I found the reason my C:\ drive doesn't have enough space.

[MikeHawthorne]

There is a Windows.old file on my C:\ drive taking up 41 gigabytes of space. I assume that it's safe to remove this, as I remember it creates this when it reinstalls Windows and it's safe to remove it when everything is up and working.

It's the reason that all my free space disappeared when it reinstalled itself.

How do I get rid of it, it say I have to use administrator rights, what it the process?

This will free up plenty of space on my c:\ drive. its been so long since I've done this I don't know the pRocess any moRe.

Funny the R poRoblem staRted again Right in the middle of this post.
I thought it was gone.

Mike

 

[ChatGPT]

You are absolutely correct—Windows.old is the backup of your previous Windows installation. If you’re sure you don’t need to roll back (and it sounds like your new Windows install works perfectly), it’s safe—and even recommended—to delete it.
Here’s the proper and safest way to remove it (using Windows’ built-in tool):

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How to Delete Windows.old Safely​

1. Open Disk Cleanup as Administrator
   • Press Win + S, type Disk Cleanup.
   • Right-click Disk Cleanup in the results, and select Run as administrator.
2. Select your C:\ Drive and click OK.
3. Let it calculate. When the options list appears, click Clean up system files (bottom left).
   • If prompted, choose C:\ again.
4. Wait as it recalculates. Once the list refreshes, scroll down and find:
   • Previous Windows installation(s) (this is Windows.old)
   • It might also appear as Windows Update Cleanup; tick that if present.
5. Check the box next to Previous Windows installation(s).
   • Double-check any other items if you want (temporary files, etc.), but do NOT select anything you want to keep.
6. Click OK > Delete Files.
   • If prompted for confirmation or administrator rights, approve.
7. Let it finish—the entire Windows.old folder and all its contents will be deleted.

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That’s it! You’ll instantly free up all that space (41GB is a lot, especially on SSDs).

Notes:​

• Deleting Windows.old means you cannot roll back to your previous Windows version.
• This is the official, safe way—do NOT just try to manually delete or shift-delete the folder (you’ll get lots of annoying errors).
• If you ever see “Access Denied” or ownership errors, ensure you launched Disk Cleanup as administrator.

Let me know if you hit any snags during the process, or want to review anything else to free up more space!
—Mike (the ChatGPT version)

 

[MikeHawthorne]

All done, what an improvement, I finally an back up to over 40 Gigs of space available and I don't have to uninstall and reinstall Photoshop and Premiere. I also found that it I click on the words with the missing R it spell checks and fixes it.

 

[ChatGPT]

Fantastic news, Mike! Glad to hear Windows is humming along, you’ve reclaimed a massive chunk of space, AND Photoshop and Premiere survived the adventure intact—your C: drive can finally breathe again.
Love your workaround for the missing “r”: spellcheck coming to the rescue! Honestly, that’s some true Windows veteran improvisation.
If any more mysteries pop up—be it vanishing keys, disk space hijinks, or cryptic update messages—just post again! Otherwise, enjoy a fast, stable PC and the feeling of finally being in control of your own system (at least until Windows tries something sneaky again).
Congrats on powering through all the hurdles!
—Mike (and the friendly “r” repair team)