Please help.... can't delete files

I posted this on several Vista groups in desperation. I can't get control
of my own computer although I'm the only user. I can't understand the
complicated directions given to OWN my own PC so I can delete unwanted files
downloaded to it in error from a backup external drive.

I'm the admin and only user on my Vista comp and can't delete old files I no
longer want. How do I delete these unwanted files and why don't I have
complete control over my own PC? How do I disable all these unwanted
"safety" features in control of my PC?

How do I get rid of the annoying popup windows asking for permission to do
almost everything? It's becoming torture using this Vista machine but I'm
stuck with Vista until the warranty runs out.

PLEASE!!!!!!!!! How the hell do I get control away from Windows and OWN my
own machine?

"news.microsoft.com" <anon@anon.net> wrote in message
news:OZyGhBHKJHA.5060@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>I posted this on several Vista groups in desperation. I can't get control
>of my own computer although I'm the only user. I can't understand the
>complicated directions given to OWN my own PC so I can delete unwanted
>files downloaded to it in error from a backup external drive.
>
> I'm the admin and only user on my Vista comp and can't delete old files I
> no
> longer want. How do I delete these unwanted files and why don't I have
> complete control over my own PC? How do I disable all these unwanted
> "safety" features in control of my PC?
>
> How do I get rid of the annoying popup windows asking for permission to do
> almost everything? It's becoming torture using this Vista machine but I'm
> stuck with Vista until the warranty runs out.
>
> PLEASE!!!!!!!!! How the hell do I get control away from Windows and OWN
> my own machine?
>

An administrator user on Vista does not have full Administrator rights for
security reasons.

Fight click Windows Explorer and choose Run as Administrator. Now try
deleting the files.

--
Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
Do not reply with email

"Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM" <franksaunders@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:udsWFCKKJHA.3936@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> "news.microsoft.com" <anon@anon.net> wrote in message
> news:OZyGhBHKJHA.5060@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>I posted this on several Vista groups in desperation. I can't get control
>>of my own computer although I'm the only user. I can't understand the
>>complicated directions given to OWN my own PC so I can delete unwanted
>>files downloaded to it in error from a backup external drive.
>>
>> I'm the admin and only user on my Vista comp and can't delete old files I
>> no
>> longer want. How do I delete these unwanted files and why don't I have
>> complete control over my own PC? How do I disable all these unwanted
>> "safety" features in control of my PC?
>>
>> How do I get rid of the annoying popup windows asking for permission to
>> do almost everything? It's becoming torture using this Vista machine but
>> I'm stuck with Vista until the warranty runs out.
>>
>> PLEASE!!!!!!!!! How the hell do I get control away from Windows and OWN
>> my own machine?
>>
>
> An administrator user on Vista does not have full Administrator rights for
> security reasons.
>
> Fight click Windows Explorer and choose Run as Administrator. Now try
> deleting the files.

I'll try that. Thanks. These constant pop-up security windows are as
annoying as the pop-ups on websites. More infuriating is being unable to
delete files.

>
> --
> Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
> Do not reply with email

"Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM" <franksaunders@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:udsWFCKKJHA.3936@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> "news.microsoft.com" <anon@anon.net> wrote in message
> news:OZyGhBHKJHA.5060@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>I posted this on several Vista groups in desperation. I can't get control
>>of my own computer although I'm the only user. I can't understand the
>>complicated directions given to OWN my own PC so I can delete unwanted
>>files downloaded to it in error from a backup external drive.
>>
>> I'm the admin and only user on my Vista comp and can't delete old files I
>> no
>> longer want. How do I delete these unwanted files and why don't I have
>> complete control over my own PC? How do I disable all these unwanted
>> "safety" features in control of my PC?
>>
>> How do I get rid of the annoying popup windows asking for permission to
>> do almost everything? It's becoming torture using this Vista machine but
>> I'm stuck with Vista until the warranty runs out.
>>
>> PLEASE!!!!!!!!! How the hell do I get control away from Windows and OWN
>> my own machine?
>>
>
> An administrator user on Vista does not have full Administrator rights for
> security reasons.
>
> Fight click Windows Explorer and choose Run as Administrator. Now try
> deleting the files.

That option is NOT there when right clicking on WE.

>
> --
> Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
> Do not reply with email

>
>
> That option is NOT there when right clicking on WE.
>
> >
> > --
> > Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
> > Do not reply with email

Its when you right click on c:\\Windows\explorer.exe., but we all know
that it doesn't do anything. Vista is 'protecting you from yourself'.
We have enough of this kind of thought in government, now it's on our
computers operating system. So we never get to really own it. I'm going
back to XP Pro.


--
MERCILESSPIT
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"news.microsoft.com" <none@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:eg2VO8%23KJHA.5060@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> "Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM" <franksaunders@mvps.org> wrote in message
> news:udsWFCKKJHA.3936@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> "news.microsoft.com" <anon@anon.net> wrote in message
>> news:OZyGhBHKJHA.5060@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>>I posted this on several Vista groups in desperation. I can't get
>>>control of my own computer although I'm the only user. I can't understand
>>>the complicated directions given to OWN my own PC so I can delete
>>>unwanted files downloaded to it in error from a backup external drive.
>>>
>>> I'm the admin and only user on my Vista comp and can't delete old files
>>> I no
>>> longer want. How do I delete these unwanted files and why don't I have
>>> complete control over my own PC? How do I disable all these unwanted
>>> "safety" features in control of my PC?
>>>
>>> How do I get rid of the annoying popup windows asking for permission to
>>> do almost everything? It's becoming torture using this Vista machine
>>> but I'm stuck with Vista until the warranty runs out.
>>>
>>> PLEASE!!!!!!!!! How the hell do I get control away from Windows and OWN
>>> my own machine?
>>>
>>
>> An administrator user on Vista does not have full Administrator rights
>> for security reasons.
>>
>> Fight click Windows Explorer and choose Run as Administrator. Now try
>> deleting the files.
>
> That option is NOT there when right clicking on WE.
>

It won't be if your user account is an administrator.....(against all good
practice....)

Ok, I have a unique twist on this problem. I am denied the ability to
even change the owner of the file I am trying to delete to
administrator. I have tried using the run as administrator option on
the command prompt, and it still won't allow me to delete the file.

The problem stems, I believe, from this file being left over from a
previous install of Vista. I had upgraded my version of vista from home
premium to ultimate without formatting the drive the file is on.
Actually, I did format the C: drive, but had moved all my installer/data
files over to a separate hard drive. The files that have made it from
XP are all able to be manipulated however I like, but this was a file I
downloaded while using home premium. Apparently, the file is owned by a
user that no longer exists, so I am blocked from deleting it. The user
name I used for the install of home premium is named the same as the
user I am using on my install of ultimate, so it appears that the name
of the user doesn't affect who it belongs to, but some sort of hash or
GUID number.

If anyone knows of any way to hack around this problem, please let me
know.

EDIT: Nevermind, after a little more google-digging, I found some
command-line programs that fixed the issue and allowed me to grant
administrators access to the files even though the GUI wouldn't.
Everyone should check out the 'icacls' command if attempting to take
ownership of the files they are trying to delete fails using the GUI.


--
Infaltable Soulmate
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