Solved Cant delete old backups on renamed computer.

[redrooster01]

I changed the name of my computer when I reinstalled win 7 home premium on my HP P6-2203a desktop. I have two 1tb hard drives for C and F. The F drive is full and I cant find anyway to delete all the old backup files left over from when I renamed the computer? Is there someway I can delete them?

 

[derekimo]

Have you tried taking ownership of them?

This tutorial adds a context menu option to make it easier,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html

 

[redrooster01]

I tried that but I didnt see Take ownership anywhere? Only ""Manage"" I went to computer then double clicked F drive and deleted all the old backups.Yay! When I hold the curser over the different folders they say they are empty,yet when I went to backup and started to backup my files with another system image, backup said I had two previous system image backups on the renamed computer.I thought a system image was a backup of the Operating System,not everything on my C hard drive? When ever I leave it up to windows to decide it invariabley turns out a complete mess. Is there a win 7 backup tutorial around thats easy to follow for oldies like me,Im 60+ y/o and this stuff is like learning a foreign language if you havent grown up with it.

 

[derekimo]

I meant you can right click on the individual backups to take ownership, (after you add that to your context menu) not the whole drive.

If it still sees the old folders or backups, try renaming them but if you take ownership you should be able to just delete them.

No the image will be the whole C drive which for most is the operating system and user data.

We have this tutorial here,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html

If you want to try a different program, one that most here already use we have this tutorial,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

Which wont bug you about those other backups.

Just another option, not trying to confuse you.

 

[redrooster01]

Ive read it through a few times and watched the video but its all gobbledegook to me? I still cant find ""Take ownership"" anywhere when I right click on those F drive backup files? My last backup today was a system image 222.90GB. I have two previous system images but they dont show up when I click on computer F drive? They show up when I go to backup though? The tutorial just made it more confusing,It said I could decide if windows just kept the latest system image but I couldnt find how to do that anywhere either? Its not as if Ive tried once and given up! Ive tried about ten times! I think I might be better off just letting windows decide,what do you think?

 

[derekimo]

I still cant find ""Take ownership"" anywhere when I right click on those F drive backup files?

Did you add the option to your context menu?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html

That has to be done to see it.

Lets clarify that for now.

 

[redrooster01]

What option is that? The tutorial just says to right click the file and click Take ownership but its not there? Is the tutorial wrong? Youre saying one thing and the tutorial says another? Thats the thing about computers you have to already know what your doing before you ask the question? It may be clear to other people who know the language but not me, What is this context menu option and why doesnt the tutorial say anything about it before I try to click onto Take ownership?

 

[derekimo]

That's not what the tutorial is for, the tutorial is a guide to show you how to add, I repeat, add the take ownership option to your context menu.

It sounds like you aren't making it past the top of the page.

   Information

You have to download this file,


Download



5. Save the .reg file to your Desktop.

6. Double click on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

7. If prompted, click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

8. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

You have to go below the pictures and it shows you a big green "Here's how".

So in conclusion, before you will ever see the option to take ownership, you must add it to your context menu by following the instructions in the tutorial, the ones I also copied to the above green portion of my post.