BleepingComputer.com: is it safe to uninstall the "windows old" file after re-installing vista?

I had to re-install windows vista after various malware/trojans/worms got the better of laptop.

I have managed to install anti-virus, firewall and spyware programs that would not install previously but vista created a "Windows old" file when it re-installed and my firewall keeps telling me i have risks within this file, these are;

unclassified malware (ID = 0x7e8f30) C:\Windows.old\users\..........keygen.exe
unclassified malware (ID = 0x7e92e8) C:\Windows.old\Windows\downloaded Program Files\ f3 initialsetup1.0.1.1inf
Trojware.Win32.Trojan.TDSS.~K(ID = 0xae5ee6) C:\Windows.old\Windows\System32\gaopdxvidfxtuvigyuydirvemkpmxcjj

Basicaly the question I'm asking, is it ok to delete this file (Windows.old) from my system or will vista still depend on this file for some of the OS files?

All seems to be ok since I re-instaled vista so I would rely like to delete the old rubbish that was left over

Thanks

Hi

The C:\Windows.old folder holds, amoungst other things, your old documents and settings. If you had already backed them up then you can delete the folder. To see how to do this, follow this link. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933212

If, however, there are still some old files you want to retrieve from the previous installation then follow this link first. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933209

Thanks Steve

Very helpfull and all sorted.

Excellent