diff --git a/projects/Windows/.gitignore b/projects/Windows/.gitignore
index f32b8558a2..23ef635062 100644
--- a/projects/Windows/.gitignore
+++ b/projects/Windows/.gitignore
@@ -2,9 +2,6 @@
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: curl
 
-*.ncb
-*.opensdf
-*.sdf
-*.suo
-*.user
-*.vcxproj
+VC10/
+VC11/
+VC12/
diff --git a/projects/Windows/tmpl/README.txt b/projects/Windows/tmpl/README.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..08b2908a20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/Windows/tmpl/README.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+The files in this directory are not meant to be opened with Visual Studio.
+
+This directory contains template files that are used to generate project files
+for legacy versions of Visual Studio 2010, 2012 and 2013. To generate the
+files run generate.bat in the projects directory and refer to that directory's
+README.
diff --git a/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl-all.sln b/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl-all.sln
index 66c6d0f2f9..8f6afd4e13 100644
--- a/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl-all.sln
+++ b/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl-all.sln
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version $FORMATVER
-# Visual Studio $FORMATYEAR
 Project("{8BC9CEB8-8B4A-11D0-8D11-00A0C91BC942}") = "curl", "src\curl.vcxproj", "{5228E9CE-A216-422F-A5E6-58E95E2DD71D}"
 	ProjectSection(ProjectDependencies) = postProject
 		{DA6F56B4-06A4-441D-AD70-AC5A7D51FADB} = {DA6F56B4-06A4-441D-AD70-AC5A7D51FADB}
diff --git a/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl.sln b/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl.sln
index 01c07e4ffa..7e50eed99d 100644
--- a/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl.sln
+++ b/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl.sln
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version $FORMATVER
-# Visual Studio $FORMATYEAR
 Project("{8BC9CEB8-8B4A-11D0-8D11-00A0C91BC942}") = "curl", "curl.vcxproj", "{5228E9CE-A216-422F-A5E6-58E95E2DD71D}"
 EndProject
 Global
diff --git a/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl.vcxproj.tmpl b/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl.vcxproj
similarity index 100%
rename from projects/Windows/tmpl/curl.vcxproj.tmpl
rename to projects/Windows/tmpl/curl.vcxproj
diff --git a/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl.vcxproj.filters b/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl.vcxproj.filters
index 0d9d4d5fef..793a698a45 100644
--- a/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl.vcxproj.filters
+++ b/projects/Windows/tmpl/curl.vcxproj.filters
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<Project ToolsVersion="$TOOLSVER" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
+<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
   <ItemGroup>
     <Filter Include="Source Files">
       <UniqueIdentifier>{4FC737F1-C7A5-4376-A066-2A32D752A2FF}</UniqueIdentifier>
-      <Extensions>cpp;c;cc;cxx;def;odl;idl;hpj;bat;asm;asmx</Extensions>
+      <Extensions>c</Extensions>
     </Filter>
     <Filter Include="Header Files">
       <UniqueIdentifier>{93995380-89BD-4b04-88EB-625FBE52EBFB}</UniqueIdentifier>
-      <Extensions>h;hh;hpp;hxx;hm;inl;inc;xsd</Extensions>
+      <Extensions>h</Extensions>
     </Filter>
     <Filter Include="Resource Files">
       <UniqueIdentifier>{67DA6AB6-F800-4c08-8B7A-83BB121AAD01}</UniqueIdentifier>
-      <Extensions>rc;ico;cur;bmp;dlg;rc2;rct;bin;rgs;gif;jpg;jpeg;jpe;resx;tiff;tif;png;wav;mfcribbon-ms</Extensions>
+      <Extensions>rc</Extensions>
     </Filter>
   </ItemGroup>
 </Project>
diff --git a/projects/Windows/tmpl/libcurl.sln b/projects/Windows/tmpl/libcurl.sln
index ef31025f83..2eeb679dbc 100644
--- a/projects/Windows/tmpl/libcurl.sln
+++ b/projects/Windows/tmpl/libcurl.sln
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version $FORMATVER
-# Visual Studio $FORMATYEAR
 Project("{8BC9CEB8-8B4A-11D0-8D11-00A0C91BC942}") = "libcurl", "libcurl.vcxproj", "{DA6F56B4-06A4-441D-AD70-AC5A7D51FADB}"
 EndProject
 Global
diff --git a/projects/Windows/tmpl/libcurl.vcxproj.tmpl b/projects/Windows/tmpl/libcurl.vcxproj
similarity index 100%
rename from projects/Windows/tmpl/libcurl.vcxproj.tmpl
rename to projects/Windows/tmpl/libcurl.vcxproj
diff --git a/projects/Windows/tmpl/libcurl.vcxproj.filters b/projects/Windows/tmpl/libcurl.vcxproj.filters
index 0d9d4d5fef..793a698a45 100644
--- a/projects/Windows/tmpl/libcurl.vcxproj.filters
+++ b/projects/Windows/tmpl/libcurl.vcxproj.filters
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<Project ToolsVersion="$TOOLSVER" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
+<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
   <ItemGroup>
     <Filter Include="Source Files">
       <UniqueIdentifier>{4FC737F1-C7A5-4376-A066-2A32D752A2FF}</UniqueIdentifier>
-      <Extensions>cpp;c;cc;cxx;def;odl;idl;hpj;bat;asm;asmx</Extensions>
+      <Extensions>c</Extensions>
     </Filter>
     <Filter Include="Header Files">
       <UniqueIdentifier>{93995380-89BD-4b04-88EB-625FBE52EBFB}</UniqueIdentifier>
-      <Extensions>h;hh;hpp;hxx;hm;inl;inc;xsd</Extensions>
+      <Extensions>h</Extensions>
     </Filter>
     <Filter Include="Resource Files">
       <UniqueIdentifier>{67DA6AB6-F800-4c08-8B7A-83BB121AAD01}</UniqueIdentifier>
-      <Extensions>rc;ico;cur;bmp;dlg;rc2;rct;bin;rgs;gif;jpg;jpeg;jpe;resx;tiff;tif;png;wav;mfcribbon-ms</Extensions>
+      <Extensions>rc</Extensions>
     </Filter>
   </ItemGroup>
 </Project>
diff --git a/projects/generate.bat b/projects/generate.bat
index 14e57d257b..3aebff183e 100644
--- a/projects/generate.bat
+++ b/projects/generate.bat
@@ -109,14 +109,14 @@ rem
 :generate_proj
   echo.
   echo Generating %1 project files
-  md Windows\%1\lib
-  md Windows\%1\src
+  if not exist Windows\%1\lib md Windows\%1\lib
+  if not exist Windows\%1\src md Windows\%1\src
   call :generate %1 Windows\tmpl\curl-all.sln            Windows\%1\curl-all.sln
   call :generate %1 Windows\tmpl\curl.sln                Windows\%1\src\curl.sln
-  call :generate %1 Windows\tmpl\curl.vcxproj.tmpl       Windows\%1\src\curl.vcxproj
+  call :generate %1 Windows\tmpl\curl.vcxproj            Windows\%1\src\curl.vcxproj
   call :generate %1 Windows\tmpl\curl.vcxproj.filters    Windows\%1\src\curl.vcxproj.filters
   call :generate %1 Windows\tmpl\libcurl.sln             Windows\%1\lib\libcurl.sln
-  call :generate %1 Windows\tmpl\libcurl.vcxproj.tmpl    Windows\%1\lib\libcurl.vcxproj
+  call :generate %1 Windows\tmpl\libcurl.vcxproj         Windows\%1\lib\libcurl.vcxproj
   call :generate %1 Windows\tmpl\libcurl.vcxproj.filters Windows\%1\lib\libcurl.vcxproj.filters
 
