Can't delete a non-administrator user folder in C:\Docs&Settings

I've searched this forum and can't find anything that deals with my problem. I'm running XP Pro. Simple file sharing is turned off. My user account has administrator privileges but I'm not doing the following under the Administrator account.

1. I deleted a non-administrator user account in Computer Management, Local Users and Groups. No problem.

2. The files, of course, were still in the user account's folder in C:\Documents & Settings. I changed the folder's advanced security permissions to give my account full ownership. I have "Full Control" of "Folders, Subfolders, and Files."

3. I cannot delete the folder using "Delete" from the mouse or elsewhere in Windows Explorer. I get the usual "Access Denied - Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is currently not in use" message.

4. I"ve done reboots and tried this in Safe Mode without success.

I can't think of anything else relevant. Thanks for any help you can give me.

UPDATE: I posted this same query on the CNET XP forum and the only suggested solutions were to boot up my machine from a Linux boot disk and use Linux to delete the folder. This is something I have never done and I don't want to take any chances of screwing up my PC.

 

two things:

download either or both of these programs to select the files for deletion, they can be deleted now or there is an option to delete at the next reboot:

https://www.malwarebytes.org/fileassassin/

I use the one above myself, but others say they like the one below better:

http://filehippo.com/download_unlocker

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you can also download an iso of hiren's boot cd and do this using minixp:

Courtesy of Jose Ibarra
Make yourself a Hiren's Boot CD which you can download from here:

http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/

The ZIP file is large, so the download will probably take a little while to complete bit it is worth it. Then unzip the download to extract the Hirens.BootCD.ISO file that will be used to create your new bootable CD.

Creating a bootable CD from a .ISO file is not the same as just copying the .ISO file to a blank CD. You have to use software that understands how to burn a .ISO file to a CD to create a bootable CD.

In the Hiren's ZIP file are the BurnToCD.cmd file that you can double click to launch it, but I have never used it and prefer to use ImgBurn.

If you need a free and easy CD burning software package, here is a popular free program:

http://www.imgburn.com/

When installing ImgBurn, DO NOT install anything from UniBlue or the Ask toolbar (never install the ASK toolbar for anything).

Here are some instructions for ImgBurn:

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=61

It would be a good idea to test your new bootable CD on a computer that is working.

You may need to adjust the computer BIOS settings to use the CD ROM drive as the first boot device instead of the hard disk.

These adjustments are made before Windows tries to load. If you miss it, you will have to reboot the system again.

When booting on the Hiren's CD you will see a menu of options. Choose the Mini XP option. Then it will appear that Windows is being loaded and you will be presented with a desktop that has the look and feel of the Windows Explorer interface you are already used to using.

One way to check the disk for errors is to open My Computer and right click your afflicted drive and choose Properties, Tools, Error-checking, Check Now... put a check mark in both the boxes and then Start.

Sometimes that doesn't work, so you can also click Start, Run and in the box enter:

cmd

Click OK to open a Command Prompt window and enter the following command (assuming XP is installed on your C drive)

chkdsk c: /r

This disk checking can take a long time (perhaps several to many hours) depending on the size of the volume, the amount of data on the volume and what the disk checking finds to do.
Let chkdsk finish and correct any problems it might find.

Depending on the the speed of your system, the size of the volume, the amount of data on the volume and what chkdsk finds to do, it may take a long time for chkdsk with error correction to complete (several to many hours) or it may appear to be 'stuck'. Be patient. If the HDD light is still flashing, chkdsk is doing something so don't interrupt it. It will finish eventually one way or the other. Keep an eye on the percentage amount to be sure it is still making progress. It may even appear to go backwards sometimes.

You may have to run the chkdsk c: /r more than once.

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you can run checkdisk if you choose I have the above in my notes on recovery console but you can use the minixp to delete files also.

 

Thanks - problem solved, for the most part

Thanks. Elizabeth23. I downloaded File Assassin and it did the trick.

For the record, in the user's folder under Application Data/Microsoft/Installer there's a folder with a name that looks like it's a hex string and in that folder there are executables with names like _C765BF45408DDA3B42F674.exe; File Assassin couldn't delete these or the folders that contain them.

 

do you know what they are to??

did you research these files online??

did you try using the option to delete at reboot with file assasin??

if they are a system file, they will be recreated even if deleted.