Can't delete a file

Well, short story long ...

I was trying to shuffle around some hard drives to find one to put in a new DVR. I was using Partition Commander 10 to copy partitions from one HDD to another, etc. I wound up with a HDD with Vista that won't boot. It says the BOOTVID.DLL is missing. So I took one of the HDDs and put a clean install of Vista on it. The drive that won't boot still has all the files on it, including the BOOTVID.DLL. I tried to replace the BOOTVID, it won't let me do it. I can't even delete the BOOTVID file on the unbootable drive. I even hooked up the unbootable drive to two different XP laptops and it still won't allow me to delete or modify the file. I'm tempted to install Windows ME or 2000 on to a HDD to see if it will let me delete the file.

Any help or info here would be appreciated.

reply to post by VictorVonDoom


Sometimes, I swear as if these thing are conscious and try desperately to try and save them selves from deletion. Have you tried running a virus scanner or scan disk. Some files need for you to give them permissions, but that doesn't sound like one, probably just a virus.

what OS u are use? if windows 7 you can find folder option,,explore then klik tool on the tool bar, klik folder option, klik view..on the hidden files and folder klik show hidden folder..then un checklist hide protekted file system..if show dialogbox just pres yes..then back to your folde where the file you mean cant be delete..there will show the shadow files..Just delete it first then you can dellete the main files..hopefully work

Why dont you just format the drive?

If thats not an option then I think you'll find its a permission thing!

You need to change the permissions so that YOU are the owner and have full access.
Can you connect the drive to an XP machine ? If so let me know and I'll tell you how to sort it.

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I scanned it with Avast!, it's not infected. Even if it were, I should be able to delete it, I would think. No matter what computer I attach the HDD to, I keep getting Access Denied messages.

Sorry, you guys replied quicker than I expected.

Yeah, Vista is on the drive that won't boot. I've tried attatching the drive to 3 different computers, one Vista and two XPs. Even though it's not the C: drive, I'm guessing the OS sees BOOTVID.DLL as system file and won't let me delete it. I'm Administrator on all 3 computers, and I've enabled every permission that I know of to enable me to delete files. Hope that helps.

reply to post by VictorVonDoom

Please do not use Windows Vista. This is the 2nd most FUBAR version of Windows that M$ ever made. The other one was Windows ME (Millennium Edition). Open files can be checked by using Windows management console but attaching any HD to a Windows PC should not result automatically in constantly open files. By booting from a HD you automatically have open files that Windows can not let loose. Attach the HD to an already running PC. Open files then should not be a problem.

Originally posted by VoidHawk
Why dont you just format the drive?

If thats not an option then I think you'll find its a permission thing!

You need to change the permissions so that YOU are the owner and have full access.
Can you connect the drive to an XP machine ? If so let me know and I'll tell you how to sort it.

Yes - Winders is protecting what it sees as important system files. You should be able to fdisk.

If you cannot format via Windows - try GParted.

Your other option is to install the drive as your primary drive, use any Windows install disk and use the format tool there. ETA: I should have said delete the partition, which effectively writes 0's to the drive. Then repartition, then install your fresh newish HDD as a slave in whatever other computer you want.

Good luck and junk!

go get a sledge hammer and knock the sxxt out of it wont work again but you will feel like god for 5 min then claim it on house insurance

Being admin does not give you full permission.

I only know how to do this via xp.
Connect it to an XP machine.
While in explorer click on TOOLS then FOLDER OPTIONS.
Then click the VIEW tab.

Scroll down to the bottom and UNCHECK - Use simple file sharing.
This will allow you to gain full ownership of the file by doing the following.

Right click on the file and choose PROPERTIES.
Click on ADVANCED.

Cant remember which tab you need but somewhere on that window you can select WHO can OWN the file.
Best would be to choose EVERYONE, you cant go wrong then

Dont forget to change it all back after though!

reply to post by VictorVonDoom


Vista was Microsoft's attempt at making a hardened OS... and they failed miserably. Well, they hardened it TOO MUCH, thereby making it impossible to use. Having said that, You probably don't have the permissions set to delete the file. In Vista, most .dll files and virtually all registry files are very well protected and you have to give yourself permission(s) to do it. I have one word that will fix this problem for you in the future... Linux.

reply to post by VictorVonDoom


well i use undelete plus for files that cant get deleted

Thanks for all the replies. After my last reply it dawned on me, Google "How to delete a system file in Vista"

www.howtogeek.com...

This allowed me to rename the file, so hopefully all I have to do is put the BOOTVID.DLL file in from the clean install and hopefully that should make the drive bootable again.

Hopefully ...

reply to post by VictorVonDoom


You might try to jack the HDD into an XP Machine.

Start the machine in SAFE MODE.

Then Use the Comand Prompt to Navigate to the File and Delete it.

Else. . .. .. C:Format /U

Good Luck

I can't believe that acutally worked.

Thanks for your help, everyone. Now, I have a hard drive I need to back up.

Do you not want to format the entire disk? The simplest, most effective and BEST option is to just format the entire volume. Or even delete and re-create the volume.

The simplest solution is in my post above. Clean that drive out. It will also make it a faster, better storage drive having been freshly formatted. For serious.

you can always ask the NSA to delete if for you

If all else fails, just use THIS. It'll eradicate everything on the hard drive.

Originally posted by HomerinNC
you can always ask the NSA to delete if for you

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

BURN IT before you give it 2 the NSA!!!!!

Delete the royals wedding.