Windows Vista Forums

Vista won't let me delete files and folders.
  1. #1


    Lars XLN Audio Guest

    Vista won't let me delete files and folders.

    Feels like I've tried everything now. Certain files (like exe files) and
    folders (if they contain exe files) just can't be deleted. I get "You need
    permisson to do this". From who? Bill Gates himself? God? I'm the
    Administrator and only user of the machine.

    I tried activating and logging in as the "hidden" Administrator, but that
    didn't help at all.

    I 've tried with UAC on and off. With it on I get the joy of clicking about
    6 times before I end up with the "you need permission" (shouldn't that be
    checked first??) No wonder people turn that "feature" off...

    I can rename the exe files and usually delete them after a reboot, isn't
    that very strange?

    Vista has been everything people say it is (not good)..
    - Media Player was broken, but seems to work now, it actaully stops playing
    when you close it.
    - I've been getting a "Parts of Logos has stopped working" or something like
    that error message at every startup for the last weeks.
    - Sleep mode worked the first week only. Now it never wakes up.
    - IE7 crashes at least once a day.

    I've used XP for years and it was never this broken.



      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  2. #2


    Bob Guest

    Re: Vista won't let me delete files and folders.

    For deleting issues:
    Add "Take Ownership" to right-click menu in Vista
    http://www.petri.co.il/add-take-owne...menu-vista.htm

    For sleep issues:
    Go to Advance Power Settings.
    Set hard drive to turn off a minute or 2 before sleep.
    Set Hybrid and Hibernate modes to "Off"
    Under USB settings select "Disable"
    Under Multimedia select "Allow ....."

    To disble UAC prompt and still have UAC security:
    Run Regedit and navigate to
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
    Change the value of ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin from "2" to "0".


    "Lars XLN Audio" <LarsXLNAudio@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    news:9B3462DF-7BC3-4425-820E-2869417B293D@xxxxxx

    > Feels like I've tried everything now. Certain files (like exe files) and
    > folders (if they contain exe files) just can't be deleted. I get "You need
    > permisson to do this". From who? Bill Gates himself? God? I'm the
    > Administrator and only user of the machine.
    >
    > I tried activating and logging in as the "hidden" Administrator, but that
    > didn't help at all.
    >
    > I 've tried with UAC on and off. With it on I get the joy of clicking
    > about
    > 6 times before I end up with the "you need permission" (shouldn't that be
    > checked first??) No wonder people turn that "feature" off...
    >
    > I can rename the exe files and usually delete them after a reboot, isn't
    > that very strange?
    >
    > Vista has been everything people say it is (not good)..
    > - Media Player was broken, but seems to work now, it actaully stops
    > playing
    > when you close it.
    > - I've been getting a "Parts of Logos has stopped working" or something
    > like
    > that error message at every startup for the last weeks.
    > - Sleep mode worked the first week only. Now it never wakes up.
    > - IE7 crashes at least once a day.
    >
    > I've used XP for years and it was never this broken.

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  3. #3



    Newbie
    Join Date : Jan 2008
    Posts : 1
    Vista Home Premium 32bit
    Local Time: 05:46 PM


     

    Re: Vista won't let me delete files and folders.

    Is it possible this deleting issue is a bug?
    I keep having a similar problem with folders containing vob files from backing up some of my dvds; I delete the folder but one of the files remains and so the folder obviously does too.

    Trying then to delete either this remnant file or the whole folder does one of two things: either I get a dialog that I need permission to do it (UAC is off... I'm administrator...) if I try shift-delete. No way can I seem to get enough 'permission' to succeed; or else if I just try to delete then the file disappears from Windows Explorer until I click on the folder to delete that - the folder remains and the file reappears inside it!
    I've tried playing these vobs but can't, and GSpot is unable to open them ("Access denied...")

    If I reboot then the files are gone! Just the folders remain,which can now be deleted no problem.

    Doesn't that suggest that Windows thinks the files are still there when in fact they have actually been deleted but 'ghosts' remain behind?

    It's very annoying to have several Gigabytes of 'virtual' files just cluttering up the place.

    Is this the same issue that others are having here?

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  4. #4



    Newbie
    Join Date : Feb 2008
    Posts : 1
    vista home premium
    Local Time: 05:46 PM


     

    Re: Vista won't let me delete files and folders.

