Cannot delete windows.old

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Guest

After a clean install on the C: partition I copied over the windows.old
folder to another drive (G:) on the computer. The C: drive has only enough
space for the OS, so I wanted to make room for installing programs. Most of
XP had been removed, but the OS was still on the computer when I install
Vista.

When deleteing windows.old, the recyling bin became full and I selected to
continue deleting. Some of window.old can not be deleted and the error
message:
Could not find this item. This is no longer located in C:\. Verify the
item's location and try again.

The windows.old folder has been deleted from the G:\ drive.

C:\windows.old contains only Documents and Settings folders. How do I delete
these folders?

Thank you
 
Arne said:
After a clean install on the C: partition I copied over the windows.old
folder to another drive (G:) on the computer. The C: drive has only enough
space for the OS, so I wanted to make room for installing programs. Most
of
XP had been removed, but the OS was still on the computer when I install
Vista.

When deleteing windows.old, the recyling bin became full and I selected to
continue deleting. Some of window.old can not be deleted and the error
message:
Could not find this item. This is no longer located in C:\. Verify the
item's location and try again.

The windows.old folder has been deleted from the G:\ drive.

C:\windows.old contains only Documents and Settings folders. How do I
delete
these folders?

Thank you
Click to expand...


It may be a permissions problem. Use the security tab of the folder, take
ownership, then you should be able to delete it.
 
JimR,

I changed the permission to Full Control. Same error message, and can not
delete the file.

Is there a way to delete these files from the command prompt?

Arne
 
Arne said:
JimR,

I changed the permission to Full Control. Same error message, and can not
delete the file.
Click to expand...

Even with full control, you still have to be the owner of the directory.
Did you
change the owner to be yourself as instructed?

Tom Lake
 
Tom,

Hmmmh, search on owner - well the help system is better than before. I
changed the owner to my account, even thought there is only one user. The
Administrator account is still hidden, since there is only one user account.

Same problem.

Is there a registry entry that can be modified? The folders are all empty,
all the way to Widows.old/Documents and Settings/User Name/Application
Data/SecuROM/UserData

Arne
 
Use the disk clean-up utility (Vista) and select "For all users" after
starting it, this will delete the complet windows.old folder for you without
any problem.

Ko
 
Koze,

When I access the disk clean-up utility the C drive can be selected but not
an entry for "all users". The selection previous windows installation(s) was
checked, and again, "windows.old" is not removed.

Arne
 
Did you have UAC switch Off? in the main screen it should ask for this user
only or for all users.
Ko
 
Koze,

After UAC switch is switched on, and selecting all users, then "windows.old"
remains.

None of the MVP's have any insight to lend - so my guess is that the entire
OS has to be reinstalled.

Arne

There is no force to a thought.
 
It could be the Auditing from Vista block's the acces.
If you select the folder windows.old right click on it, select in
properties go to security and then select advanced , select Auditing, give
OK to the UAC prompt select add, then adavnced again use find now to scroll
to your login name you use, add that name and give that name full control
and at the bottom set a checkmark in the "Apply these aduting etc...".

After a log of and log on again, you are able to delete the folder because
you are tthe complete owner of this folder.
(The logoff might not be needed but to be sure it works!!)

Ko
 
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