Properties is:

Type: File Folder
Origin: C:
Size: 94.5k

I have also tried the methods listed in the link below without any success:

http://www.jimmah.com/vista/Administ...indowsold.aspx

I want to point that there is no more Windows.old in my c: drive. It only
exists in the recycle bin. (I have chosen to display hidden files in the
Folder and Search options; so it's not as if the Windows.old directory is
hidden somewhere.)

Any idea I can banish Windows.old from the recycle bin? Any help would be
much appreciated.

"Shatin" <lk1439-newsgroup@yahoo.com.hk> wrote
> Some time ago my computer had problems and I had to reinstall Vista. All
> the files in the old system were moved to the Windows.old folder.
>
> To cut a long story short, I had another problem which I solved by going
> into safe mode and used the command rd/S to remove all the files in the
> Windows.old directory. When I got back to Vista again, I saw that while
> the files under the Windows.old directory had been removed, the directory
> itself remained, so I just moved it the recycle bin.
>
> A couple of days ago, I wanted to empty the recycle bin but I found that I
> couldn't do it; I had to delete the files again. Apparently, as long as
> Windows.old is still in the recycle bin, I cannot empty it. The problem is
> that I have been unable to do so. In fact I cannot even restore it or move
> it to the desktop or anywhere for that matter. It just stays put in the
> recycle bin.
>
> I read somewhere that I might need to take ownership of the folder first.
> I am not quite sure how to take ownership of a folder, so I downloaded the
> Take Ownership registry file here:
>
> http://www.technobeta.com/posts/add-...-context-menu/
>
> However, even after I have installed the TOCM_add.reg registry file, when
> I right-click on the Windows.old folder, I didn't see the "Take Ownership"
> option. My only choices were Restore, Cut, Delete and Properties. In case
> it might be useful, the info as given by Properties is:
>
> Type: File Folder
> Origin: C:
> Size: 94.5k
>
> I have also tried the methods listed in the link below without any
> success:
>
> http://www.jimmah.com/vista/Administ...indowsold.aspx
>
> I want to point that there is no more Windows.old in my c: drive. It only
> exists in the recycle bin. (I have chosen to display hidden files in the
> Folder and Search options; so it's not as if the Windows.old directory is
> hidden somewhere.)
>
> Any idea I can banish Windows.old from the recycle bin? Any help would be
> much appreciated.
>


You can remove the windows.old folder by using disk clean up. For more
information on how to take ownership, from the Start orb | Help and Support,
search on ownership.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

> You can remove the windows.old folder by using disk clean up.

I have already tried that but it doesn't work.

"Shatin" <lk1439-newsgroup@yahoo.com.hk> wrote
>> You can remove the windows.old folder by using disk clean up.
>
> I have already tried that but it doesn't work.

Ok, so did you do the search for ownership and follow that info.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

"Rock" <Rock@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:u794TpBqHHA.1776@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> Ok, so did you do the search for ownership and follow that info.

Yes. According to the info given, I need to select the Security tab after
clicking Properties. The problem is that because Windows.old is already
inside the recycling bin, there's no Security tab. In fact, the only tab
available now is the General tab.

"Shatin" <lk1439-newsgroup@yahoo.com.hk> wrote in message
news:ukfhpoCqHHA.4388@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>
> "Rock" <Rock@nospam.net> wrote in message
> news:u794TpBqHHA.1776@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>
>> Ok, so did you do the search for ownership and follow that info.
>
> Yes. According to the info given, I need to select the Security tab after
> clicking Properties. The problem is that because Windows.old is already
> inside the recycling bin, there's no Security tab. In fact, the only tab
> available now is the General tab.


Can you first restore it from the recycle bin?

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

"Shatin" wrote
>
> "Rock" <Rock@nospam.net> wrote
>> Ok, so did you do the search for ownership and follow that info.
>
> Yes. According to the info given, I need to select the Security tab after
> clicking Properties. The problem is that because Windows.old is already
> inside the recycling bin, there's no Security tab. In fact, the only tab
> available now is the General tab.

Also what if you turn off the recycle bin for that volume?

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

"Rock" <Rock@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:Oxznd5CqHHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> Can you first restore it from the recycle bin?

No, I can't restore it or move it anywhere. It just stays stubbornly inside
the recycle bin.

"Rock" <Rock@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:u6%231x5CqHHA.596@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> Also what if you turn off the recycle bin for that volume?

Files will get deleted but Windows.old is still there.

Shatin wrote:
>
> "Rock" <Rock@nospam.net> wrote in message
> news:Oxznd5CqHHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>
>> Can you first restore it from the recycle bin?
>
> No, I can't restore it or move it anywhere. It just stays stubbornly
> inside the recycle bin.

Have you tried a System Restore to before you deleted Windows.old? If
not, that would be worth doing. Go to Start Orb and in the Start Search
box type "System Restore" without the quotes. System Restore will appear
in the Programs result. Click on it, allow the UAC prompt, and follow
the wizard.

If System Restore successfully puts Windows.old back where it belonged,
use Disk Cleanup to remove it.

1. Click Start
2. Select All Programs
3. Select Accessories
4. Click System Tools
5. Pick Disc Cleanup
6. Select Files from all users on this computer
7. Confirm the UAC
8. Select the drive that contains your old installation
9. One of the options will be to delete your old installation. Select it
and let the Disc Cleanup Utility do its thing.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User