Windows 7 Unable to delete system folders from a drive no longer being used as a system drive

[sudokujesus]

Hey folks...

I recently reorganized my computer and this included a fresh install of Windows 7 on a new disk. I backed up all my data on the old disk so that I could make sure I wasn't losing any important documents or whatever.

I'm now sure I've got everything off the disk that I needed and am using the disk as a storage disk for media. However, there are still folders that I can't seem to erase in the Program Files, Program Files (x86), and Windows directories. Most of the files are gone but about 12GB of junk remains that I no longer need. Whenever I try to delete what is left, it says I need permission from TrustedInstaller and it won't let me delete these files.

Is there any way to blow these directories away without having to format the disk? I really can't format because the disk is almost full with data that I need to keep and I don't really have any other disks to temporarily back these files up to.

Thanks in advance...

 

[Saltgrass]

You probably need to take ownership away from TrustedInstaller and give it to yourself. There are probalby several places that will give instructions on how to do this, and maybe try the link below. But after you take ownership, make sure an OK your way back out of the Security dialog and then go back into properties, security to give yourself full control of the files/folders.

Also, make note of the areas where it mentions inheriting the permissions so you don't have to go in and change each file separately.

Take Ownership of a File or Folder

 

[sudokujesus]

You probably need to take ownership away from TrustedInstaller and give it to yourself. There are probalby several places that will give instructions on how to do this, and maybe try the link below. But after you take ownership, make sure an OK your way back out of the Security dialog and then go back into properties, security to give yourself full control of the files/folders.

Also, make note of the areas where it mentions inheriting the permissions so you don't have to go in and change each file separately.

Take Ownership of a File or Folder

I followed those instructions and took ownership (my user account Steve on computer StudyPC, and it now shows the owner as StudyPC/Steve. Now when I go to delete the files, it says I must gain access from StudyPC/Steve, even though that should be me.

 

[Saltgrass]

After you have ownership, you need to go back in and give yourself, and the admin\you full control so you can delete the files. The security tab, should reflect at least one user, or even everyone, if you are going to delete the folder.

If a folder contains files or other folders that cannot be yet deleted, you may need to remove the one at a time until you find which one.

Edit: Explorer can be run as an administrator, if you need to.

 

[Saltgrass]

I should also mention, if, for some reason, the drive you are removing folders from is actually the System (boot files) partition, you might mess up your Windows 7 boot.

Attaching a Disk Management picture taken with the snipping tool and using the paperclip, would let us see for sure.

 

[sudokujesus]

I should also mention, if, for some reason, the drive you are removing folders from is actually the System (boot files) partition, you might mess up your Windows 7 boot.

Attaching a Disk Management picture taken with the snipping tool and using the paperclip, would let us see for sure.

I attached a pic of the disk management graphic.

The H:/ drive is the one in question. It formerly housed a Windows 7 install, but I put in another hard drive and made it the new C:/ and when I did, it essentially backed up my Windows 7 install... which I'm now trying to get rid of completely.

 

[Saltgrass]

That entire drive is a little interesting. You could probably remove the System partition, since you are not using it any more. No reason to have an active partition sitting around. But you should not suffer any boot problems removing files from H.

When that was your primary drive, did you run a UEFI boot to be able to use the 3.5 TB drive? What is the 2 TB OEM partition? You could format the OEM partition, including the Small System partition, nd move all your data to that partition Then remove H and extend the first partition, or reformat H, if necessary.