How do I completely delete all of the files in HDD (E drive)

gregrocker said:

Please post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk Management drive map and listings:

1. Type Disk Management in Start Search box.
2. Open Disk Mgmt. window and maximize it.
3. Type Snipping Tool in Start Search box.
4. Open Snipping Tool, choose Rectangular Snip, click New, draw a box around full drive map and all listings.
5, Save Snip, attach using paper clip in Reply Box.

Tell us what is on each partition and exactly what you'd like to do.

Its already been inactivated:


I uploaded the screenshot of the disk management (Also attached):


- E drive: HDD, cloned files from C drive before (This is what I want to wipe out)
- D drive: another HDD
- C drive: SSD, boot, windows, program files, all those important stuff etc...

What I want to do is delete everything in "Back-up Nabe~ (E drive)" and make the free space 100%. However, it won't let me do anything because its being used/processed. I've tried deleted everything in that drive and you can see how there is nothing there (including hidden files) on the screenshots before.

What we look at first are the flags and what's immediately spotted is that you have the System boot files correctly on the Disk2 System Reserved partition, also correctly marked Active, and C is marked Boot meaning it is the one booted.

But what's missing is actually from the C partition. Where is the Page File, an important System file? Aha, there it is on D and E, blocking E's deletion.


Click to enlarge


To solve this go to Control Panel>System>Advanced System Settings>Performance Settings>Advanced tab>Virtual Memory. Click Change:



Then uncheck whatever setting is chosen for paging file, check No Paging File, then Set, OK and reboot.



After reboot return to the same place to highlight C drive (only) and select System Managed Size, click Set, then OK.

After another reboot Paging file should now show up on C partition in Disk Mgmt.

If so mark the Disk0 old System Reserved partition Inactive and delete both partitions on Disk0 in Disk Mgmt, create and format new partition(s) as you wish: Partition - Mark as Inactive - Windows 7 Forums
Partition or Volume - Delete
Partition or Volume - Create New

Check periodically that no other partition besides System Reserved is marked Active, especially if you run Startup Repair, so that the System boot files don't get derailed to another HD. Another way to assure this is to swap the cables between Disk0 and Disk2 so that WIn7 HD is in first position where it's safest - making sure it remains set first to boot in BIOS setup.

gregrocker said:

What we look at first are the flags and what's immediately spotted is that you have the System boot files correctly on the Disk2 System Reserved partition, also correctly marked Active, and C is marked Boot meaning it is the one booted.

But what's missing is actually from the C partition. Where is the Page File, an important System file? Aha, there it is on D and E, blocking E's deletion.


Click to enlarge


To solve this go to Control Panel>System>Advanced System Settings>Performance Settings>Advanced tab>Virtual Memory. Click Change:



Then uncheck whatever setting is chosen for paging file, check No Paging File, then Set, OK and reboot.



After reboot return to the same place to highlight C drive (only) and select System Managed Size, click Set, then OK.

After another reboot Paging file should now show up on C partition in Disk Mgmt.

If so mark the Disk0 old System Reserved partition Inactive and delete both partitions on Disk0 in Disk Mgmt, create and format new partition(s) as you wish: Partition - Mark as Inactive - Windows 7 Forums
Partition or Volume - Delete
Partition or Volume - Create New

Check periodically that no other partition besides System Reserved is marked Active, especially if you run Startup Repair, so that the System boot files don't get derailed to another HD. Another way to assure this is to swap the cables between Disk0 and Disk2 so that WIn7 HD is in first position where it's safest - making sure it remains set first to boot in BIOS setup.

Thank you very much for the info.

I've just tried it and after setting the E drive to no paging file, I was able to format the E drive and completely delete everything (I thought deleting the partition was no point so I just formatted it instead). Problem was solved.

However, when I check the virtual memory its been set up like this:

For some reasons, the C drive is marked "none" whereas the D drive is marked as "system managed".

Although the problem has been solved, is it alright to leave it like this?

Moreover, here is the result after formatting the E drive:

That's why I gave you illustated steps to turn off all the paging files, reboot, then Set only C to be System Managed. Please do that now.

I would also delete both partitions on the old Disk0 in DIsk Mgmt, then create a new partition for the whole HD if that's what you want. No reason to leave the old System Reserved on the HD, and plenty of reason to at least mark it Inactive to avoid future probs.

So please complete all of the steps and then you'll be good to go.

gregrocker said:

That's why I gave you illustated steps to turn off all the paging files, reboot, then Set only C to be System Managed. Please do that now.

I would also delete both partitions on the old Disk0 in DIsk Mgmt, then create a new partition for the whole HD if that's what you want. No reason to leave the old System Reserved on the HD, and plenty of reason to at least mark it Inactive to avoid future probs.

So please complete all of the steps and then you'll be good to go.

Ah, yeah I was confused about the system reserved.



Thanks for the help.

You're most welcome. :)

Let us know if there's anything else we can help you with.

Enjoy Win7.