Windows 7: Delete /Windows and /Program Files? (from ex-boot drive I promise!)

SO basically recently I installed a SSD to boot from, but I keep all of my movies on my second drive. I decided to delete windows from the HDD since I will not be using it anymore.

The problem is, /Windows, /Program Files, and /Program Files (x86) all refuse to delete, even after taking ownership and setting full read-write access to me. I can't even delete them in safe mode. I can't wipe the HDD because it's 90% full and I simply have nowhere to back up all of the movies.

and yes, I'm booting from the SSD.



Help?

You might like to read theog's post at Windows 7 Forums > Windows 7 help and support > Installation & Setup » installed 7 on new ssd and want to format old primary drive with vista..

May be your boot files are on the HDD too.

Would say, my quote in
installed 7 on new ssd and want to format old primary drive with vista

But I don't understand how it can be the boot drive. I set my motherboard to boot from the SSD (so it wouldn't even boot if I switched to HDD), and disk management lists the drive as Healthy, with no flags.

Seems I may have some "ummoveable files"

I think I'm going to try to distribute the videos among all the drives i have, then shrink the drive enough to make room for a second drive which can store the remainder. i may have to use gparted, as ummoveable files are not allowing me to shrink enough.

So, I decided to just format it. I moved enough off to make the drive more than 55% empty, and now I'm shrinking the drive so I can create another temporary partition to hold the rest of the files. Problem is, when trying to use the excess space left after deleting the old recovery partiotion on the secondary drive, I accidently turned the partition into a dynamic disk using ADDM to shrink it now.

The correct way to delete an OS is to move the data off then delete it in Disk Management: Partition or Volume - Delete

Check first that your remaining Windows 7 partition is marked System Active so you know it will boot, and it's set as first HD to boot in BIOS setup.

Trying to remove an OS piecemeal is not easy as you must Take Ownership of all files and even then there will be a struggle with certain files inside of folders which wlll not fully release ownership.

which is why I chose just to blow it away. I just wished Microsoft had more prominnent warnings when you are converting a basic volume into a dynamic disk, as I just spent half an hour pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to convert it back again without losing my data. I tried ADDM and it's Suite alternative, but they both required me to buy the full version to switch it back again (their tactics of failing to mention this, and their dubious uninistaller is why I will not reveal their name), before finding out that EASUS Partition MagicHome Edition (free) does it easily. this program is now offically part of my pernament software arsenal.

System restore borked my user folder, so I'm doing this in a different account while I fix it. That's why I'm using IE9, which aparrently has no spell check.

I personally would backup the DATA on to a external HD Drive first.

At least weekly we help users who've ignored the warning that disk was being converted, convert Dynamic back to Basic using this older version of Partition Wizard bootable CD which still offers it as a free feature: pw422.zip ISO - Windows Live

If you have other issues you should post it up, too, because chances are we've seen it recently or are even helping someone with that particular issue right now.