    Yes. Exactly.

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  5. #5


    Ultravox Guest

    Re: Vista won't let me delete files and folders.

    I tried the take ownership, and I still cannot delete the files. I have also
    shut down the service which could have beenusing the files... Any other
    suggestions?

    Michael

    "Bob" wrote:

    > For deleting issues:
    > Add "Take Ownership" to right-click menu in Vista
    > http://www.petri.co.il/add-take-owne...menu-vista.htm
    >
    > For sleep issues:
    > Go to Advance Power Settings.
    > Set hard drive to turn off a minute or 2 before sleep.
    > Set Hybrid and Hibernate modes to "Off"
    > Under USB settings select "Disable"
    > Under Multimedia select "Allow ....."
    >
    > To disble UAC prompt and still have UAC security:
    > Run Regedit and navigate to
    > [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
    > Change the value of ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin from "2" to "0".
    >
    >
    > "Lars XLN Audio" <LarsXLNAudio@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    > news:9B3462DF-7BC3-4425-820E-2869417B293D@xxxxxx

    > > Feels like I've tried everything now. Certain files (like exe files) and
    > > folders (if they contain exe files) just can't be deleted. I get "You need
    > > permisson to do this". From who? Bill Gates himself? God? I'm the
    > > Administrator and only user of the machine.
    > >
    > > I tried activating and logging in as the "hidden" Administrator, but that
    > > didn't help at all.
    > >
    > > I 've tried with UAC on and off. With it on I get the joy of clicking
    > > about
    > > 6 times before I end up with the "you need permission" (shouldn't that be
    > > checked first??) No wonder people turn that "feature" off...
    > >
    > > I can rename the exe files and usually delete them after a reboot, isn't
    > > that very strange?
    > >
    > > Vista has been everything people say it is (not good)..
    > > - Media Player was broken, but seems to work now, it actaully stops
    > > playing
    > > when you close it.
    > > - I've been getting a "Parts of Logos has stopped working" or something
    > > like
    > > that error message at every startup for the last weeks.
    > > - Sleep mode worked the first week only. Now it never wakes up.
    > > - IE7 crashes at least once a day.
    > >
    > > I've used XP for years and it was never this broken.
    >
    >

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  6. #6


    silverbob Guest

    RE: Vista won't let me delete files and folders.

    I have the same problem, and apparently many other people are in this
    predicament. When I google the error, I get lots of hits, but no real help.
    The typical answer is to take ownership, but that doesn't work.

    I'm the only user of this machine. I'm an administrator on the machine. The
    UAC is turned off. On XP, as an administrator, I could do whatever I wanted.
    Now, vista has created some super administrator monster that won't let you
    manage your own machine. I'm ready to trash this OS and go back to XP.



    "Lars XLN Audio" wrote:

    > Feels like I've tried everything now. Certain files (like exe files) and
    > folders (if they contain exe files) just can't be deleted. I get "You need
    > permisson to do this". From who? Bill Gates himself? God? I'm the
    > Administrator and only user of the machine.
    >
    > I tried activating and logging in as the "hidden" Administrator, but that
    > didn't help at all.
    >
    > I 've tried with UAC on and off. With it on I get the joy of clicking about
    > 6 times before I end up with the "you need permission" (shouldn't that be
    > checked first??) No wonder people turn that "feature" off...
    >
    > I can rename the exe files and usually delete them after a reboot, isn't
    > that very strange?
    >
    > Vista has been everything people say it is (not good)..
    > - Media Player was broken, but seems to work now, it actaully stops playing
    > when you close it.
    > - I've been getting a "Parts of Logos has stopped working" or something like
    > that error message at every startup for the last weeks.
    > - Sleep mode worked the first week only. Now it never wakes up.
    > - IE7 crashes at least once a day.
    >
    > I've used XP for years and it was never this broken.

