Windows 7 Leftover's from Windows 7 after XP reinstall

[Ckn]

Let me start by saying, that I do indeed love Windows 7. Even with less than 1gb of RAM, it performs MUCH better than Vista, and looks/feels very nice. Furthermore I've noted the stabilty seems even better than XP, HOWEVER:

Recently I've ran into a problem of Video drivers. There is and will be no support for the intel 82865g onboard Video for Winodws 7. You can get 'xddm' drivers working, but they are useless as no driver interfaces are supported, and aero transparencies do not work. After spending much time online I eventually , did 'buy a new video card', a Geforce 5200 256mb , I was very excited to take it home and install it! However, to my dismay, this card also does not have 'wddm' drivers, only xddm, and transversly no display interface for any 3d/desktop settings at all. I ran a game or two, and discovered my FPS was worse than the oboard video I'd been using, so I decided to go back to my faithful XPP, until appropriate drivers are released.


GOOD NEWS: I resolve the issue by alot of work thusly:
installed acronis disk director, split drive into 2 primary partitions
installed xp on new d: partition, leaving old xp on c:
used d's install, to delete all unwanted files n folders, including the c:\users folder. Once out of the OS, i was able to get permissions, or simply delete the files with a simple rename 1st.
once c: was clean, reinstalled to c:
formatted d: partition, and will resize back to 1 drive tomorrow, i'm going to bed !

Thomas R
The Problem: I ran into this with Vista before as well. The problem is, I cannot backup the amount of data on my drive effectively, and so I DO NOT wish to format, so I did a fresh XPP install, via boot from CD. Once back to desktop, you have 'leftover files' from windows 7. I spent alot of time attempting to 'remove explicit permissions' and 'take ownership' of the offending folders and files, and after an hour or so managed to remove 'most ' of them. HOWEVER, I have some folders I simply cannot remove, one being the c:\users folder. After trying unlocking programs, permissions, etc, to no avail, i decided to try a test. I put a text file on my desktop, named 'xxxx' (unique name), and what I discovered is that the file I placed under My folder (c:\documents and settings\ck\desktop\xxxx.txt was duplicated under c:\users\ck\desktop. I cannot remove the 'users' folder, because its 'in use' and apparently the same as the documents and settings folder, which is impossible.

The only thing I can think of is that the NTFS file system is broke? chkdsk says everythings fine, suggestions or comments would be apprciated. The impact unfortuntnately of this is, I cannot install IE8, or more appropriately I can install it ,but it immediately closes when opened, even under safe mode, as though some sort of popup blocker, or spyware were breaking it. I belive it is taking some settings from the \users folder, and transversly breaking the new IE8. IE7, when rolled back works fine.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Also, is there a good / easy tutorial out there that tells how delete these leftover files / remove their permissions , as I seem to be struggling with it.

Is there any way out? Thanks

Thomas R

 

[ChatGPT]

It sounds like you've encountered quite a few challenges with your Windows 7 system, particularly with driver compatibility and leftover files after downgrading to Windows XP. I'll address the issues you mentioned and provide some guidance on how to resolve them.

Video Driver Issue:​

• Intel 82865g Onboard Video: As you mentioned, there is no official support for Windows 7 drivers for this onboard video chipset. This can result in limited functionalities, such as Aero transparency and 3D/desktop settings. Without proper drivers, the performance may be subpar compared to Windows XP.
• Geforce 5200 256mb: While you purchased a new video card to address the issue, the lack of WDDM drivers for this card can also impact performance and features like Aero effects. This can explain the FPS issues you noticed when running games.

Leftover Files and Permissions Issue:​

• Removing Windows 7 Leftover Files: After downgrading to Windows XP, you encountered leftover files from Windows 7 that are challenging to remove. The issue with the duplicated folders under "Documents and Settings" and "Users" might stem from permission conflicts.
• IE8 Installation Problem: The presence of these leftover files could be impacting the functionality of Internet Explorer 8, causing it to close abruptly. It's possible that some settings or configurations from the previous Windows 7 installation are conflicting with IE8.

Recommendations and Suggestions:​

1. Permissions and Ownership:
   • Take Ownership: You can try taking ownership of the folders/files to gain full control and then attempt to delete them.
   • Safe Mode: Booting into Safe Mode might help in removing stubborn files that are in use during normal operation.
   []Using Tools:
   • Unlocker: A tool like Unlocker can help in deleting files that are in use or have restricted permissions.
   • File Deletion Tools: Consider using third-party file deletion tools that can handle locked or stubborn files effectively.
   []Cleaning Up:
   • Disk Cleanup: Use the Disk Cleanup utility in Windows XP to clear out temporary and unnecessary files.
   • Manually Remove: Carefully identify and remove unnecessary files and folders that are remnants of the Windows 7 installation.
2. Reinstalling IE8:
   • If you suspect that the issues with IE8 are related to the remnants of Windows 7, consider reinstalling IE8 after ensuring the system is free of any conflicting files.

     Tutorial Recommendations:​

     • Microsoft Support: Microsoft's support documentation and forums can be a valuable resource for troubleshooting specific Windows issues.
     • Online Guides: Websites like How-To Geek, Windows Central, or TenForums provide detailed tutorials on various Windows tasks, including file management and permissions.

     Final Thoughts:​

     • In complex scenarios like this, ensuring a clean transition from one operating system to another is crucial to prevent conflicts and performance issues.
     • Taking a methodical approach to file cleanup, permissions management, and potential driver updates can help resolve the issues you're facing.
     Feel free to ask if you need more specific guidance on any of these steps or encounter further difficulties during the troubleshooting process.