Force deleting a folder on windows.

[gooberguy]

I have 2 drives, and on the second one i have a program files folder and various other folders from an old windows installation. Whenever I try to delete these folders I get a permission denied message. I've googled endlessley for this and followed all the instructions on how to change permissions on the folders, but it just ends up giving me the same error message on how I need permission from myself to delete this (/sigh)

any ideas on how to fix this ridiculous inane problem?

[freebird73717]

File Unlocker
Works great for folders as well.

After installation you can right click the folder, select delete, then click ok.

[gooberguy]

i actually did try that earlier but for some odd reason the program doesnt work for me. no shell extension is installed and the send to does nothing

[freebird73717]

Works fine for me on xp and win7 home premium. You might have had a bad download or corrupted install of it. Worth the couple of minutes to redownload it and try again.

Alternately you could download a linux live cd and delete it from that.

[edDV]

I usually resort to Linux after chkdsk reboot.

[AlanHK]

Are you logged in as an "Administrator"? If not, you may be be allowed to do such things.

Also found this: How to Delete a System File in Windows 7 or Vista

[Kaizen 32]

Download Puppy Linux, which is a version of Linux that boots off of a CD so that you don't have to install it on your computer. Boot off the CD and find the Windows files you want to get rid of, then just right click and delete them. The reason I recommend Puppy Linux in particular is that some other live Linux discs will not be able to delete the protected Windows files.

[TaranScorp]

I am trying to use File Unlocker on XP and there are about six folders that delete but on next boot XP puts them right back. What do you do with those folders?
Thanks

[greymalkin]

my esp isn't quite what it used to be...care to reveal to us what these 6 folders are?

[Tenacguy]

You might be able to boot in Safe Mode, browse to the folders and delete. Just make sure you do not need the folders.

[TaranScorp]

I have no use for these folders but XP keeps putting em back.

Microsoft frontpage
movie maker
msn gaming zone
netmeeting
outlook express
xerox

[Cornucopia]

I notice that all but one of those is M$. My guess is that the registry tells the OS to recopy those files "because they're needed and very important!" according to M$, regardless of your decision. They're probably being copied from the "All Users" or "Default User" login/space.

A long shot would be a virus that occupied those folders and needed to remain and so re-created itself (also through scripts and the registry).

Scott

[lowellriggsiam]

Use a boot disk and boot into DOS navigate to the root folder and use the command "deltree", ie deltree microsoft frontpage.

[jollyjohn]

Use the command prompt and use DOS commands.

[jollyjohn]

Read this thread:

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/314828-Folder-Won-t-delete?p=1947356#post1947356

[AlanHK]

Use the command prompt and use DOS commands.

Under Windows, the command prompt isn't really DOS, you can't get around Windows that easily.
If you can't delete using the GUI, "del filename" will fail too. Try it.

And as the guy says, Windows will just recreate the directories in question.

It's because Microsoft says these are "critical" files and protects and recreates them if you delete them.

A bit of Googling found this thread: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1026045484
which has some solutions and discussion. There may be side effects.

Also see http://www.tech-archive.net/Archive/WinXP/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/2005-02/26400.html

[nic2k4]

Cornucopia gave you the answer, except for the Xerox folder, these are Windows folders and can't be deleted. They don't take that much space, it's perfectly alright to leave them emtpy. As for the permissions, even if you are admin there is still one user above you, system.