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  7. #7


    Dave Guest

    Re: Vista won't let me delete files and folders.

    you need to take ownership plus change permissions...
    takeown
    icacls


    --
    http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview


    "silverbob" <silverbob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    news:0A47FF08-BD2C-4941-91FE-18A4378FB822@xxxxxx

    > I have the same problem, and apparently many other people are in this
    > predicament. When I google the error, I get lots of hits, but no real
    > help.
    > The typical answer is to take ownership, but that doesn't work.
    >
    > I'm the only user of this machine. I'm an administrator on the machine.
    > The
    > UAC is turned off. On XP, as an administrator, I could do whatever I
    > wanted.
    > Now, vista has created some super administrator monster that won't let you
    > manage your own machine. I'm ready to trash this OS and go back to XP.
    >
    >
    >
    > "Lars XLN Audio" wrote:
    >

    >> Feels like I've tried everything now. Certain files (like exe files) and
    >> folders (if they contain exe files) just can't be deleted. I get "You
    >> need
    >> permisson to do this". From who? Bill Gates himself? God? I'm the
    >> Administrator and only user of the machine.
    >>
    >> I tried activating and logging in as the "hidden" Administrator, but that
    >> didn't help at all.
    >>
    >> I 've tried with UAC on and off. With it on I get the joy of clicking
    >> about
    >> 6 times before I end up with the "you need permission" (shouldn't that be
    >> checked first??) No wonder people turn that "feature" off...
    >>
    >> I can rename the exe files and usually delete them after a reboot, isn't
    >> that very strange?
    >>
    >> Vista has been everything people say it is (not good)..
    >> - Media Player was broken, but seems to work now, it actaully stops
    >> playing
    >> when you close it.
    >> - I've been getting a "Parts of Logos has stopped working" or something
    >> like
    >> that error message at every startup for the last weeks.
    >> - Sleep mode worked the first week only. Now it never wakes up.
    >> - IE7 crashes at least once a day.
    >>
    >> I've used XP for years and it was never this broken.

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  8. #8


    silverbob Guest

    Re: Vista won't let me delete files and folders.

    Is there more to that? I found this earlier

    cd %userprofile%
    icacls . /grant "%username%"OI)(CI)(F) /T /C /L /Q

    but got an error on the first command, dir not found.

    There's also something about getting a privileged command prompt. I don't
    know how to get there. I've changed all the menus to classic, so I basically
    just do a Run > CMD to get a command window.

    "Dave" wrote:

    > you need to take ownership plus change permissions...
    > takeown
    > icacls
    >
    >
    > --
    > http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview
    >
    >
    > "silverbob" <silverbob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    > news:0A47FF08-BD2C-4941-91FE-18A4378FB822@xxxxxx

    > > I have the same problem, and apparently many other people are in this
    > > predicament. When I google the error, I get lots of hits, but no real
    > > help.
    > > The typical answer is to take ownership, but that doesn't work.
    > >
    > > I'm the only user of this machine. I'm an administrator on the machine.
    > > The
    > > UAC is turned off. On XP, as an administrator, I could do whatever I
    > > wanted.
    > > Now, vista has created some super administrator monster that won't let you
    > > manage your own machine. I'm ready to trash this OS and go back to XP.
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > > "Lars XLN Audio" wrote:
    > >

    > >> Feels like I've tried everything now. Certain files (like exe files) and
    > >> folders (if they contain exe files) just can't be deleted. I get "You
    > >> need
    > >> permisson to do this". From who? Bill Gates himself? God? I'm the
    > >> Administrator and only user of the machine.
    > >>
    > >> I tried activating and logging in as the "hidden" Administrator, but that
    > >> didn't help at all.
    > >>
    > >> I 've tried with UAC on and off. With it on I get the joy of clicking
    > >> about
    > >> 6 times before I end up with the "you need permission" (shouldn't that be
    > >> checked first??) No wonder people turn that "feature" off...
    > >>
    > >> I can rename the exe files and usually delete them after a reboot, isn't
    > >> that very strange?
    > >>
    > >> Vista has been everything people say it is (not good)..
    > >> - Media Player was broken, but seems to work now, it actaully stops
    > >> playing
    > >> when you close it.
    > >> - I've been getting a "Parts of Logos has stopped working" or something
    > >> like
    > >> that error message at every startup for the last weeks.
    > >> - Sleep mode worked the first week only. Now it never wakes up.
    > >> - IE7 crashes at least once a day.
    > >>
    > >> I've used XP for years and it was never this broken.
    >
    >

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  9. #9


    Dave Guest

    Re: Vista won't let me delete files and folders.

