Duplicate Program Files

I performed a clean install of windows 7 ultimate x64 on a new hard drive and used windows easy transfer to carry along data such as photos and important documents from my previous 32-bit windows XP machine.

I used the Easy Transfer defaults for the file transfer, and transferred via a recently-reformatted external hard drive.

Here's the problem: I somehow ended up with an extra "Program Files" folder on my computer. The extra has some programs from the old machine in it and despite the merits (didn't have to reinstall world of warcraft as it runs fine from the old one), it's really beginning to irritate me! It contains non-working versions of office and a couple other games so I'd really like to clear it out.

Despite taking ownership, granting full control with the permissions, etc., I still get the message that I need permission to delete it. Only difference is now I need permission from myself instead of TrustedInstaller, despite the security tab saying that I have full control. I made sure the permissions were inherited to all the contents and even tried deleting individual components with no luck.

Please help me get rid of the extra Program Files!

Thanks

mutton said:

Despite taking ownership, granting full control with the permissions, etc., I still get the message that I need permission to delete it. Only difference is now I need permission from myself instead of TrustedInstaller, despite the security tab saying that I have full control. I made sure the permissions were inherited to all the contents and even tried deleting individual components with no luck.

Please help me get rid of the extra Program Files!

Thanks

Hi Mutton,

You need to give full control to System, Administrators group, yourself and the Users group (if you dont want a UAC dialog to confirm the delete) before you actually have "full control" since its the System user that actually deletes files while your user is a member of Administrators and Users group, by default Windows is hard-coded (meaning not changeable) to use the lowest privileges for your user and prevents the majority of system calls from Windows components from impersonating as your user (or group) to preform tasks like file deletions/copying etc... for obvious security reasons.

So when you dont grant System + administrators group + your user with full permissions then you will be prevented from doing a system operation like deletions because first the System then administrators then yourself (it checks your permission inheritance in that order) dont have access to delete files according to the folder ACL table because they where not listed with explicit permission and denied access.

Hope this helps and explains why your having permission issues trying to delete that folder

Steven

Thanks Steven, I just hadn't granted enough permission I guess. And thanks to the others that replied too, I guess I should have been more specific, I had and extra folder in addition to the normal program files and (x86) folders. Perhaps I should have said I had 3 total with "Program Files" as part of the name! But no longer, problem solved.

I have the same problem. A friend of mine wanted to transfer all of my files over (I did not... I wanted to sort of pick and choose my transferred files.) He did it anyhow.... Ugh! So I had many duplicates including these program files. My issue is that whenever I run updates I feel like there is duplicate updates running as well. My old drive was an HP with XP Professional on it and the new drive is a Dell with Windows 7 on it. Soooo I end up with absolutely no room on my main Dell drive. Whenever I tried changing permissions it tells me there has been an error or I still do not have permission. I am about ready to wipe the whole dang thing and start over.... (Which would me also purchasing a new version of windows since my last was gifted from a family member who worked at Microsoft.... ) bleh...