   exit /B
@@ -125,10 +125,16 @@ rem Main project clean function.
 rem
 rem %1 - version
 rem
-:generate_proj
+:clean_proj
   echo.
   echo Removing %1 project files
-  rd /Q /S Windows\%1
+  call :clean Windows\%1\curl-all.sln
+  call :clean Windows\%1\src\curl.sln
+  call :clean Windows\%1\src\curl.vcxproj
+  call :clean Windows\%1\src\curl.vcxproj.filters
+  call :clean Windows\%1\lib\libcurl.sln
+  call :clean Windows\%1\lib\libcurl.vcxproj
+  call :clean Windows\%1\lib\libcurl.vcxproj.filters
 
   exit /B
 
@@ -150,29 +156,25 @@ rem
   )
 
   set "S01=$FORMATVER"
-  set "S02=$FORMATYEAR"
-  set "S03=$PLATFORMTOOLSET"
-  set "S04=$SUBDIR"
-  set "S05=$TOOLSVER"
+  set "S02=$PLATFORMTOOLSET"
+  set "S03=$SUBDIR"
+  set "S04=$TOOLSVER"
 
   if "%1" == "VC10" (
-    set "R01=11.0"
-    set "R02=2010"
-    set "R03=v100"
-    set "R04=VC10"
-    set "R05=4.0"
+    set "R01=11.00"
+    set "R02=v100"
+    set "R03=VC10"
+    set "R04=4.0"
   ) else if "%1%" == "VC11" (
-    set "R01=12.0"
-    set "R02=2012"
-    set "R03=v110"
-    set "R04=VC11"
-    set "R05=4.0"
+    set "R01=12.00"
+    set "R02=v110"
+    set "R03=VC11"
+    set "R04=4.0"
   ) else if "%1%" == "VC12" (
-    set "R01=12.0"
-    set "R02=2013"
-    set "R03=v120"
-    set "R04=VC12"
-    set "R05=12.0"
+    set "R01=12.00"
+    set "R02=v120"
+    set "R03=VC12"
+    set "R04=12.0"
   )
 
   echo * %CD%\%3
@@ -183,7 +185,6 @@ rem
     set "var=!var:%S02%=%R02%!"
     set "var=!var:%S03%=%R03%!"
     set "var=!var:%S04%=%R04%!"
-    set "var=!var:%S05%=%R05%!"
 
     set "var=!var:*:=!"