How do I remove residual Windows files

R

Rick

I have two folders on my IDE drive that at one time Windows must have
tried to install itself. I would like to remove these folders but, I
have not found a program that will do it. I have tried Eraser and
Norton Systemtools Wipe. I need a utility that will only remove
specified information. I have looked at both Active@Kill Disk and
Darik's Boot and Nuke but, I can not tell from the information on those
web sites if they will only erase specific folders.

Thanks for any suggestions/information
--
Rick
Fargo, ND
N 46°53.251"
W 096°48.279"

Remember the USS Liberty

http://www.ussliberty.org/
 
P

Pegasus \(MVP\)

Rick said:
I have two folders on my IDE drive that at one time Windows must have tried
to install itself. I would like to remove these folders but, I have not
found a program that will do it. I have tried Eraser and Norton
Systemtools Wipe. I need a utility that will only remove specified
information. I have looked at both Active@Kill Disk and Darik's Boot and
Nuke but, I can not tell from the information on those web sites if they
will only erase specific folders.

Thanks for any suggestions/information
--
Rick
Fargo, ND
N 46°53.251"
W 096°48.279"

Remember the USS Liberty

http://www.ussliberty.org/
Click to expand...

What's wrong with deleting the two folders from within Explorer?
 
J

Jupiter Jones [MVP]

Have you Taken Ownership of the files?

What files?
Are you sure they are not System Files?
 
R

Rick

Jupiter said:
Have you Taken Ownership of the files?

What files?
Are you sure they are not System Files?
Click to expand...
I believe that they are indeed system files one of the folders in side
of another is i386 that as you well now is supposed to be the OS but,
it is not functional. That dis functionality is why I want to remove
it. I want to install Linux on that drive and I would like not to have
any residual junk on the drive.

--
Rick
Fargo, ND
N 46°53.251"
W 096°48.279"

Remember the USS Liberty

http://www.ussliberty.org/
 
R

Rick

Jupiter said:
Have you Taken Ownership of the files?

What files?
Are you sure they are not System Files?
Click to expand...

I should probably add that all three folders are empty and it does not
seem to make any difference about ownership "Access Denied"
--
Rick
Fargo, ND
N 46°53.251"
W 096°48.279"

Remember the USS Liberty

http://www.ussliberty.org/
 
J

Jupiter Jones [MVP]

If they are System Files, best to leave them.
There are a few files seemingly without purpose, leaving them has no
negative consequences and their size is probably very small.
But you never named the files.
Someone may know what they are.
 
R

Rick

Jupiter said:
If they are System Files, best to leave them.
There are a few files seemingly without purpose, leaving them has no
negative consequences and their size is probably very small.
But you never named the files.
Someone may know what they are.
Click to expand...
They are not on the boot drive and are of no use because they are empty.

--
Rick
Fargo, ND
N 46°53.251"
W 096°48.279"

Remember the USS Liberty

http://www.ussliberty.org/
 
J

Jupiter Jones [MVP]

But, what are they?

Did you reboot to Safe Mode as Administrator, Take Ownership.
Then attempt to delete?
 
G

GreenieLeBrun

Rick said:
I believe that they are indeed system files one of the folders in
side of another is i386 that as you well now is supposed to be the
OS but, it is not functional. That dis functionality is why I want
to remove it. I want to install Linux on that drive and I would like
not to have any residual junk on the drive.
Click to expand...

If you are going to install Linux on the drive in question then Linux will
repartition the drive and reformat it in its own file system, this of
course, will wipe everything off that drive.
 
R

Rick

GreenieLeBrun said:
If you are going to install Linux on the drive in question then Linux will
repartition the drive and reformat it in its own file system, this of
course, will wipe everything off that drive.
Click to expand...
I doubt that a re format will remove the folders. I did re format the
drive but, the folders remained.

--
Rick
Fargo, ND
N 46°53.251"
W 096°48.279"

Remember the USS Liberty

http://www.ussliberty.org/
 
J

Jupiter Jones [MVP]

They should be gone.
If they are still there, you did less than a format.
Next time, delete the partition.

However if they are normal System Files, they will always be there.

It would really help if you would state what and where the files are
located.

Is one Xerox? Leave that System File alone.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org
 
J

John John

Rick said:
I doubt that a re format will remove the folders. I did re format the
drive but, the folders remained.
Click to expand...

You certainly didn't format the drive, I assure you the folders would
not have survived a format!

John
 
G

GreenieLeBrun

Rick said:
I doubt that a re format will remove the folders. I did re format the
drive but, the folders remained.
Click to expand...

When you install Linux it will set up a Linux native partition and a Linux
swap partition, the creation of these partitions will totally rewrite the
MBR thus access to any FAT or NTFS windows data on the drive will no longer
be accessable and will, for all intents and purposes, have been deleted.
Linux will then format the drives as an ext2 file system.
 
R

Rick

Jupiter Jones [MVP] wroteC:
They should be gone.
If they are still there, you did less than a format.
Next time, delete the partition.

However if they are normal System Files, they will always be there.

It would really help if you would state what and where the files are
located.

Is one Xerox? Leave that System File alone.
Click to expand...
One folder is named 38913495C354df3 and inside that folder is a second
named i386. The other folder is Volume Information. There is no
question that the system believes these to be system files but there are
no files in the folders ( if one can believe the information given when
one clicks on the folder). I believe KB308421 will solve the problem.

Thank you all for helping.

--
Rick
Fargo, ND
N 46°53.251"
W 096°48.279"

Remember the USS Liberty

http://www.ussliberty.org/
 
J

Jupiter Jones [MVP]

Assuming they are at the root of C:
The one folder with random numbers can be safely deleted.
This is usually a left over from an update and normally is
automatically deleted when the update is completed.
Many things can cause these to remain, the usual is a problem during
the update process.

"Volume Information"
Is that actually "System Volume Information"
If so, you definitely do NOT want to delete it.
Leave it alone, it is necessary.

Have you Taken Ownership as I previously suggested?
AFAIK, that always resolves the deletion issue with the numbered file.
 
R

Rick

Jupiter said:
Assuming they are at the root of C:
The one folder with random numbers can be safely deleted.
This is usually a left over from an update and normally is automatically
deleted when the update is completed.
Many things can cause these to remain, the usual is a problem during the
update process.

"Volume Information"
Is that actually "System Volume Information"
If so, you definitely do NOT want to delete it.
Leave it alone, it is necessary.

Have you Taken Ownership as I previously suggested?
AFAIK, that always resolves the deletion issue with the numbered file.
Click to expand...

Yes it worked very well and thanks again. :)
--
Rick
Fargo, ND
N 46°53.251"
W 096°48.279"

Remember the USS Liberty

http://www.ussliberty.org/
 

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