Accessing 'Locked' Files/Folders so I can delete them


  1. cornemuse
    Posts : 191
    Windows 7 Home Premium bit
       New #1

    Accessing 'Locked' Files/Folders so I can delete them


    I recently acquired a few (quite a few) older laptops, some w/ 7 some w/XP PRO. The problem is with W-7 comps. I cannot access 'Documents and settings'. Yes, I understand, one shouldnt tamper with this. I cannot access 'Users' either. Many folders are locked. The thing is, there is 'something' there taking 50+ gigs, almost half the hdd's space. As administrator, I am unable to find/do anything in 'User accounts', I am the only one listed there. (Guest, also).
    Also: I connected the hdd to my desktop (with XPPro 64 bit) via usb, the folders are still locked.


    Also, some hdd's from the 'bad' computers have a 'C' drive, plus 2 other drives, (logical?) which I would like to format into 'one' drive (partition?). I'm having fits trying to do this, cant delete these 2 partitions/drives. What would be the procedure??

    I am a dyed in the wool XP user, I just much prefer XP over W-7. (There, I've said it, , ,)

    Anywayz, I would appreciate any help.

    -corne-

    (One of the laptops is a Hitachi with W-95 installed and a 720 meg hdd!, Works, but pretty much useless nowadays) (Also, an 'Epson HX-20' laptop with a 4 lines x 20 spaces screen and 32k ram!)
      My Computer
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  3. pbcopter
    Posts : 1,872
    Windows 10 Pro x64, Windows 8.1 Pro x64, Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1,
       New #2

    Documents and Settings, and others are not real folders but Junctions used to allow Windows 7 to use legacy software.

    Documents and settings is replaced by C:\Users\<your user name>\Documents and Appdata (a hidden folder).


    You may need to take ownership of some files before you will be able to delete the.

    https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/...or=-2147217396

    Also see this tutorial

    Take Ownership Shortcut
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