    I have this in a batch file named setowner.bat

    takeown /f %1 /r /d y
    icacls %1 /grant administrators:F /t

    to run, open a cmd window and type

    setowner c:\"foldername"


    --
    http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview


    "silverbob" <silverbob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    news:B5D7CA15-1FC5-4D4E-BC21-8C005C15C278@xxxxxx

    > Is there more to that? I found this earlier
    >
    > cd %userprofile%
    > icacls . /grant "%username%"OI)(CI)(F) /T /C /L /Q
    >
    > but got an error on the first command, dir not found.
    >
    > There's also something about getting a privileged command prompt. I don't
    > know how to get there. I've changed all the menus to classic, so I
    > basically
    > just do a Run > CMD to get a command window.
    >
    > "Dave" wrote:
    >

    >> you need to take ownership plus change permissions...
    >> takeown
    >> icacls
    >>
    >>
    >> --
    >> http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview
    >>
    >>
    >> "silverbob" <silverbob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    >> news:0A47FF08-BD2C-4941-91FE-18A4378FB822@xxxxxx

    >> > I have the same problem, and apparently many other people are in this
    >> > predicament. When I google the error, I get lots of hits, but no real
    >> > help.
    >> > The typical answer is to take ownership, but that doesn't work.
    >> >
    >> > I'm the only user of this machine. I'm an administrator on the
    >> > machine.
    >> > The
    >> > UAC is turned off. On XP, as an administrator, I could do whatever I
    >> > wanted.
    >> > Now, vista has created some super administrator monster that won't let
    >> > you
    >> > manage your own machine. I'm ready to trash this OS and go back to XP.
    >> >
    >> >
    >> >
    >> > "Lars XLN Audio" wrote:
    >> >
    >> >> Feels like I've tried everything now. Certain files (like exe files)
    >> >> and
    >> >> folders (if they contain exe files) just can't be deleted. I get "You
    >> >> need
    >> >> permisson to do this". From who? Bill Gates himself? God? I'm the
    >> >> Administrator and only user of the machine.
    >> >>
    >> >> I tried activating and logging in as the "hidden" Administrator, but
    >> >> that
    >> >> didn't help at all.
    >> >>
    >> >> I 've tried with UAC on and off. With it on I get the joy of clicking
    >> >> about
    >> >> 6 times before I end up with the "you need permission" (shouldn't that
    >> >> be
    >> >> checked first??) No wonder people turn that "feature" off...
    >> >>
    >> >> I can rename the exe files and usually delete them after a reboot,
    >> >> isn't
    >> >> that very strange?
    >> >>
    >> >> Vista has been everything people say it is (not good)..
    >> >> - Media Player was broken, but seems to work now, it actaully stops
    >> >> playing
    >> >> when you close it.
    >> >> - I've been getting a "Parts of Logos has stopped working" or
    >> >> something
    >> >> like
    >> >> that error message at every startup for the last weeks.
    >> >> - Sleep mode worked the first week only. Now it never wakes up.
    >> >> - IE7 crashes at least once a day.
    >> >>
    >> >> I've used XP for years and it was never this broken.
    >>
    >>

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  10. #10


    R. C. White Guest

    Re: Vista won't let me delete files and folders.

    Hi, SilverBob.

    I've not been following this whole thread, but it appears you haven't yet
    managed to open an "elevated" Command Prompt window.

    > just do a Run > CMD to get a command window.
    Yes, that gets you the normal Command Prompt window, but that runs as a
    "standard" user, just like your normal administrator account. There are
    several ways to get the elevated CP window. Here's one way: Click Start,
    then type "cmd" into the Search box; cmd.exe should appear as the first
    "hit" at the top of your screen. Right-click on that cmd.exe and choose Run
    as Administrator from the context menu. You'll need to furnish
    Administrator credentials to get past this point.

    This should produce the CP window, as usual, but if you look carefully at
    the Title bar, you will see that it says "Administrator:Command Prompt".
    Since you've already provided the Administrator password, any command or
    application launched from this window will "run elevated"; that is, with
    Administrator privileges.

