Deleting a Windows (Vista) directory that's on another partition

**saturnotaku** · 12-15-08, 12:59 PM

Got an issue that I think you guys can help with. I previously had Vista installed on my 1 TB Hitachi hard drive. I then purchased a pair of 74 GB Raptors and re-installed Windows on that RAID array. The Hitachi then became the backup drive where I've installed my games. I want to delete the Windows directory that's on the Hitachi drive, but that can't be done because I either need permission to do so (despite the fact that I have admin rights) or that files can't be deleted because they're locked.

I tried to remove the directory in safe mode but that didn't work. Aside from a complete format, is there utility that I can use to remove that directory but save all the other data?

Wolfhound · 12-15-08, 01:03 PM

You have UAC activated?, if so deactivate it, reboot and try to delete the folder

**saturnotaku** · 12-15-08, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfhound

You have UAC activated?, if so deactivate it, reboot and try to delete the folder

I had a sneaking suspicion that might be it. Can't try until I get home later, though, but thanks for putting it out there.

Toss3 · 12-15-08, 01:09 PM

Just ask digital_trans he's good at deleting this kind of stuff!

Tr1cK · 12-15-08, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toss3

Just ask digital_trans he's good at deleting this kind of stuff!

Damn! I was going to say the same thing.

einstein_314 · 12-15-08, 01:58 PM

Can you take ownership of them? It's probably that they are still "owned" by your previous account. Which it doesn't think you are. So if you take ownership of the directory (right click on directory > properties > security tab > advanced button at bottom > Owner tab > Edit Button > then pick your user name. That should allow you to delete the files. I had a similar problem once where I backed up all my data, but it also saved the owner info with it, so when I restored the data it wouldn't let me do anything with it because I wasn't the same user as before. Taking ownership fixed that.

**lduguay** · 12-15-08, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by einstein_314

Can you take ownership of them? It's probably that they are still "owned" by your previous account. Which it doesn't think you are. So if you take ownership of the directory (right click on directory > properties > security tab > advanced button at bottom > Owner tab > Edit Button > then pick your user name. That should allow you to delete the files. I had a similar problem once where I backed up all my data, but it also saved the owner info with it, so when I restored the data it wouldn't let me do anything with it because I wasn't the same user as before. Taking ownership fixed that.

+1

Wolfhound · 12-15-08, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by einstein_314

Can you take ownership of them? It's probably that they are still "owned" by your previous account. Which it doesn't think you are. So if you take ownership of the directory (right click on directory > properties > security tab > advanced button at bottom > Owner tab > Edit Button > then pick your user name. That should allow you to delete the files. I had a similar problem once where I backed up all my data, but it also saved the owner info with it, so when I restored the data it wouldn't let me do anything with it because I wasn't the same user as before. Taking ownership fixed that.

Good solution

malachi1313 · 12-15-08, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by einstein_314

Can you take ownership of them? It's probably that they are still "owned" by your previous account. Which it doesn't think you are. So if you take ownership of the directory (right click on directory > properties > security tab > advanced button at bottom > Owner tab > Edit Button > then pick your user name. That should allow you to delete the files. I had a similar problem once where I backed up all my data, but it also saved the owner info with it, so when I restored the data it wouldn't let me do anything with it because I wasn't the same user as before. Taking ownership fixed that.

Thats the key. You have to go into security settings and get Full Control of the folder. Even after that you probably won't get rid of the entire folder without a full format of the partition. You can delete just about everything in the folder but somethings still might linger.

ViN86 · 12-15-08, 10:41 PM

do it outside windows. format the entire partition.

**saturnotaku** · 12-16-08, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ViN86

do it outside windows. format the entire partition.

Looks like that's what will have to be done. Will try to back up my Steam directory to my RAID array, then burn the rest to DVD. After that, will run KillDisk for a low-level format.

einstein_314 · 12-16-08, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saturnotaku

Looks like that's what will have to be done. Will try to back up my Steam directory to my RAID array, then burn the rest to DVD. After that, will run KillDisk for a low-level format.

Did taking ownership not work?? It should have.....

