Windows 10 Tidying up after upgrading to new build.

kemical · Oct 25, 2014

At a basic level choosing to upgrade to the next build in Windows 10 Tech Preview is almost like an upgrade to a new os. This leaves behind such folders as windows.old which usually contain files that were used in your previous version of Windows.

If like me you use an SSD then every GB is precious and so once your sure your system is as it should be you can always reclaim this disk space back by running Disk clean. I prefer to use a slightly different version which is a lot more thorough.
Open an admin command prompt and type:
cleanmgr/sageset:1
Press enter and a Disk clean set up box will appear but this time their are many more check boxes than the original and one does have to careful on what you choose. Probably the worst outcome is that you may not be able to uninstall a certain update so be careful what you pick. Once you've made your choices click ok and the box will disappear. To actually run the Disk clean app you've now created you need to type in a admin command prompt:
cleanmgr/sagerun:1
Press enter and the new Disk Clean app will cycle..
You don't have to set it up again and can run the app whenever you type the last command.

davidhk129 · Oct 25, 2014

bassfisher6522 said:
Have you actually used that method and does it remove the "windows.old" folder?

Yes. 3 times.

davehc · Oct 25, 2014

I think that could be the same as right clicking the disk clean up in the start menu, and running as Admin?

davidhk129 · Oct 25, 2014

In the interest of providing different choices for the same task to users, I would like to suggest Ccleaner.
I am not sure if the older version has the same option. I am using 4.18 version.
CCleaner can help removing windows.old by............

Open Ccleaner > left side, make sure it is on Windows tab > scroll down to Advanced > check "Old Windows installation" > click Analyze > when that is done, click Run cleaner.

Edit : current CCleaner version is 4.19

Jimbo22 · Oct 25, 2014

Cool davidhk129....I didn't know. Thanks.

Jimbo22 · Oct 25, 2014

Have you actually used that method and does it remove the "windows.old" folder?

davidhk129 · Oct 25, 2014

bassfisher6522 said:
Have you actually used that method and does it remove the "windows.old" folder?

Yes. 3 times.

davidhk129 · Oct 25, 2014

Here are the screenshots from my latest after I installed Win 10 TP 9860 over my Win 8.1.1 Pro on a 6 yrs. old laptop.

Saltgrass · Oct 25, 2014

Has anyone yet done a Reset back to Build 9841? I assume the Reset will leave you with none of any prior OS. But maybe the Windows.old folder might be used to restore such information??

Kemical, you know they make SSDs now up to 1 TB ....

kemical · Oct 25, 2014

Damn... So all I had to do was buy a bigger SSD and use CCleaner... Well I guess that told me...

Jimbo22 · Oct 25, 2014

kemical said:
Damn... So all I had to do was buy a bigger SSD and use CCleaner... Well I guess that told me...

ROFLMAO...

Jimbo22 · Oct 25, 2014

Just did mine through Ccleaner.....C drive went from 70.5 GB to 74.1 GB. Worked like a charm.

davehc · Oct 25, 2014

Well, bearing in mind it is for testing, I went the whole way and ran the Ccleaner regclean option. Worked like a charm with no visible ill effects - yet!

kemical · Nov 2, 2014

I've stopped using Ccleaner 4.19 for the latest build (9860). Everytime I use it it screws with my folders. The picture folder when viewed after using ccleaner won't show the pictures in the thumbnail it just shows an icon. The picture will show if clicked on but obviously you don't know what anything is unless you have a very good memory.
At first i thought it was this and that and finally after some effort I tracked it down to this new version of Ccleaner. I don't know if this is happening to anyone else but I've stopped using it. I haven't tested the previous version yet but will at some point.

davehc · Nov 2, 2014

Have you tried a few of the options, Ross? I am thinking here:

kemical · Nov 2, 2014

Not yet Dave. All I've done so far is determine it's Ccleaner which is the culprit. I'm gonna stop using it for now and just stick with Disk clean. Perhaps in a few days i might have another look at it but currently I'm just glad my os is running right..

davehc · Nov 2, 2014

Agreed. Have a look around the system first, The add ons we can play with later.

davidhk129 · Nov 2, 2014

kemical said:
Not yet Dave. All I've done so far is determine it's Ccleaner which is the culprit. I'm gonna stop using it for now and just stick with Disk clean. Perhaps in a few days i might have another look at it but currently I'm just glad my os is running right..

Since I did not have pictures in my Pictures folder, I didn't realize that.
Yes. Ccleaner turns picture folders to icons instead of thumbnails.

I experimented this.....
Under Windows Explorer of Ccleaner, UN-check thumbnail cache.
That seems to stop picture folders from showing icons instead of thumbnails.

P.S. my other laptop running Win 7 does not have this problem when running Ccleaner.
Perhaps another "thing" about Win 10 TP.

kemical · Nov 2, 2014

Phew thought it was just me.. Plus Kudos for testing..

Edit: Just to add, I wonder if it's this version only as apparently this version was supposed to be Windows 10 Tech preview compatible and i'm sure the last version didn't do the same in the first build of win 10.

davidhk129 · Nov 2, 2014

4.18 version does the same thing on build 9860. Just tested it. Icons only.
It is the Win 10 TP "thing".

Don't have build 9841 to test it.
I could install 9841 in another laptop, but I decided not.

kemical · Nov 2, 2014

Don't blame you... but thanks for at least checking 4.18.. Saves me a job..

Windows 10 Tidying up after upgrading to new build.

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