Windows.old and clean install

[Teme113]

I just installed Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. I used to have Vista Business 32 bit. I did a clean install by booting from the 64 bit installation DVD and selecting the clean install option. Now, I thought that my hard drive would be formatted with this option, but apparently I still have EVERYTHING I used to in this Windows.old folder. I don't understand, was this supposed to happen with a clean install? Since I changed to a 64 bit from a 32 bit I couldn't have done an upgrade even by accident (and the process didn't take several hours, just an hour or so, maybe less).

Should I delete the Windows.old folder? I backed up the stuff I wanted to keep before I began the clean install.

 

[The_Prophecy]

Essentially what you did was a migration. Migration installs are in between clean installs, and in-place upgrades. If there is nothing you need from the previous Vista install, you can delete the Windows.old folder.

 

[Teme113]

Is this migration install a disadvantage compared to a clean one? Can I cut programs from the .old file and paste them elsewhere without problems?

 

[The_Prophecy]

No. Installed apps are not transferred. Migration installs only preserve data, not the applications themselves.

 

[ainarssems]

You should have formatted hdd when installing W7. And it will not let You just delete windows.old folder. You need to take ownership of it first and change permissions.

 

[daship]

Installing right over old windows gives you a windows old folder. If you woulda took a few seconds and deleted, and formatted the old partition, you would not have the issue.

 

[Teme113]

I managed to delete the windows.old contents through disk cleanup.

I thought the only option when switching to a 64 bit OS was a clean install -- that's what I was told here. I wasn't aware these "migration" installs even existed. No harm done, I guess, since I got the 64 bit system like I wanted, the main reason behind getting Win 7 in the first place.

 

[Rubick]

I just did a full, clean install of Windows 7 on a brand-new/formatted hard drive, and still a Windows.old directory was created - but totally empty.
Any explanations for that?
Maybe because I had previously formatted the HDD (by slaving of another PC, to save time)?