deleting files

I have a "backup" folder on my C: drive from a few months back when I used my recovery discs and used the option to save all of my files. This file was over 11GB but I have deleted most of the folders from it. However, I can not figure out how to get permission to delete the user, windows, program data, and program files folders. I try to delete them and then click continue to give permission and in the end it says I need permission to delete these folders. I know I can delete them, they are a back up.....What can I do?

 

Is your account an administrative account? If not, you'll have to gain access as an admin. Go to the Control Panel> User Accounts.

 

Google 'remove on reboot', download, run it, select files, reboot, GONE!

 

This tweak has helped tremendously when trying to delete those types of files:

http://www.petri.co.il/add-take-ownership-context-menu-vista.htm

 

yea im an admin on here. im the only account on it. i found something on google about using command line prompts to take control over the files or something. but im a little cautious to use command line, dont want to break too much.

 

well i am about a few more seconds away from doing a clean install to get rid of this thing. the only thing i havent tried is the registry patches to use the remove on reboot or the right click to take ownership. im pretty sure i have owner ship of the file now as i have done some playing around and also contacted gateway support and they gave me instructions on taking ownership similar to what i did only in safe mode. when i click delete it still asks for permission and i click continue, then i click ok.....it says it is deleting then it pops up and says i dont have permission to delete it and all i can do is try again or cancel. why is microsoft making this so difficult. ill never choose to backup my files again during recovery. i thought it would just backup MY FILES, not all of windows. i have an entire copy of vista in this folder.

 

The only things you haven't tried are the suggestions given to you in your thread? That's wonderful...

 

well i have ownership of the folder and everything in it...i checked them all. and every download i have seen for remove on reboot has not said it was compatible with vista. if someone can verify it is, then i will try it. i have ownership of the file, but i read somewhere that taking ownership does not give permission to delete. i found two command line prompts to run to take ownership and get permission to delete but nothing changed. im not ignoring what people are suggesting, just trying not to break anything. a friend of mine tried installing an app that vista compatible and it broke everything, had to use recovery discs. i havent had any apps do that to me, just trying to not take the chance.

 

You must grant permission to the file with the icacls or cacls command (icacls filename /grant administrators:F) after you have taken ownership, but the registry tweak does this for you.

 

tried both....remove on reboot installed. it doesnt work on folder so i selected a few files withing this backup folder and nothing happened after rebooting. tried the take ownership registry tweak and it acts like its doing something, command line opens, but still the same messages in the end saying i dont have permission and to click try again or cancle.

am i screwed here?

 

Some files can't be deleted (particularly ones in ProgramData) even when you've taken ownership and granted full permission to them if UAC is disabled, so make sure that UAC is enabled first. If you still have trouble, a clean install may be the easiest solution.

 

thats what im thinking. because there is program data, program files, users, and windows folders in the backup file. i went through and deleted everything it let me, but it amounted to less than 2gb, doesnt help much. stupid question, why would it back all of this up if its not going to allow you to delete it? did XP do similar things? im not trying to blame my problems on vista like alot of people do, im just curious. I personally like vista about 95% of the time, just the random BSOD's on sleep and shutdown maybe one a week that drive me nuts. i guess ill try few more times and then begin the process of a clean install. thanks for the help, ill be keeping the remove on reboot.

 

one of the computer techs was able to help me out. he said there are way too many levels of permissions and ownership in vista. he said i did take ownership of the folder but he was able to add some more permissions from the advanced settings in security for the folder and it deleted it. thank god.