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Martin, with all due respect, I do not think I misinterpret it. Booting to
Safe Mode with Command Prompt (Advanced Startup Options > Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Start-up settings > Option 6) boots in Safe Mode from HDD, the system disk. All usual permissions and such apply. Visible telltale is that Safe Mode Command Promt opens in folder
C:\Windows\System32.
If a file or folder is locked even from built-in administrator in normal mode Windows, it will most probably remain locked also in Safe Mode Command Prompt.
Booting to
Command Prompt (Advanced Startup Options > Troubleshoot > Advanced Option > Command Prompt) is then completely another story. It boots from recovery console RAM disk opening in X:\Windows\System32, System disk is "free", not involved in boot process. Removing of locked items will work.
DISKPART is a good example to see the difference. As DISKPART cannot even see the RAM disk X: when booted to Command Prompt, you can clean the whole HDD, repartition it, do whatever you like to. Try the same from Safe Mode Command Prompt, it will most probably brick your Windows installation but does not let you clean and repartition the system disk.
Kari