Although it is not yet available to everyone, Microsoft already allows the most adventurous to test, thanks to its Insider program, its new operating system: Windows 11 . This new OS comes packed with cosmetic changes, being one of the biggest changes (for the better, we suppose) in the history of the operating system. Also, it will be a free update for all users who already have a working Windows 10 license. However, if you are one of those adventurers and you are going to have your first contact with this new operating system, this is what you should not do under any circumstances.
The Windows.old folder is sacred
When we install a new version of Windows 10 (for example, going from 1909 to 2004), the update wizard itself creates a copy of our current operating system inside a folder called “Windows.old”. If something goes wrong, or we have problems both during the update and after updating, thanks to this folder we will be able to revert the changes, go back, and leave our PC as it was before updating.
The problem with this folder is that it can occupy up to 20 GB or 30 GB, a more than considerable size that many users cannot afford. And that leads them to delete the folder to free up space.
If we have installed the current build of Windows 11 on the PC we must know that we are using a development version, with bugs and potential problems that can even prevent us from working normally. For this reason, we must be especially careful with the Windows.old folder since, although it takes up a lot of disk space, it is our only exit ticket to return to Windows 10 without formatting or losing data.
Be careful, we must also take one thing into account: if we install the Windows 11 Insider build, and later install a new one, we will not be able to go back to Windows 10, since the content of this folder will be overwritten. In the same way that we will only have about 10 days to regret and uninstall Windows 11 or, otherwise, we can only move on.
Other tips to avoid problems
If you are thinking of trying Windows 10, in addition to taking special care with that folder to be able to revert the changes if there are problems, we can also take into account a series of tips that can help us mitigate these problems.
The first one is that we must make sure we have enough free space on the hard drive . Windows 11 is quite demanding in terms of free space, and one of the main problems that we can find is precisely because of this. Therefore, if we are going to test this new OS, we recommend that you have at least 64 GB free on the SSD.
Of course, the new OS comes with Windows Defender, Microsoft’s antivirus. However, there are many users who prefer to install a standalone antivirus for more complete protection. Antiviruses have not yet been prepared for the new Windows 11 , and, for this reason, they can give us many problems. Therefore, if you are going to test the new OS, it is best to let Windows Defender take care of its security.
Lastly, little by little the programs are updated to be able to work in the new Windows 11, although the process is quite slow. Many outdated programs are sure to work without problems, but to avoid errors and other problems it is best to make sure we have the latest versions of the software . Only then can we fully enjoy everything the new 11 has to offer.
