Can't delete files/folders even though I am the owner/admin

[tankmehn]

I've searched around a bit and I can't seem to find a discussion about my particular problem.

I cannot delete files or folders from the c: drive, even though I am logged in as Admin with full control and I am also the owner of the folder.
When I go to delete the folder (not just one in particular, happens with any folder/file), I get the "Are you sure you want to move this folder to the Recycle Bin?" prompt and click "Yes".
Then comes the "You'll need to provide administrator permission to delete this folder" and I click Continue, then the progress window pops up showing "moving x number of files to recycle bin" or something like that and gets to 100%, but the folder and all the files remain.
I also cannot rename or move the folder to another location, but I never receive and access denied prompt or anything like that. I can also still access the files after trying to delete them so I know its not just a placeholder left behind.
They only pop up window I've found that shows there is a problem is when I open the Advance Security Settings for the folder and attempt to change Owner, when I click "Change" the window says "Can't open access control editor. the activation requires a display name to be present under the CLSID key."
I tried a quick Google search of that but I couldn't find anything about Windows 8 or something else helpful.
I will also add that I can delete files/folders in Safe Mode with no trouble, but I am more concerned with the cause of the problem than the files themselves.

Any ideas? or am I looking at reinstalling?

 

[kiko66613]

As to having the same problem like @yakatyak and as most of you guys here, it was also, I believed caused by the AMD Uninstall Utility. 🙁 I recommend anyone reading this thread to avoid that application as of now. I was hoping AMD will try to fix this problem though.

I will try to contact AMD through their support channels hoping they will get to see this.

 

[anmishra]

Hi

This is what i did to delete the folder and its subfolders when i got a message "cannot delete folder".

I moved the folder to a different location(right click,cut).
Pasted it to a different location and then deleted it.

This worked for me.

 

[Dylan Spiers]

If you find you can't delete a folder then that means that you have a folder
that has the same name so find it and if it has anything in it just move it
to your desktop then you can delete both folders

 

[Migsb]

After all the solutions offered...the nice and easy one works best...thank you xx

 

[kingpistol]

Diagnose and repair Windows File and Folder Problems automatically

This worked for me, took less than a minute!

 

[snehalmasne]

The main reason behind this is that the explorer.exe process locks files that are in use, effectively preventing you from deleting them. Usually, these files should not be touched, but sometimes, situations arise when you really need to erase some troublesome ones.

Fortunately, there are a few easy solutions to delete those files.


Solution #1: Kill explorer.exe
Solution #2: Use The Windows Recovery Console
Solution #3: Use unlocker


More details and reference:

http://www.techproceed.com/2014/05/how-to-delete-undeletable-or-locked-file.html

 

[Genmike9]

I just dealt with this problem, got to the login screen hold shot click restart and enter safe mode. One in safe mode I was able to delete the file. when not in safe mode I had the same problem as you.

 

[Juhgu]

Try microsoft fixit first (link above in this thread), it could easily be just the corrupted recycle bin.

For me however, the problem was write caching (probably a bad disk or something wrong with windows).
To disable write caching (win7), go to device manager, find your disk drive, open its properties and the "Policies" tab, and un-check write-caching from there.

Note that if you tried this and it didn't help, you should turn caching back on because it improves performance a bit. Disabling it made all my "file in use" problems go away though.

 

[VisitorXx]

JohnThomas9250 solution worked fine for me.

I tried hard to delete a long name file with 0 kb in Windows Explorer [Windows 8] with no success. But the trial version of divfinst32 as he said, was quick to accomplish this and very easily! It solved my problem. Thank you JohnThomas9250.

By the way, I have installed LongPathTool too, but has no trial mode and don´t let you delete any file without a paid license. 🙁

 

[bowiechim]

I actually had the same problems. And I solved the problem by downloading "Classic Start 8" It is a start button we used to use in Window 7 or XP or whatever previous window version. And it allows you to delete the file like you used to in previous Window version. Just press delete and the file is deleted. No more administration things get into your ways~~ I know this may not be the real solution many are looking for...I searched over the Window forums and other help pages but still don't get any answers...And I've tred to chat with the Window tech helper but i could not quite follow her steps... hopefully it helps~

 

[theassassinw]

1- go to the properties for the file or the folder that you have the access dined problem with

2- then go security tab

3- then click on advanced

4- then go to Auditing tab

5- then click on continue

6- now you will see the profile that have access to this folder or file click on add then select principle in the top of the windows .

7- then add the profile that you are using Example : Administrator or Username Account or if on windows 8 \ 8.1
E-mail Address just make sure that is the one you are using in your case it is administrator

8- after adding your profile make sure to check in the Full Control Square to have full accuse to the folder or file then click ok .

9- then just click ok then ok then save then you should have a full access to that folder or file .

note : if you still have the problem go again from step 3 and step 4 will be disabling inheritable on the left down corner then ok then save and you are done

 

[regrebner]

instant / easy / permanent fix in order to delete locked user folders.

