How to delete protected files

Asked By Arkjun Campbell 0 points N/A Posted on - 04/10/2012

I want to delete some folders on my computer and laptop, but it is protected. How can I delete those protected files?

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• Question Category: System Utilities

Best Answer by Carl Jack

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Answered By Tanok Bloran 80 points N/A #118748

How to delete protected files

If you are deleting protected files and you are denied by the system to do so you may try the following:

• Restart your computer in Safe mode
• Try deleting the said files in Safe mode

If deleting those protected files in safe mode are not working, you might want to try any of the following third-party software programs:

• Pocket KillBox
• Unlocked

Other ways of deleting the said protected files are:

• Clicking on Start
• Typing CMD in the search box
• Right-click on CMD then chooses Run as Administrator
• Leave the command prompt window open but close all other programs and applications
• Right-click on Task bar and choose Task Manager
• Go to the Processes tab, click on Explorer.exe and End the process
• Minimize the Task Manager (do not close it)
• Go back to the command prompt window and go to the directory where the file you would like to delete is located by typing the following on the CD command: WindowsSystem32 then CD windowssystem32
• Use the DEL command to delete the said file by typing Del <filename>
• Go back to the Task Manager, click on File, New Task and enter EXPLORER.EXE to restart your windows shell
• Close the Task Manager

You may also check http://www.pchell.com/support/undeletablefiles.shtml for further reference. 

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Answered By Carl Jack 10 points N/A #118749

How to delete protected files

Hello Arkjun,

If the folder that you are trying to delete is protected, you can go ahead and change the ownership of the folder by doing the following:

• You will need to right click on the folder, and then choose Properties.
• After that go to Security and then choose Advanced followed by Owner.
• And then you will choose  Edit, and then choose  Administrator and put a check on “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects”.

Another approach to that will be to use command prompt to remove the ownership, you will just need to press your window’s Start button and then type “cmd”. After that you will right click on the “cmd” program that shows up, and then right click and select run as administrator. In the command prompt, you will need to enter the following command: cacls “c:WINDOWS.OLD” /t /g administrators:F

Regards,

Carl

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• Posted on - 09/10/2012
• Question Category: System Utilities