Vista problem

[exscentric]

I have a usb hard drive that had windows vista on it - now I want it for a data disk - I am trying to delete the windows directory.

It asks the usual permissions and seems like it is about to start deleting then I get an error message

"Destination folder access denied"
"you need permission to perform this action"

I have taken ownership of the drive as well as the windows folder.
I have given myself full permission on the drive as well as the windows folder.

What am I missing?

Destination made me think the recycle bin needed permissions but can't find any setting for it.

Any thoughts?

 

[standingfirminChrist]

Try this:

Boot from the Windows Vista DVD, but choose to repair your computer when prompted. Select the copy of Vista you wish to uninstall and click Next and then launch command prompt. Type “c:” and press enter, and then “cd” and enter. Then type “ren Windows Windows.Vista” press enter and “ren “Program Files” “Program Files.Vista”” and press enter again.

Then write the following commands and press enter after each one “rd “Documents and Settings”,” “xcopy /s /h c:windows.old\*.* c:” and make sure you agree to overwrite the files by pressing y.

Now in order to restore the old boot sector you will have to type “D:bootbootsect /nt52 c:” and in case of an error just select another letter, something like this “E:bootbootsect /nt52 c:”. Now type “c:” hot enter, then “cd” and enter, and then “attrib boot.ini.saved -s -h –r” and “ren “boot.ini.saved” “boot.ini”” each followed by an enter. The final command is “attrib boot.ini +s +h +r”, press enter and type exit, press enter and click restart in the System Recoveri Options window.

Your previous copy of Windows should be in place. Just delete all the files that Windows Vista has left behind. -- http://jsbi.blogspot.com/2007/03/how-to-uninstall-windows-vista-easily.html

 

[exscentric]

That is not what I am trying to do but for all practical purposes, I am at his last step - trying to delete the files Vista left behind - the windows directory.

Vista sets attributes, sharing, and ownership for every file (part of the reason it is so terribly slow). I can change all these settings but it is quite a process to go through and there should be a way to do it all at once.

Help files are worthless as usual. Need to snoop the net later today.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[exscentric]

Okay, got it.

Several things. There is sharing and there is security and there is owner ship. If all of those are set to give you permission and you can't delete then go to the ownership tab and click edit and there is one or two small boxes at the bottom speaking of inheritance. I clicked the bottom one and applied. It made changes to the files and then I could delete them

 

[standingfirminChrist]

Wonderful news, excentric.

Glad ya got that one taken care of. Hope the blue screen thing on your other PC is also a thing of the past.

 

[exscentric]

Been since Sunday since a blue screen - did have to reboot once for something else but it has been on its best behavior. :thumbs: