How to delete protected folders, namely OLD Windows folders?

Here's what's going on:
I've installed a new Win10 install few years ago to a different drive then before. The OLD C: drive had some stuff in it so I'm not formatting that but I realize I'm never gonna use that old Win10 install so might as well run it over and clear some room.

Hit a snack.

I've tried Windows Explorer in few ways but my current Win10 install doesn't like me to get rid of the old install in different drive. So I googled some and tried various methods in CMD Admin such as rmdir /s /q and all that fun stuff - no dice, access denied.

So I'm looking for a solution to get rid of this folder without installing third party apps or rebooting the system in compromised mode, such as safe mode which presumably could work but then again, it might do bad things while there by accident since not comfortable with it. Any ideas?

Try this method,only uses Windows own tool.
Left click on File/Folder.
RIGHT click on File/folder.
Select "Properties "
Select "Details " tab.
At the bottom of the window,select "Remove properties and personal information."
In the new window,select the SECOND radio button " Remove the following properties from this file "
Select "All "
Select "OK "
In "Details "tab window,select "OK ".
See if that has worked for you.

dalchina said:

I assume you just opened a command prompt window to do that.

What you should have done was boot to a command prompt window via Advanced Startup Options.

As I've said numerous times when people can't delete things... if Windows isn't running- that's when you can delete things.

Therefore- your idea about Safe Mode doesn't work. Permissions still apply.

If you wanted to take ownership and do it that way, then, once again, there's a tutorial in the searchable Tutorials section to add 'Take Ownership' to the context menu.

Want to be clever and neat? Again- get Emco MoveonBoot (free).
How does that work? If it can't delete it by unlocking it, it will schedule deletion on boot - when Windows isn't running.

Of course, if you want nothing on the disk- well, you can just format it/ delete partitions....

"Take ownership" is something new to search, I'll look into that. Thanks!

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joeandmarg0 said:

Try this method,only uses Windows own tool.
Left click on File/Folder.
RIGHT click on File/folder.
Select "Properties "
Select "Details " tab.
At the bottom of the window,select "Remove properties and personal information."
In the new window,select the SECOND radio button " Remove the following properties from this file "
Select "All "
Select "OK "
In "Details "tab window,select "OK ".
See if that has worked for you.

There is no "Details" tab?


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Ghot said:

@ScothMcBeast



The easiest way to deal with this (if possible), is just to grab anything you want to save from the old drive, and temporarily put it in a folder on your new drive.

Then... format the old drive, partition it as desired, and move the stuff you wanted to save, back to the old drive.

I have few T worth of old HDD's but the information is fragile, namely songs I've made... Which *to me* are not something I'd risk so having that raw data in 2 different places at one time is a bare minimum so rather then just wiping everything and hoping I recalled to gather all files needed is not a leap I'm ready to do. So I'd rather do it surgically or I've would have just wiped the drive and re-copied what I "think" is all I need. Nothing worth saving in that particular "Windows" folder of them so might as well rid me of that. Thanks for the suggestion :)

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Ghot said:

How big are the two drives? Or better yet, post a screen shot of Disk Management.





Quickie screenshot directions.

1. Use the PrtSc key to take a screenshot.
2. Open an image editor like "Paint", and click Paste > Paste, or Edit > Paste.
3. Click on Select > Rectangular Select and drag a box around what you want to show.
4. Click on Crop.
5. Click on File > Save as > PNG picture and save it to somewhere like your desktop.
6. Now, in your Ten Forums post, click the mouse where you want the pic, and then click on the Insert Image icon.



7. Then click on.. From Computer > Browse (to where you saved the screenshot) > Upload File(s).



8. You will then see something like this. That's your "posted" image.

Yeah I know how to screenshot :) But the part I'm protecting is larger then my paid GoogleDrive and also scattered around the drive, otherwise I've would have just upped it and formatted. But until I've used all I want of the data I'm not risking moving it, since I might forget something in some folder way down that's not rooted in my projects. But the Windows folder is useless, nothing there what I'd miss so rid of it is enough, in case you're thinking about backup-->format-->paste.

How much space are you going to free up by deleting the old Windows folder? Is it worth the effort? From what you say, the drive may be quite old. Why not get another?

mngerhold said:

How much space are you going to free up by deleting the old Windows folder? Is it worth the effort? From what you say, the drive may be quite old. Why not get another?

Nah, the SSD is only some years old. It's not but 20Gb or something but that's 4 more projects I can fit into this drive, one being around 5Gb so worth the hassle.

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MisterEd said:

You can delete the useless old Windows folder by taking ownership of it.

Right-click on folder
Select Security tab
Select Advanced button
Check box Replace all child object permission entries...
Select Change Owner
If you you don't see your user name then enter it and select Check Names
Select OK

Once you take ownership of all the files in the old Windows folder you should be able to delete the files in it.

I follow you through security-->advanced but then I get this popup and I'm lost on "Check box Replace all...."