Delete' Windows.old' folder using powershell

  • Delete' Windows.old' folder using powershell

    Posted by Roddy Gelberty on 21 July 2020 at 4:05 pm

    How can I delete the ‘Windows.old’ folder using a PowerShell script. I want to be able to do this after upgrading Windows to the latest version of Windows 10.
    I understand that Windows automatically deletes this folder but I want to be able to clear this space immediately so that other software distribution activities can continue.

    Roddy Gelberty replied 3 years, 9 months ago 3 Members · 2 Replies
  • 2 Replies
  • Topaz George

    Organizer
    21 July 2020 at 8:21 pm

    Hope this helps.

    If(Test-Path -Path($((Get-WmiObject Win32_OperatingSystem).SystemDrive) +"\windows.old"))
    { 
    	New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Previous Installations" -Name "StateFlags1221" -PropertyType DWORD  -Value 2 -Force | Out-Null 
    	cleanmgr /SAGERUN:1221 
    }
    
  • Roddy Gelberty

    Member
    21 July 2020 at 9:02 pm

    A few amendments to Topaz’s answer. use ‘start-process‘ cmdlet to start ‘cleanmgr.exe‘.

    If(Test-Path -Path($((Get-WmiObject Win32_OperatingSystem).SystemDrive) +"\windows.old")){ 	New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Previous Installations" -Name "StateFlags1221" -PropertyType DWORD  -Value 2 -Force | Out-Null 	Start-Process -FilePath "cleanmgr" -ArgumentList /SAGERUN:1221 -Wait -WindowStyle Hidden}

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DCOM hardening issue.

This application fails to authenticate with WMI on the SCCM server because Microsoft has not yet hardened DCOM on their Windows Preinstallation Environment. We are working on a different approach, but it will only be released during the first quarter of 2024. But until that time, the only workaround will be to uninstall the update corresponding to KB5004442.