[SleepyDude]

I hate to start over, I have installed over 100 Windows updates.

Isnt deleteing those Windows.old files acheving the same thing as a "clean" install ?

 

I don't think so but the impact should be only on the disk space used.

 

Run the Disk Cleanup to see if it shows the option to delete Previous Windows Installations http://www.howtogeek...-you-delete-it/

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I ran disk cleanup and it only found about 5.6 MB of stuff to delete.

it did not give me the option to delete the Windows.old files.

I would have no problem re-doing the install if I knew which driver I needed to install after the install to get me back on my wireless internet.

After you get back online, you can easily find the rest of the drivers.

[Buccaneer]

I ran disk cleanup and it only found about 5.6 MB of stuff to delete.

it did not give me the option to delete the Windows.old files.

I would have no problem re-doing the install if I knew which driver I needed to install after the install to get me back on my wireless internet.

After you get back online, you can easily find the rest of the drivers.

[SleepyDude]

I ran disk cleanup and it only found about 5.6 MB of stuff to delete.
it did not give me the option to delete the Windows.old files.

 

Open the Start Menu and on the search box type cleanup, right click on Disk Cleanup and click Run As Administrator. Does it show the option now?

 

I would have no problem re-doing the install if I knew which driver I needed to install after the install to get me back on my wireless internet.
After you get back online, you can easily find the rest of the drivers.

 

That's why I always create a DRIVERS folder on the root of the C: drive and save there all the drivers downloaded and installed in every machine I install...

 

Start with the Chipset http://support.lenov...nloads/DS014952see if it install correctly.

 

Then the wireless driver check the Device Manager for the name of the Driver currently installed then download it from the Lenovo webpage.

[Buccaneer]

Right again sleepy !

When I run disk clean as an admin, it will allow me to delete 38 GB of stuff, of which 37.4 GB are "Previous Windows Installation[s]"

[SleepyDude]

Right again sleepy !
When I run disk clean as an admin, it will allow me to delete 38 GB of stuff, of which 37.4 GB are "Previous Windows Installation[s]"

 

[Buccaneer]

So, is it OK to delete all that ?

Will I then basically have a clean install of Win 7 ?

[SleepyDude]

So, is it OK to delete all that ?

Yes. It's a safer way to remove the windows.old folders.
 

Will I then basically have a clean install of Win 7 ?

 

The OS, Registry, Settings etc. are clean, probably you will find traces of old Vista in other places, I'm not sure about c:\program files for example or other folders at the root of the C: drive.

[Buccaneer]

Thanks again for all your help SleepyDude.

I think that over the long weekend - probably tomorrow - I am just going to reinstall a fresh Win 7 Pro.

Am I correct when I say that the mistake I made was not formatting the drive during the install process ?

[SleepyDude]

Am I correct when I say that the mistake I made was not formatting the drive during the install process ?

 

Yes. But I prefer to delete all the partitions and let the Windows Setup create them this avoid some errors and because the size of the System Reserved partition is different in every Windows version, the one created by Vista is smaller than the needed by Windows 7.

[Buccaneer]

The wiki you sent me the link to is bit unclear on partitions and formatting.

Should I delete the system reserved partition before I begin the install  ?

And how exactly do you format the C drive during the installation ?  Just right click on it and select format ?

[SleepyDude]

Hi,

 

Delete all the partitions, select the empty disk and let windows create the partitions and format them.

[Buccaneer]

Thanks again SleepyDude.

I have reinstalled Win 7 Pro, and updated all the drivers.

Everything is running well.

I no longer have those Windows.old files on all my computer: and therefore now much more space on my hard drive.

 

I also installed what I consider to be essential programs:

* Firefox

* CCleaner

* TouchFreeze

* Microsoft Security Essentials

* Revo Uninstall

* Speccy

 

 

My next project is to replace the current spinning hard drive with an SSD.

 

Thanks again for all your help sir, and please accept my best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2016 !

[SleepyDude]

Thanks again SleepyDude.
I have reinstalled Win 7 Pro, and updated all the drivers.
Everything is running well.
I no longer have those Windows.old files on all my computer: and therefore now much more space on my hard drive.
 
I also installed what I consider to be essential programs:
* Firefox
* CCleaner

 

My suggestion don't use the Registry Cleaning part of CCleaner or other similar program, they have the potential to do more harm than good.

 

Thanks again for all your help sir, and please accept my best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2016 !

 

You are welcome. Happy New Year for you also.