Windows 7 - Can't delete file in hidden folder even after changing owner

Asked By Petrarch

12-Nov-09 12:41 PM

I restored my vista OS using a system image utility provided by Alienware.
It created a backup folder on the c drive with all the old files in it,
including user profiles.  I changed the owner of all files and folders back
to my account and tried to delete it, but got the UAC messages that I need to
allow administrator rights to do so.  After clicking yes, I got a message
that permission was denied with the only options of "Try Again" or "Cancel".
After making visible all hidden files and folders, I was able to drill down
to the one file I could not delete.  I have used the "take ownership" steps in
Vista explorer properties, and also the "takeown" dos commands, which report
success that the Administrators group or my account which belongs to the
administrators group, is the owner of the file, and that I have full control
of it.  Even so, I cannot delete this file.  In DOS, I get access denied.  In
Explorer, I get the "you need permission to perform this action" message,
with "try again" or "cancel", and it shows that my account (or administrators
group, doing it that way) is the owner.  it is just this one file.  I was able
to delete all other files and folders around this file, but just not this one.

I wonder if the folder path is so long or so nested that UAC fails to figure
it out?  It was in users\<my profile>\appdata\roaming\etc.  Or is the file
corrupt?  The file is a tempory file created by one of those biometric
devices when logged on with your fingerprint, and is supposed to disappear
when you log off, but it seems to have remained there because of a hard boot.
Is there a utility I can use that can nuke this one lone file?

thanks

12-Nov-09 12:53 PM

You can use the full rights admin account, since the one Vista gives you
out of the box is not a full rights admin account.

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/enable-the-hidden-administrator-account-on-windows-vista/

12-Nov-09 01:32 PM

Yes, tried that, too.  I get the same behavior, regardless whether I am
logged in under my profile or the enabled administrator account.

12-Nov-09 02:07 PM

You might want to investigate deleting the file using another OS
(Linux). Sometimes a file path or name contains illegal characters as
far as Windows is concerned, and Linux (or another OS) will have a
different set of reserved words or illegal characters. The biometric
device may create a file with a "bad" name for Windows while accessing
the NTFS outside of Windows.

12-Nov-09 01:54 PM

Hello Petrarch,

Did you also "allow" your user account "Full Control" in the permission
for the file. You can look at step 18 in Method Two of the tutorial
below for how if needed. You might also try doing this in Safe Mode.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67717-take-ownership-file.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Petrarch;1189517 Wrote:


--
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*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
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12-Nov-09 02:29 PM

Did you try going into Safemode to delete the file?

12-Nov-09 03:11 PM

Yes, I did.  This is how I able to delete all the other files in the same
folder.  Full control was granted appropriately, ownership shows as my
username.  I have done this in safe mode.  I have run process explorer and
unlocker to see if the file was in use.  The filename does not have any
special characters.  it is biouser.ud5.  Your link has some other tricks to
try.  I will have to try those later when I get home from work.

As for installing a linux OS to delete the file, what is the smallest fastest
one to use for this purpose?

12-Nov-09 03:48 PM

If you are using a 32-bit Vista, then you might also see if the free
program "Unlocker" may be able to allow you to delete it.

'Unlocker - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET
Download.com'
(http://download.cnet.com/Unlocker/3000-2248_4-10493998.html)


Petrarch;1189595 Wrote:


--
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'*MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience*'
(https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=87AD1AFC-4723-4479-A555-AD617AF3D511)
*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
them.*
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*Please post feedback to help others.*

12-Nov-09 05:51 PM

I have 64-bit, so unlocker did not pop up when trying to delete the file.

12-Nov-09 11:03 PM

Since you have 64-bit, you might see if "LockHunter" may help instead
then.

'Download LockHunter 1.0 Beta 3 - Forcedly removes any files as well as
displays what programs lock them - Softpedia'
(http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/File-Management/LockHunter.shtml)


Petrarch;1189708 Wrote:


--
Brink

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(https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=87AD1AFC-4723-4479-A555-AD617AF3D511)
*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
them.*
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*Please post feedback to help others.*

13-Nov-09 01:11 AM

Thanks, this tool looks useful for other situations in the way that Unlocker
is on 32-bit OS's.  In this case, I still get the message "You do not
permission to open this file. Contact the owner..."  My username is the
owner.  If there were a way to make Windows "think" this file was deleted
successfully, thru a registry hack perhaps, I am open to suggestions.  This
file is like a really stubborn weed.

13-Nov-09 03:09 AM

I am about out of ideas myself. Have you already tried deleting it in the

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67567-administrator-account.html


Petrarch;1189890 Wrote:


--
Brink

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(https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=87AD1AFC-4723-4479-A555-AD617AF3D511)
*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
them.*
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*Please post feedback to help others.*

13-Nov-09 05:35 AM

I have this installed on all of my computers. It has never failed to allow
me to delete folders or files that I choose to delete. It is called take
ownership.reg and it is a registry entry that places a choice in the right
click menu to take ownership of a folder and any sub folder and files
contained therein.

Try it.

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/add-take-ownership-to-explorer-right-click-menu-in-vista/

--

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience & Security

14-Nov-09 08:55 PM

Unfortunately, none of these options worked on this one file.  I had to
format the drive and start over.  This time around, when I restored from a
system image I did not create a backup folder on the C drive itself.

Taking ownership "should" have worked, and all the various steps repliers
provided were helpful, so do not feel bad.  The lockhunter tool for 64-bit
OS's has been added to my IT bag of tricks.  I'd been looking for something
that had the same features as unlocker for a while.

Thanks for all your replies.  I appreciated the help.

14-Nov-09 10:30 PM

Petrarch,

I am sorry to hear that you had to format the drive to get rid of that
file.


Petrarch;1190831 Wrote:


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*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
them.*
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*Please post feedback to help others.*

02-Dec-09 08:22 PM

I have removed such files using Ubuntu, downloaded as an ISO and installed
on a bootable thumb drive, using Unetbootin.  Such a little item is very
handy and with a decent Thumb drive, is quite impressive.

FWIW, MSE found and removed a trojan installed along with Unlocker on one of
my machines.  Moreover Unlocker does not always work, and when it does, I
wonder if it is safe..