cant delete windows/program files from a old windows install on another drive

[WINTERLORD]

I have winbdows installed on both my ssd drive and my 2tb storage drive. now that I'm using an ssd drive I booted with it and tried to delete the old windows install on another disk and program files and windows and a few other folders just wont allow me to delete them.

nothing should be running from that drive so why cant I delete them?
also since this may be my only option, is there a program out there that will let me delete files that my computer wont otherwise let me delete on the spare drive?

 

[Boogieman_WD]

Hey there, Winterlord.

When you've installed Windows on your new SSD (which you want to permanently use as your OS drive), did you remember do disconnect all other drives during the installation process? If "no", then there might be some files written on one of your secondary drives and thus creating a conflict. Also in cases like this one, there's a chance that you might not be able to boot to Windows properly if you remove one of your secondary drives (which includes formatting as well).

If you've installed Windows on the SSD with the HDD connected to the motherboard during the installation process, then I'd recommend that you backup any important data which you might have on both drive, disconnect the HDD, make a fresh install of Windows on the SSD, connect the HDD and reformat it. After that go ahead and transfer back all the backed up data from that drive. This way you'd have a fresh installation of your OS with a fresh secondary storage drive and no leftover system files and partitions.

If you've installed Windows on the SSD with the HDD disconnected during the installation process - just backup all important data which you might have on the HDD and try to reformat it, then transfer back the data you need.

Note that if you are still unable to format the HDD, you might try to run a low level format (a.k.a. Write Zeros). This would erase everything on your drive and make your data irrecoverable (so as usual, don't forget to backup all of your important files before you try that). Basically most of the HDD diagnostics tools out there have that option. You could also do that via DISKPART. Here's how to do it:
1. Open CMD (Command Prompt) as administrator.
2. type in diskpart and press "enter"
3. type in list disk and press "enter", you'll see all the storage devices connected to your computer and you should be able to recognize the drive you wish to format, by its size.
4. type in select disk X and press "enter", where X is the number of the drive you wish to format, so make sure that you've selected the correct one - e.g. if the drive you wish to format is disk 1, type in select disk 1
5. type in clean and press "enter", then wait for the process to finish.

After that your HDD should be initialized, partitioned and formatted as you see fit. Here's how to do that: How to initialize or write a signature to a secondary hard drive or Solid State drive in Windows and How to partition and format a WD drive on Windows and Mac OSX.

Hope that helps. Please let me know if you have any questions whatsoever and backup your important data before you try anything.
Boogieman_WD

 

[WINTERLORD]

I'm sure I can format it but I have a lot of data in it 2tb drive that I want to keep and nowhere to move that data too. so I need some sort of file program that will unlock or allow me to delete folders that wont let me on the 2tb drive

 

[Boogieman_WD]

Well you could always try do delete the OS related partitions via Disk Management, by selecting "Delete Volume" if you don't have personal data on them (C:, system reserved partition, recovery partition etc.). But as I've mentioned in my previous post if the drive was connected during the OS installation process, you might have issues with booting afterwards or you might be denied access again if they are indeed being used at the moment.
Unfortunately I can't recommend any specific program, which would help you delete those folders, but maybe someone else from the community would be able to help with that.

 

[popatim]

Disconnect the drive and see if you can boot with just the ssd. If you cant then your hdd has boot files on it.

If ssd booting is ok you can reattach the hdd and try deleting those files/folders after booting into safe mode.

 

[tkhsda]

Safe mode then delete windows.old