12-15-08, 12:59 PM	#1
saturnotaku Apple user. Deal with it. Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: The 'burbs, IL USA Posts: 12,502	Deleting a Windows (Vista) directory that's on another partition Got an issue that I think you guys can help with. I previously had Vista installed on my 1 TB Hitachi hard drive. I then purchased a pair of 74 GB Raptors and re-installed Windows on that RAID array. The Hitachi then became the backup drive where I've installed my games. I want to delete the Windows directory that's on the Hitachi drive, but that can't be done because I either need permission to do so (despite the fact that I have admin rights) or that files can't be deleted because they're locked. I tried to remove the directory in safe mode but that didn't work. Aside from a complete format, is there utility that I can use to remove that directory but save all the other data?

12-15-08, 01:03 PM	#2
Wolfhound Moving to new home Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Spain Posts: 1,358	Re: Deleting a Windows (Vista) directory that's on another partition You have UAC activated?, if so deactivate it, reboot and try to delete the folder __________________ Intel Quad Core Q6600 @ 3,4 \| 4Gigs (2x2) OCZ Reaper PC-8500 \| Gigabyte P35-DS3R \| Western Digital 500G Caviar SE16 SATA2 NCQ \| Seagate160 Gig 7200.9 SATA NCQ \| Maxtor 300Gig SATA NCQ \| Asus Geforce 260GTX \| Samsung Syncmaster 930BF 19'' \| BeQuiet Straight Power 700W \| Cooler Master CM690 \|Windows Vista x64 SP2 \|Windows XP SP3 [Deceased PSU, no money for new one, stucked with laptop and XBOX 360] Macbook Pro 13': 4gigs \| Core2 Duo 2,53Mhz \| 250Gigs HDD \|geforce 9400M\| aluminium unibody \| Mac OS X 10.6.2 Snow Leopard \|gentoo Linux 2.631 kernel Wolfhound´s Brute: http://wolfhound77.mybrute.com

12-15-08, 01:09 PM	#4
Toss3 .<<o>>. Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Finland Posts: 4,763	Re: Deleting a Windows (Vista) directory that's on another partition Just ask digital_trans he's good at deleting this kind of stuff! __________________ : :Asus Rampage II Gene : : Core i7 920 4011Mhz : : 6Gb 1600Mhz A-Data DDR3 : : Club3D Theatron Agrippa : : Intel 80GB SSD : : 2xSamsung F1 750Gb : : Sapphire 5850 @ 850/1225Mhz : : : :Benq FP241W : : Optoma HD80 Projector + 92" Screen : : Genelec 8020B speakers : : Sony MDR-XB700 Headphones : : Razer Lycosa : : Razer Lachesis : :

12-15-08, 01:58 PM	#6
einstein_314 w00t!! Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 2,905	Re: Deleting a Windows (Vista) directory that's on another partition Can you take ownership of them? It's probably that they are still "owned" by your previous account. Which it doesn't think you are. So if you take ownership of the directory (right click on directory > properties > security tab > advanced button at bottom > Owner tab > Edit Button > then pick your user name. That should allow you to delete the files. I had a similar problem once where I backed up all my data, but it also saved the owner info with it, so when I restored the data it wouldn't let me do anything with it because I wasn't the same user as before. Taking ownership fixed that. __________________ Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 3.2GHz (9 x 355) w/ Swiftec APOGEE GTX Waterblock\|\| Asus P5B-Deluxe WiFi Edition eVGA 8800 GTX Superclocked Edition @ 675/1150 w/ DangerDen 8800GTX Waterblock\|\| 4x1GB Mushkin XP2 PC2-8500 X-Fi Fatal1ty 64MB \|\| PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750W \|\| Seagate 7200.10 320 GB \|\| Dell 2407WFP Logitech Z-5300 Speakers \|\| Sennheiser HD555's \|\| Logitech G7 \|\| Logitech G15 \|\| Windows Vista Ultimate x64

12-15-08, 10:41 PM	#10
ViN86 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 15,486	Re: Deleting a Windows (Vista) directory that's on another partition do it outside windows. format the entire partition.

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