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Question

Administrator CMD still Access Denied

Mar 3, 2012 4:14PM PST

Hello all.
I am trying to delete a folder.
Explorer Process has been closed, and CMD is being run as Admin, UAC has been disabled, but I still can't delete it<span id="INSERTION_MARKER">
Image
I don't notice any problems with the folder it is more of an annoyance that it is there and can't be deleted.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Permissions in VIsta and Win 7
Mar 3, 2012 8:55PM PST

Permissions in these two OSes are tricky as I have found out myself and often it isn't enough to use an admin capable account and/or "Run as Administrator" and we have to delve deep into granting permissions even to our own accounts.

My own knowledge is limited but I did find this guide that may help; http://ciappara.com/2008/08/28/cannot-delete-folders-in-windows-vista/

See if that works for you. It gives 3 methods and it looks like 2 or 3 may be needed in your case.

Mark

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Thank You for your insight
Mar 3, 2012 10:31PM PST

I forgot to mention alot of the methods I have tried.
Command Prompt /s deletes all sub folders and /q removes the yes or no part
When I try to change the permissions I will get this message.

So there is either something wrong when the file was created, I don't even know how the file was created.
And I can't delete it. Is there anything else I can do besides Run as Admin and Safe Mode?

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Answer
Yup.
Mar 4, 2012 1:31AM PST

If the files are open, no matter what the permissions, you will be denied.

VERY EASY TO FIX. I learned long ago to boot a LiveCD (no install!) Ubuntu and click my way around in a GUI to select that and tap the delete key and OK it.

Gone.
Bob

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PS BatteryLife.
Mar 4, 2012 1:32AM PST

Thanks for the inadvertent tip about that. I'm using BatteryBar.

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I'm Sorry
Mar 4, 2012 5:52AM PST

I'm Sorry but I don't understand what you are trying to tell me. I tried again with the file closed and only the properties open. For some reason the file has no permissions, and I can't edit them. Only the "System" has boxes checked and that is not even a user. How can I change privileges to administrator with out an actual systems user? This looks like it was a visual studios 2010 update 'VS10-KB2455033'. However I no longer have visual studios 2010 on this computer.

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What I tried to tell and failed
Mar 4, 2012 6:05AM PST
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Agree with Bob
Mar 5, 2012 4:30AM PST

When all else within the OS fails, your next option is to try and delete the folder and files from outside the OS. It would have been easier with Win 95/98/ME which all had DOS installed as well as Windows, but from XP onwards DOS was removed and what you get now is a DOS emulator in the Command Prompt. But that is still governed by Windows permissions.

That means using another Operating System and nowadays that is much simpler to do that it was. Linux is an alternative OS used by many around the world and one of the great things about Linux is that it offers a version of its OS, called Ubuntu, on a CD. The OS is wholly installed on the CD and all you have to do is insert the CD into the drive, boot up, and Ubuntu will load without affecting anything on the original OS. When fully loaded into memory you can use Ubuntu's file manager, (it does much the same as Windows Explorer), to locate and delete the folder you are trying to remove. Because Windows is not operative at the time, there will be no permissions issues.

You have to set it up of course but all that means is Google search for Ubuntu Live CD, download the iso file, burn it to a CD as an ISO, then boot up from it.

See if that does it for you.

Mark

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I will try
Mar 5, 2012 2:47PM PST

Thank you for the advice, I have some blank DVDs on order they will arrive shortly and I will try that method.

Will need a few days.

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Odd. Why DVD?
Mar 5, 2012 11:43PM PST

It fits on a rather cheap and plentiful CDR.