Copy/Move Windows.old Folder to External Hard Drive

Overview

Every time when you re-When installing or upgrading Windows 10, the operating system creates a Windows.old folder that holds a copy of your previous Windows installation, including user profiles, programs, settings, and personal files. If something goes wrong, you can restore Windows.old to go back to the previous version without reinstalling everything. To protect this folder from data loss, it's essential to move or copy it to an external hard drive, which we'll outline in simple steps.

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Why You Need to Backup or Move windows.Old to External Drive

The Windows.old folder is not always present on your computer, as it is automatically deleted by Microsoft after a certain period of time. Specifically, it is kept for 10 days since your last Windows installation, down from 30 days previously. This is done to free up disk space, as the folder takes up a significant amount of space and can cause low disk space issues. In some cases, you may also choose to delete the Windows.old folder manually when running disk cleanup tools to free up space by deleting system files.

When you lose the Windows.old folder, which contains a backup of your previous system, you can't revert to the previous system without risking data loss. To avoid this, it's recommended to move or copy the Windows.old folder to another drive, such as an external drive, to keep and back up the folder for a long time.

Backup windows.old to External Drive with Qiling File Backup Software

To backup windows.old safely and easily, Qiling Windows backup software is the best choice. This software can backup files, folders, system, applications, partitions, and disks for Windows 10/8.1/8/7, making it simple to copy or move the windows.old folder to another drive, external hard disk, USB flash drive, SD card, or external storage device. Its advanced and flexible backup features, combined with an intuitive interface, make the process straightforward and hassle-free.