How to remove old Windows XP directory?

[Tom Tessier]

Hello,

I've reinstalled Windows XP into a fresh directory leaving my existing
Windows directory. i.e., I selected a new name for the install directory.
All worked well but now I want to delete the original "Windows" directory.
I've edited the boot.ini so it doesn't show the option to boot to either and
now it just boot to my new install. When I try to delete the windows
directory (the old one) Windows won't let me. It's 14 gig and I want to free
the space. Is there a way to delete it safely?

TIA

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hello,

I've reinstalled Windows XP into a fresh directory leaving my existing
Windows directory. i.e., I selected a new name for the install directory.
All worked well but now I want to delete the original "Windows" directory.
I've edited the boot.ini so it doesn't show the option to boot to either and
now it just boot to my new install. When I try to delete the windows
directory (the old one) Windows won't let me. It's 14 gig and I want to free
the space. Is there a way to delete it safely?

TIA

If Windows won't let you delete the old directory then it's
perhaps not the old directory you're trying to delete but
the current one! Do this in order to get some clarity on the
issue:
- Start a Command Prompt (Start / Run / cmd {OK})
- Type these commands:
echo %SystemRoot% > c:\test.txt
dir c:\win* >> c:\test.txt
type c:\boot.ini >> c:\test.txt
notepad c:\test.txt

Now paste the contents of c:\test.txt into your reply so
that we can see what's going on.

 

[Tom Tessier]

If Windows won't let you delete the old directory then it's
perhaps not the old directory you're trying to delete but
the current one! Do this in order to get some clarity on the
issue:
- Start a Command Prompt (Start / Run / cmd {OK})
- Type these commands:
echo %SystemRoot% > c:\test.txt
dir c:\win* >> c:\test.txt
type c:\boot.ini >> c:\test.txt
notepad c:\test.txt

Now paste the contents of c:\test.txt into your reply so
that we can see what's going on.

Hi,

Sorry, your commands didn't work. I probably misunderstood what you meant. I
tried in several ways with those same commands in a DOS window but no dice.

I'm sure I installed into a different directory other than the one I want to
delete. As it is now, some files were deleted within the "Window" directory
but others will not delete. In any case, I just want to delete them. They
are not part of the new install and if there is a program using them, I'll
get over it if it's erased.

Thanks.

Ben

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hi,

Sorry, your commands didn't work. I probably misunderstood what you meant. I
tried in several ways with those same commands in a DOS window but no dice.

I'm sure I installed into a different directory other than the one I want to
delete. As it is now, some files were deleted within the "Window" directory
but others will not delete. In any case, I just want to delete them. They
are not part of the new install and if there is a program using them, I'll
get over it if it's erased.

Thanks.

Ben

Your reply "Sorry, your commands didn't work" does not
tell me a great deal and I'm not prepared to advise you what
do unless you can tell us more about your system. You need
to be far more specific in your reply:

- How far did you get with the commands I suggested?
- What error message(s) did you get?

 

[Tom Tessier]

Your reply "Sorry, your commands didn't work" does not
tell me a great deal and I'm not prepared to advise you what
do unless you can tell us more about your system. You need
to be far more specific in your reply:

- How far did you get with the commands I suggested?
- What error message(s) did you get?

First command: "Windows cannot find command Echo"... On and on.

I went to "Start" then "Run" then typed in "echo %SystemRoot%" as you
described in your first message. no worky worky and the rely I got from XP
is as I described.

Ben

 

[Tom Tessier]

First command: "Windows cannot find command Echo"... On and on.

I went to "Start" then "Run" then typed in "echo %SystemRoot%" as you
described in your first message. no worky worky and the rely I got from XP
is as I described.

Ben

I'm sorry. I didn't follow your directions exactly. I re-read it and it did
work as you described.

Here is what I got in return:
C:\WIN2
Volume in drive C is DISK1_VOL1
Volume Serial Number is 4CB1-C21E

Directory of c:\

03/26/2006 04:46 PM <DIR> WIN2
03/26/2006 02:52 PM <DIR> Windows
12/26/2005 05:32 PM 62,424 WinssRec.exe
1 File(s) 62,424 bytes
2 Dir(s) 16,637,079,552 bytes free
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WIN2
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WIN2="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"
/fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn


Thank you!

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

First command: "Windows cannot find command Echo"... On and on.

I went to "Start" then "Run" then typed in "echo %SystemRoot%" as you
described in your first message. no worky worky and the rely I got from XP
is as I described.

Ben

I'm sorry. I didn't follow your directions exactly. I re-read it and it did
work as you described.

Here is what I got in return:
C:\WIN2
Volume in drive C is DISK1_VOL1
Volume Serial Number is 4CB1-C21E

Directory of c:\

03/26/2006 04:46 PM <DIR> WIN2
03/26/2006 02:52 PM <DIR> Windows
12/26/2005 05:32 PM 62,424 WinssRec.exe
1 File(s) 62,424 bytes
2 Dir(s) 16,637,079,552 bytes free
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WIN2
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WIN2="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"
/fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn


Thank you!

You had me wondering there when you reported that the
"echo" command was not recognised by Windows . . .

Anyway, as you reported in your original post, your situation
is like so:

Old Windows installation: c:\Windows
Current Windows installation: c:\Win2

There is no reason why the old installation should be locked,
unless it is a permissions issue. You only said that Windows
would not let you remove the old folder but you did not report
what the actual message was.

Here are a few ways to resolve this issue:

a) Dealing with each file/folder individually:
1. Start a Command Prompt (as before).
2. Type these commands:
cd /d c:\Windows
md c:\Windows.old
move *.* c:\Windows.old
for /d %a in (*.*) do move "%a" c:\Windows.old & pause
Presumably Windows will protest again. Which file or
folder does it have a problem with? What is the exact
error message?

b) Using Safe Mode
1. Press F8 early during the boot phase, then boot into
Safe mode.
2. Rename c:\Windows to c:\Windows.old

c) Using Recovery Console
1. Boot the machine with your WinXP CD.
2. Select Repair, then Recovery Console.
3. Type this command: ren \Windows Windows.old

Now wait two or three days. If all is well, delete c:\Windows.old.