    If you've ever used MS-DOS, or the Command Prompt window in Vista or WinXP,
    you should feel at home here because this window emulates MS-DOS so well
    that some users have called it "a better DOS than DOS". Type any of the
    familiar DOS commands followed by "/?" to see a mini-Help file showing all
    the switches and parameters available with that command. For example: Dir
    /?

    Enter the Set command to see a long list of your environment variables. One
    of the variables should be %userprofile%. Mine says:
    USERPROFILE=C:\Users\RC

    Yours probably says "USERPROFILE=C:\Users\SilverBob, or something similar,
    using your own UserName. So when you type:
    cd %userprofile%
    you should cd (change directory) to SilverBob's User folder.

    Once in that directory, type:
    icacls /?

    That should tell you what each switch and parameter for the icacls command
    does. Note especially what icacls /grant does, and remember that the single
    period "." means the current directory/folder. Then type Dave's next line
    at the prompt:
    icacls . /grant "%username%"OI)(CI)(F) /T /C /L /Q

    Now that we've told you step by step what to do, please tell us - in as much
    detail - just what you did and what result you saw. "I tried it" doesn't
    tell us much; "didn't work" doesn't help us help you very much, either.

    RC
    --
    R. C. White, CPA
    San Marcos, TX
    rc@xxxxxx
    Microsoft Windows MVP
    (Running Windows Live Mail 2008 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1)

    "silverbob" <silverbob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    news:B5D7CA15-1FC5-4D4E-BC21-8C005C15C278@xxxxxx

    > Is there more to that? I found this earlier
    >
    > cd %userprofile%
    > icacls . /grant "%username%"OI)(CI)(F) /T /C /L /Q
    >
    > but got an error on the first command, dir not found.
    >
    > There's also something about getting a privileged command prompt. I don't
    > know how to get there. I've changed all the menus to classic, so I
    > basically
    > just do a Run > CMD to get a command window.
    >
    > "Dave" wrote:
    >

    >> you need to take ownership plus change permissions...
    >> takeown
    >> icacls
    >>
    >>
    >> --
    >> http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview
    >>
    >>
    >> "silverbob" <silverbob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    >> news:0A47FF08-BD2C-4941-91FE-18A4378FB822@xxxxxx

    >> > I have the same problem, and apparently many other people are in this
    >> > predicament. When I google the error, I get lots of hits, but no real
    >> > help.
    >> > The typical answer is to take ownership, but that doesn't work.
    >> >
    >> > I'm the only user of this machine. I'm an administrator on the
    >> > machine.
    >> > The
    >> > UAC is turned off. On XP, as an administrator, I could do whatever I
    >> > wanted.
    >> > Now, vista has created some super administrator monster that won't let
    >> > you
    >> > manage your own machine. I'm ready to trash this OS and go back to XP.
    >> >
    >> >
    >> >
    >> > "Lars XLN Audio" wrote:
    >> >
    >> >> Feels like I've tried everything now. Certain files (like exe files)
    >> >> and
    >> >> folders (if they contain exe files) just can't be deleted. I get "You
    >> >> need
    >> >> permisson to do this". From who? Bill Gates himself? God? I'm the
    >> >> Administrator and only user of the machine.
    >> >>
    >> >> I tried activating and logging in as the "hidden" Administrator, but
    >> >> that
    >> >> didn't help at all.
    >> >>
    >> >> I 've tried with UAC on and off. With it on I get the joy of clicking
    >> >> about
    >> >> 6 times before I end up with the "you need permission" (shouldn't that
    >> >> be
    >> >> checked first??) No wonder people turn that "feature" off...
    >> >>
    >> >> I can rename the exe files and usually delete them after a reboot,
    >> >> isn't
    >> >> that very strange?
    >> >>
    >> >> Vista has been everything people say it is (not good)..
    >> >> - Media Player was broken, but seems to work now, it actaully stops
    >> >> playing
    >> >> when you close it.
    >> >> - I've been getting a "Parts of Logos has stopped working" or
    >> >> something
    >> >> like
    >> >> that error message at every startup for the last weeks.
    >> >> - Sleep mode worked the first week only. Now it never wakes up.
    >> >> - IE7 crashes at least once a day.
    >> >>
    >> >> I've used XP for years and it was never this broken.

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

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