Windows media service is running in the users folder so you cannot delete it.

1. go to services and disable the windows media service.

2. delete the folder

3. re-enable the windows media service.

4. done.

 

[PR1]

I am looking for an instant / easy / permanent fix, but I don't know where to begin to disable the windows media service. A quick search was not helpful. Can you add some details?
Thanks.
PR

 

[eUripLaNiLLo]

Found a workaround!!

Add this reg key:
http://www.askvg.com/add-take-ownership-option-in-file-folder-context-menu-in-windows-vista/

It gives you a 'Take Ownership' option in the context menu - and this still works! Take ownership back of everything and voila! You have control again!

PS. It turns out the problem is CCleaner - performing a reg clean on Windows 8 causes these problems.

thanks this really helps me.. ^_^

 

[dmast]

Quoted spam removed

This one works folks! Very easy.

 

[domcity]

Right Click the folder you wish to delete
>Go to Properties
>Click on Security Tab
>Look for where it says "For special permissions or advanced settings" and then click on the button that says ADVANCED
>Click on the button that says "Change Permissions
>Uncheck the box that says "Include Inheritable Permissions from the object's Parent
>Then Click apply
Once all this is done, go back to the folder you want to delete, and remove all the content from inside the folder.
Then you will be able to delete the folder

 

[domcity]

Right Click the folder you wish to delete
>Go to Properties
>Click on Security Tab
>Look for where it says "For special permissions or advanced settings" and then click on the button that says ADVANCED
>Click on the button that says "Change Permissions
>Uncheck the box that says "Include Inheritable Permissions from the object's Parent
>Then Click apply
Once all this is done, go back to the folder you want to delete, and remove all the content from inside the folder.
Then you will be able to delete the folder

 

[mburns]

I'm having the exact same problem.
All I can find online is the odd person with the same problem and and forum posts like this with no replies.
I hate it when I get a problem no one else seems to have, I swear it wasn't doing this before - maybe an update has done it or something. It's doing my head in.

I ran into this same issue today and despite all of the forums, I still couldn't figure it out...until now. Right click the folder, go to properties, then the security tab. Click 'Advanced' and look for a rule in the list that has 'Deny' in the first column. You'll need to go into that rule and either clear out the check boxes for what is being denied, or simply delete the rule.

All of the 'take ownership' and Administrator privileges still kept me from being able to delete some folders, because that little rule was still there. I hope this helps.

 

[Papa Danno]

I'm having the exact same problem.
All I can find online is the odd person with the same problem and and forum posts like this with no replies.
I hate it when I get a problem no one else seems to have, I swear it wasn't doing this before - maybe an update has done it or something. It's doing my head in.

I ran into this same issue today and despite all of the forums, I still couldn't figure it out...until now. Right click the folder, go to properties, then the security tab. Click 'Advanced' and look for a rule in the list that has 'Deny' in the first column. You'll need to go into that rule and either clear out the check boxes for what is being denied, or simply delete the rule.

All of the 'take ownership' and Administrator privileges still kept me from being able to delete some folders, because that little rule was still there. I hope this helps.

I could not find any rules or anything that said "Deny" once I reached the Advanced screen. I have Windows 8.1. Is that what you have?

 

[mburns]

I'm having the exact same problem.
All I can find online is the odd person with the same problem and and forum posts like this with no replies.
I hate it when I get a problem no one else seems to have, I swear it wasn't doing this before - maybe an update has done it or something. It's doing my head in.

I ran into this same issue today and despite all of the forums, I still couldn't figure it out...until now. Right click the folder, go to properties, then the security tab. Click 'Advanced' and look for a rule in the list that has 'Deny' in the first column. You'll need to go into that rule and either clear out the check boxes for what is being denied, or simply delete the rule.

All of the 'take ownership' and Administrator privileges still kept me from being able to delete some folders, because that little rule was still there. I hope this helps.

I could not find any rules or anything that said "Deny" once I reached the Advanced screen. I have Windows 8.1. Is that what you have?

Yes, I am using Windows 8.1 as well. If there is no 'Deny' then I'd suspect that is not the issue.

 

[tobybrann]

go to your computer
find your hard drive on which the users of your computers are saved under, or the one which you are trying to delete from
right click or on the banner at the top (win7) press properties
on one of the categories go to hardware then to securities
under one of the subsets is your users on the pc
select the one you are using
then go to edit next to change permissions
select full access or if you don't like the decrease in security you can custom edit your preferences
ensure you have all programs closed or it will not work efficiently as it does not apply the admin status until it is closed
then your hard drive is your oyster
happy interneting
toby

 

[feriati]

hi,
i encountered the same issue as i was trying malware bytes portable scanner, tried everything from changing permissions from explorer, passing by takeown-icacls pair, nothing. i even tries executing deletes from system account!

the solution that helped me was to try to rename the folder first and delete it from explorer!
surprisingly, it worked.